End of school, warm weather and the sneezes

March ends the school year in Japan, with a two week break and everybody going back into a new grade after. The one good thing about this break is no homework unlike the summer and
winter holidays!! The bad thing is that it feels so short, we just get into the swing of being
together and doing some English study when it is time to go back. This April C will be going
into the 5th grade. It seems like only yesterday that he was just starting school. So far he has
had two good teachers, each teacher has a class for two years which is very good. I'm a bit worried about who he will get this year. Unlike England where a teacher will teach at the same school and usually the same grade for their whole career in Japan teachers are moved around from school to school and within the school. So teacher might go from teaching 5th and 6th grade for two years to teaching 1st and 2nd grade the next two years. From a city side school to one in the sticks!!! Just a case of wait and see!!
D will start the 2nd year of JHS. But he hasn't been at school at all this past term and probably won't return for a while. The poor boy had a miserable time in elementary school, with constant bullying and teachers who were more interested in saving face than facing the reality of their class.
He missed about half of elementary school, so his basic knowledge, especially in Japanese is very low. This meant that when the dreaded test came round, about every six weeks, his scores were very low (except in English). He lost so much confidence and became very depressed. So we found a doctor who can talk to him, the school councilor who helps and a special class in the city that he can attend when he feels up to it. Other than that I am trying to home school him. The main problem is that I can only teach in English but he needs to know the Japanese as well.
Still we muddle through and I think (and hope) that he is learning something!!

The weather has finally started to turn. Today was very warm but tomorrow will be cool, with the chance of thunder!!! Not fun as H, who is 5, is terrified of storms. Takes a lot of energy to calm her down, and the fact that I am shaking doesn't help. I have an excuse, I was almost hit my lightening when I was in Florida!!!!
I love spring. It feels so refreshing after the dullness of winter. I love to get out and mess about in the fields. I try to go and help my mother in law. She grows and sells plants, Japanese trees etc. I enjoy weeding!! But I suffer from hay fever. My allergies are year round but the spring and autumn are the worst!! Still I take some medicine, which makes me sleepy but at least I don't have a runny nose or itchy eyes.

Well it past my bedtime so Goodnight.