Chris's English Conversation School

http://www.chris-ballard.blogspot.com

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:05:00 +0000

I Have moved this site!!

Just a reminder ;)

Eiken...GO!!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:10:00 +0000

I Have moved this site!!

The new lighter site is here >>> here

The 4th/3rd graders got their first taste of Eiken 5...and it was good!! Of course they didn't think so but ....they'll get a taste of success very soon!!

also I'm migrating my site to another place since this site is a bit heavy on old systems :)

Hanami Party Sunday April 5th!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:14:00 +0000

The School will be holding a "Hanami BBQ Party" at Furepaku in Yu on Sunday April 5th. This will be at the peak of the Hanami season and the mountain top location has spectacular views of the ocean and surrounding mountains. More information will be included in February's School newsletter.

Here is a link ...CLICK ME

Saturday = All girls

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:43:00 +0000

Saturday saves me!! It's just kids and they are all advanced. T.G.I.S ;)
Chinami and Chiharu (another class which is not pictured) are my Schools new #1's) They have to live up to that with their continued effort. Did I say....I love Saturdays??? ;)

Friday night J.H/Elem -1

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:43:00 +0000

I played a game seeing how many things they could observe/describe from a picture. It worked really good so I think it's a keeper.

**This blog is crashing in IE but not Firefox...I'm workin' on it!!

1st/3rd graders reading like 8th graders

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:37:00 +0000

I'll admit it,
I don't like grammar...never did. But, I do remember when I first learned to read. I would read street signs, cereal boxes, supermarket advertisers and anything else I could. I wanted to read everything. So I want my students to get that feeling as soon as possible. A lot of schools are dancing and playing games with 7-9 year olds. Not me, I'm teaching the joys of reading and what must feel like their first real achievment on their path towards mastering the English language.

Back to School!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:27:00 +0000

This is my smartest Elementary group. (Their diaries are below...sorry Chikako!! I forgot to take a picture of yours :( )
These girls are doing great and the studying is going to get more intense.

On another note....

I found 2 sites "ESL Tower" and "ESL Galaxy" that are kind enough to offer some teaching materials for free. Very good stuff over there and I recommend ESL teachers to give em" a peek.

My Favorite Pics of 2008 !!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:43:00 +0000

1st Prize!!

This crew scared the kids sooo bad that half the students wouldn't even enter the Haunted House. Next year we will expand an open to the public!! (the 2 girls in-front are students...not actors from the Haunted House.)

2nd Prize!!

Yeah...we roasted a WHOLE pig!! This year (2009) is the year of the Cow....How appropriate since this year...I'm roasting a Cow!!!!

3rd Prize!!

These 2 both have a chance at passing Eiken 1st Grade by 2nd year of H.S. They passed 5 and 4 just this year by flying colors. Chinami on the right is still in Elementary School!! I'm lucky to be a teacher with such great students!!!

VerbaLearn A cool vocabulary study tool!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:09:00 +0000

The tool can be found>>>>here

And if your not a daily reader of lifehacker then you should start by going>>>here

2008 School Collage

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:23:00 +0000

The 2008 "School Events" collage. I will place this downstairs with the others which I started in 2004.

My 2oo8 Christmas Party

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 04:26:00 +0000

That was great fun!!! Thanks to everyone who helped make the party a success!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

**Double click the slideshow to enlarge**

Saeko

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:04:00 +0000

My students daughter "Saeko" is an amazing artist and she always gives me an original hand made gift. The 2pac was my summer gift and the christmas one is from last night.

Thank you Saeko!! I always Love your gifts!!!!

The Christmas party was sooooo fun and I'll post pics later on today!!

Once you "smoke it" you can never stop!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:06:00 +0000

Granted, it takes some effort...but cooking a Turkey or Ham with a smoker is the only way to go if you like soft tender meat slowly cooked. My day has started waaaay earlier than usuall but a nice dinner at my party will be the pay-off!!

T'was the Day before the Christmas party..

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:41:00 +0000

and all through the house not a creature was stirring... except anyone and everyone I can get to help :)

I will post pics as the day goes along

Hey Eiken..Dear Santa ;)

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:32:00 +0000

Chinami and Chiharu with their latest achievment!!They passed with almost perfect scores :) 1 Eiken test per year should give them Eiken 1 before 2nd year H.S.
Chinami is 6th grade Elem and Chiharu is 1st year J.H.

