A few years ago I took a Standardized Japanese Language test. Good thing that one of the categories is Listening! For the Grammar and Kanji (Chinese Character) sections, I did not resort to coloring in a pattern in the little circles, but I might just as well have.
So, though I passed the test, and now that I know it is really meaningless to pass it, I decided to continue studying kanji through reading interesting things.
This book was a truly wonderful story. I plowed through it in Japanese with my teacher’s help, and the depth of the nuances left a deep impression in my heart.
A little girl (mid or pre-WWII) was put into first grade. Into a standardized class. But she wasn’t a standard child. She loved nature, loved socializing, loved life outside of the classroom. Her teacher despaired of her and she was removed from the school. Her wise mother took her to another school, out in the country, where classes were held in old train cars.
This wonderful story about the true education of the core of a little child, is really a must read. Amazon has it in English!
4 Comments
January 31, 2008 at 4:28 pm
This looks like a great one and has been officially added to my never-ending ‘to read’ list.
Thanks, Kim!
Although, I’ll have to get my copy in English.
July 24, 2008 at 7:15 pm
i like this lesson very much i am in 8th std
September 14, 2008 at 9:09 pm
A very lovely story. Its been more than 10 years, i read this in one of our school text books, its still fresh in my mind.
January 24, 2009 at 12:11 pm
love the book!!!!
thx for writing it!