Teaching in Japan - a counting card trick

Links below!

**Permission granted from the participants to show this video, which we filmed during our lunch break**

Thanks so much to my great kids and Kishi sensei for helping me make this vlog!

I used this trick in 5 different classes this week and each time it was a hit.

It's great to throw stuff like this into your lessons - keeps the kids interested and even the Home Room teachers enjoyed it.

This vlog is a way of saying thanks to YouTuber MisMag822:

http://www.youtube.com/mismag822

I've learned a bunch of great card tricks from his videos.

Learn how to do this trick here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq5BkXI0h2g


I put a bunch of my favorite ones together in a playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B168A8E6E6E9A4E5

These tricks are almost all self-working, math based tricks - no sleight of hand skills needed.
Yes, they're simple tricks, but if you learn 5 or 6 and don't do them too many times in a row, your students will be amazed and impressed and entertained. I've been showing them off at recess and lunch break for a few months now and getting a great response, so it was great to incorporate one into an actual lesson.

I can't juggle or play the guitar or sing very well or play basketball - so while I've been teaching here I've tried to find other ways to entertain my kids - I've taught myself to draw (characters like SpongeBob and Spider-Man) and doing these tricks have been two popular skills I've attained since moving to Japan.

Enjoy!
-Jason

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jason
• vlog
• Shimane
• Japan
• JET
• Program
• ALT
• ESL
• elementary
• school
• magic
• trick
• math
• card
• MisMag882

[trilltreo23]

A good English teacher does not have to use Japanese in his lessons.

[myargonauts]

@trilltreo23 Instead of focusing on the fact that I think you're implying that I'm not a good teacher, I will disagree with your basic statement. In an ideal world, it would great to speak only English in our lessons, and if I taught a group of students every day for a whole term, you could lay the foundation for not using Japanese in class, but when you only get occasional visits, you don't want to waste time on simple stuff waiting for them to understand basic commands.

[trilltreo23]

@myargonauts Haha, I never said you were a bad teacher. I'm just saying you don't need to use it, don't be so sensitive. I'm a teacher myself in Japan, and I teach children, and I never had to use Japanese in my lessons and my students would always understand what I was trying to say, always teach in a way that relates to them instead of generic English from a textbook.

[myargonauts]

@trilltreo23 no worries - thanks for the follow-up comment. I hope to still post teaching related vids from time to time, but now more about my current situation at a university.

[swaters1000]

how long did it take u Japanese? and did u have to move to japan to be fluent?

[myargonauts]

@swaters1000 click over to my main channel page and you'll get lots more info - you can search for a video called "myth of fluency" where I talk about this

[mysore2009]

o my god

[caca1712]

Probably one of my favorite videos! It is probably because I get to see (even though you can't show their faces) your interaction with your students and homeroom teacher. Definitely feels very friendly and makes me eager to go!

[TiramisuHappy]

Thanks. And best of luck to you.

I'm sure there's a way to still be connected to and involved in the Japanese way of life and people even in San Diego area. But I assure you, you'll miss it so much that you'll decide to go back one day.

I've seen it happen and heard it over and over again.... Looking forward to more of your vlogs! Cheers from the Big Apple!

[myargonauts]

yes - I will most likely end up as a High School history teacher back in California.  I will vlog about my post-JET plans as they firm up.