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My Daitō-ryū sensei gave me a present the other day...
A beautiful, handmade Japanese fan with an intricate grey dragon adorning it! I loved it. It was a gift that one of his Japanese senseis had brought all the way from Japan on one of his visits to Greece. Knowing that this gift had already passed from one sensei to another made me feel really special. Not that I felt like a sensei of course, but nonetheless, it gave me courage and motivation. It gave me wings.
And instantly a thought popped into my head!
Wouldn't it be amazing if students in class could raise their fans instead of their hands? Ok. I know it sounds pretty whimsical, like coming straight out of an anime classroom but still, wouldn't that make a sight to remember? To be honest, I do not know how popular fans are in Japan, or whether they are used by both men and women...but still.
A beautiful, handmade Japanese fan with an intricate grey dragon adorning it! I loved it. It was a gift that one of his Japanese senseis had brought all the way from Japan on one of his visits to Greece. Knowing that this gift had already passed from one sensei to another made me feel really special. Not that I felt like a sensei of course, but nonetheless, it gave me courage and motivation. It gave me wings.
And instantly a thought popped into my head!
Wouldn't it be amazing if students in class could raise their fans instead of their hands? Ok. I know it sounds pretty whimsical, like coming straight out of an anime classroom but still, wouldn't that make a sight to remember? To be honest, I do not know how popular fans are in Japan, or whether they are used by both men and women...but still.
Nonetheless, you wouldn't need to worry about being so whimsical and inventive in my class.
Would you raise your hand while talking to a friend? Absolutely NOT!
Picture this.
We are sitting in front of our laptops, a Greek song playing in the background as agreed, notes aside, cute pens everywhere, coffee in hand and while we are discussing or reading out loud something pops into your mind. You simply fire away and while I listen to you, I'm thinking of the answer or of any way I can to help while taking a sip from my Greek coffee. That's it. No special permission, no overthinking, no protocol. Just like interrupting a friend when you have to absolutely share with them that piece of gossip you heard earlier. Instant feedback, or a note and then we move on.
The best question is often the one you ask the moment it appears. Don’t save it for later, don’t worry whether it sounds clever enough, or correct enough, and definitely don’t wait for my permission. Curiosity is part of the conversation. Part of our learning process.
And if you’re wondering what kind of questions you can ask in Greek, here are a few:
ΟΠΑ! (Hold on!) The tiny wildcard word of a thousand meanings in Greece! You can also use it when you want to get the other person's attention, take a few seconds to think before moving on with what you want to say or ask!
Πώς το λέμε αυτό στα ελληνικά;
How do we say this in Greek?
Ακούγεται φυσικό;
Does this sound natural?
Θα το έλεγε έτσι ένας Έλληνας;
Would a Greek person actually say it like this?
Ποια είναι η διαφορά μεταξύ αυτών των δύο λέξεων;
What’s the difference between these two words?
Μπορείς να μου το πεις πιο αργά;
Can you say that more slowly?
Πώς προφέρεται αυτό;
How is this pronounced?
Γιατί το λέτε έτσι;
Why do you say it like that?
So, may I ask a question now?
Which one was your favorite and which one would you try using in our class?
Which one was your favorite and which one would you try using in our class?
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