春休みが今日で終る。明日になれば教員の座席が移動し、次々と会議が連続し、個人的な新年度準備どころではない。

　この春休みは新３年生向けに講習を４回した後で、それなりの時間を新年度の準備に費やすことができた。教科の準備は教科書のデータがまだきていないので、教科書を読み込み、どのレッスンを扱ってどんな活動を入れながら、受験も視野に入れた英語を発信するような授業に仕上げるか、それなりに時間を割くことができた。発信は大学個別学力検査をみればいかに必要かがすぐにわかる。新カリを目前にして、多くの大学は書く力を求めている。

　春休みにゆっくりする教員も多いこの職場だが、私はいつも新年度の準備に充てている。私もそろそろ中堅とも言うべき年齢に近づいており、年を経るごとに仕事の量は増える。責任も増える。そうすると普段から授業準備ばかりしていては、「あいつは好きな仕事ばかりしている」と陰で言われかねない。それでもいい授業をしようと思うなら、休みの日に授業準備するしかない。

     Spring break is about to end.  Tomorrow we are going to change the positions of our seats in the teachers' room, and then will have to attend meetings one after another; I will have no time to prepare for personal jobs like English lessons nor homeroom class.  

     I had extra English sessions four times during this spring break.  Then I could afford to spend a fairly good amount of time to prepare for the coming school year starting soon.  Because I haven't gotten the CD-ROM for the new textbook, I have read through the textbooks, planned some lessons and checked the syllabus for this year.  The key factor is that making a variety of activities and also having my students ready for the exams: convincing them that this lesson helps them to improve their English and to pass the exams.  If we check the examinations made by each university, it is apparent that they are requiring students' writing ability on top of reading ability.  

     Many teachers are taking it easy during spring break in this school, but I usually spend spring break to prepare myself for the next school year.   Little by little, as I am becoming the backbone of this school (in terms of age), the amount of work is increasing.  So is my responsibility.  If I keep focusing on preparing the lesson plans, I may be spoken ill of by coworkers.   If I am to give good English lessons in such a condition, I have no choice but to use my holidays.