January 2022

GRAPEVINE

Working Hard or Hardly Working? – Michael Henderson

Issue No. 2

New Year, Same You ― Katelyn Sondereker

Did you work a part-time job during winter break?

In America, making New Year's Resolutions (新年のMany students in America also did, as well as throughout抱負) is very common. As December ends, people start

the rest of the school year! Students usually work after

thinking of things that they want to change aboutschool or on the weekends, for about 10-15 hours a week.

themselves or their lives in the new year. So people decideOften high schoolers in America will work for extra money

to make promises to themselves in January like, “Thisso they can buy whatever they want. Sometimes they useyear I will learn a new language” or “In 2022, I am goingthat money to pay for car insurance or gas, since many

to exercise more”.

high school students drive cars!

When I ask my second year students (二年生) whether

Students will work all sorts of different jobs, such as

or not they make New Year's Resolutions, the answer isat restaurants, clothing stores, tutors, or even lifeguards at

usually that they do not! However, most of them still thinkswimming pools! Some students even start their own

that making them is a good idea. I enjoy reading thebusinesses, such as walking dogs or selling things online.

resolutions that they write in class like, “This year I will

My part-time job in high school was at a fast-foodstudy harder” and “In 2022, I am going to be a kind

restaurant called Dairy Queen. We mostly sold ice-creamperson”. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to study

and burgers, and I had a lot of fun working with myJapanese every day, so if you ever have something incoworkers. Some of them were also high schoolers, but

Japanese that you want to teach me, please come talk toothers were adults with families. A few of my olderme!

coworkers taught me some Spanish words while weworked!

Most people abandon their New Year's Resolutions
by the end of January. According to a study done in 2016,

These days, the amount of high school students

only about 9% of people keep their resolutions. This isworking is declining. This is due to the coronavirus

because people put too much pressure on themselves topandemic closing shops, but also because high school inchange too quickly. So I tell my students to think of a

America is becoming more difficult. More and more

resolution like a small goal, something that they really

students are spending time studying, volunteering, doing

want to do.

club activities, or doing unpaid internships to gain

You don't have to wait until January to makeexperience for college. It is getting harder to get into goodresolutions. Taking lots of small steps will lead to a biguniversities, so students are dedicating more time tochange. If you take off some of the pressure, it will give

preparing. I think it is similar to Japan, where students

you room to grow. Working hard and setting goals is

focus on studying and college preparation more thanimportant, but it is also important to remember that youworking. If you are a student who has worked a part-time

are enough just the way you are, whether you keep yourjob in Japan, where did you work? Kate-Sensei and I areresolution or not. Do you have a New Year's Resolution?

curious, so come talk to us about it!

If you do, come tell us!

On New Year'sMichael-Sensei
working atDairy Queen!

Eve, KateSensei went toa shrine withher friendMichael.

“Hope is a thing with feathers”

English Phrase!

This is the first part of a beautiful poem written byWorker: “I’m so sorry I’m late again boss! ”

famous American poet Emily Dickinson. The poem isBoss: “Don’t be late again, or you’ll be on thin ice.”called “Hope is the thing with feathers”. Try and thinkof the meaning, and come talk to us about it!

Girl: “I can’t hang out today, I’m on thin ice with myboyfriend because I forgot his birthday!”“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul -“On thin ice”: to be in a dangerous position
where you could get in trouble! (not physically

And sings the tune without the words -hurt)

And never stops - at all –Want to try out this phrase? Write a sentence about itand show Kate -Sensei or Michael-Sensei! We’ll check

Some questions:and see if it sounds correct!

1.

What type of animal is “Hope”?

2.

Why does it never stop singing?

English Songs We Like!
Michael-Sensei: “Lost in You” – khai dreams
Kate-Sensei: “Better” – Michigander
Goto-Sensei: “The Show Must Go On” – Queen
Moriyama-Sensei: “Don’t Stop” – 5 Seconds ofSummer
Let us know your current favorite English song!

Sentence:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Peanuts Comic Strip!

A Gentle Reminder: a phrase that means a polite way of reminding someone
Example: A teacher to students: “Gentle reminder that you have 5 minutes to finish the test”