If you want something from Santa...tell him that you love him. I never thought of that. I bet it works!!! ;)

Chinami's diary is as cute as ever. And her English is getting better and better. The fact that she is still in Elementary School makes it all the more enjoyable. Good job Chinami!!!

Dear Santa

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:46:00 +0000

Santa reads this blog so it's all good :)
Japanese kids are loving the iPod for sure!!! The big Christmas party is only 8 days away and I will be busy preparing each and every one of those 8 days!! I'll never change my last minute habits...
meh...

It always comes together nice and tight ;)

XBMC for Windows Pwns!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:12:00 +0000

I have FINALLY found the most awesome piece of software ever coded!! XBMC which is X-Box media center ported for desktop OS's. This is sooo awesome I will hype it on my blog even though it has NOTHING to do with teaching English in Japan. This is the Ultra Super Deluxe for people who get "Multi Media" with their PC's!!

I got mine from LifeHacker. This thing Pwns Boxee like you read about...fuggetaboutit!!

J.A.S. Christmas Party!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:53:00 +0000

Click 2 times to enlarge pictures.

That was a good time!! Ann Alisa hosted a great party held by The Japanese American Society of Iwakuni Japan. I ate sooo much I was in pain!! Great fun!! Reiko's party will be next week and my Christmas party will be 2 weeks from today!!!

Woooo Hooo!!! I LOVE this season!!

Celebrating Christmas in Japan + Ikura the Cat!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:34:00 +0000

Wooo Hoooo!!!! I still got LOTS a lights to hang and it already looks solid!!! I LOVE this time of year!!! Christmas baby!!...FTW!!!

I posted a pic of the neighborhood "Boss of Bosses" or as the Italiano's like to say.. The "Capo di tutti capi". He almost died this summer after getting dethroned and I nursed him back into shape with gobs of cheese, sashimi and dried fish. Last Monday in-front of my school...in the river!! (Cat's hate water...unless their brawling apparently??) anyway....How smart are animals??? do they have strong memories?? I think so because he put a vengeful beating on the cat that jacked him severely during the summer. I mean hate was about!!

He was forcing the other cats head under the water by biting right into it's skull. After repeatedly shaking the other cats head while holding it (to sink the teeth deeper I imagine??) He did a kinda Crocodile death role...Whoa..WTF!! Then after the other cat ran and bled under a car Ikura just towered over him screaming in a noise I never heard from a cat before.

I think he remembered what happened to him and was so jacked up to get his revenge. That is my little animal kingdom observation for what it's worth.

So to immortalize this Japanese Cat and his comeback win...I'm putting him on the net.

Ikura....The baddest ass cat ever!!

Don't call it a comeback
I been here for years
Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear

LL Cool J

"Mama Said Knock You Out"

Decorating the tree...slowly ;)

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Every student gets to hang a Christmas tree ornament :) That's how you decorate a tree very slowly...but the kids really get into it so it's worth the wait.

December's Top 10!!!

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:58:00 +0000

The final top 10 for 2008!!!
This continues to be one of my best ideas ever!! It weeds out the unmotivated and motivates the motivated all at the same time.

I know I know...that was a terrible sentence :(

More Christmas prep pics coming soon :)

Christmas prep starts now..

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:59:00 +0000

Getting started with what should be a 3 day decorating blitz!! I got started late so ...I gotta "blitz" ;)

Please leave a present under my tree on the blog :)

I will keep updating as my decorating progresses!!

Cute in Japan

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:35:00 +0000

When you look-up the word "Cute" in the dictionary you should find this picture :) If not your dictionary is "broken" ;)

Saturday Girls (Elem/J.H.)

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:48:00 +0000

Chiharu and Chinami enjoying my "New" secret "Teaching English" Weapon ;)

Their Diaries....not perfect but plenty of content which is exactly what I'm shooting for at this point!!!!

Elementary Girls (Saturday)

hawaiibadboy@gmail.com (Chris) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:05:00 +0000

My Saturday Elementary Girls class.

Minami taking a "Pop Quiz"

Diary entry for 2 3rd grade girls.