Halloween

Yesterday we did Halloween at the pre-school where I teach. My role is just to get dressed up as a non-scary witch. (I've tried being scary... make-up and all and had children running for cover...) The teachers went to great lengths to think up costumes for the kids made out of garbage bags and milk cartons. I made cookies and the teachers gave out marshmallows and crackers. Aren't the kids cuties? I wish I could show you more pictures but I've made it a policy to get permission (which I did with this devilish little boy.)

I'm not a great fan of Halloween but do my part in decorating... Ghosts and skeletons don't seem too cute to me (I don't understand the skull fashion boom that has hit Japan throughout the year? Why would you want a picture of a dead body on your chest?) but children have fun and it is all in play. Up on my wall this month is a paper-pieced Halloween wall hanging and a Water Color quilt moon.

Last night in my 5th 6th grade class we ate potato chips and cookies and played Clue... When the class was over one girl told her mother,

"We played Murderer!"

Whoa~~! Something got lost in the translation there!

Recently, Japan has had a run of insensitive teachers who pose discussion problems to their classes such as "The best way to commit suicide... " "Meeting someone eligible at a funeral..." " Who do you think killed the school principal?" Some such ridiculous, off-color, poorly thought out logic problems. There's been a lot of TV coverage about teachers' stupidity. I wondered if I would be getting a call from someone today asking why I was teaching "Murderer" to elementary school kids. (Remember once I got into some trouble for teaching Hangman...) Yikes. One has to tread lightly when teaching...