Back in September, I got hired as an after school enrichment teacher for the local YMCA, with my topics being Japanese and anime. Each week I go to a few different elementary schools in the area and give lessons to the kids. Last week I finished my first eight week session of the enrichment…
As I discussed in my first post about the job, I was initially teaching the Japanese and anime topics together in one class. But after the first couple of weeks, my supervisor decided to separate them.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to do for the anime class because 1) I’m limited to unobjectionable children’s anime, and 2) the kids aren’t old enough to get into complex, analytical aspects of anime, such as otaku culture, the fansub debate, etc,. Also, the sites I go to don’t have any projectors so I have to use my laptop for all the videos and pictures, which can be a bit troublesome with large groups of kids. But despite a few disadvantages, I somehow managed to put together a comprehensive curriculum for the anime class.
Below is a quick overview of the lessons I’ve done so far (I revise them depending on the level or size of each class):
– Introduction to anime
– What anime they’re currently watching on U.S. TV (Pokemon, Bakugan, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto seem to be the main ones now)
– Brief history of anime in the U.S. (I’m glad the new Astro Boy movie just came out because now they know who he is XD)
– A game where I show them pictures of different cartoons and they have to say whether it’s anime or not
– Brief discussion about manga and manga to anime adaptation
– Anime genres – shonen, shojo, monster, and others (I show them pictures and openings from different kids shows in these genres)
– Studio Ghibli (I show them clips from a few different Ghibli movies. Since Ponyo is the most recent one, some of them know it already)
– Let’s Find Pokemon Game (Where’s Waldo?-like books except with pokemon)
– Anime collectibles (I bring in a bag-full of my anime goods to show them, i.e., art books, pencil boards, plush, etc)
– Fan art (show them Pokemon, One Piece, etc., fan art)
– Anime music videos (I put together a file of a few G-rated AMVs to show them)
– Anime conventions (they love the photos of cosplayers XD)
– Review quiz (for the last week, I ask them questions about the things we’ve learned and give them a prize if they answer correctly. The prizes are usually my old Pokemon cards XD)
I sometimes bring in pictures, like the Cardcaptor Sakura image above, for them to color. I’ve found coloring book pages of Doraemon, Totoro, One Piece, and Naruto online.
Chi’s Sweet Home has been a big hit with all my classes so far. I really wish they would dub it and put it on U.S. TV for kids to watch. They’re missing out on this great family show.
I started a new eight week session at different schools this week. The above list is only about five weeks worth so I need to think of a few more lessons. If anyone can think of any kid-friendly, anime-related topics I could do, I’m open to suggestions =)
umm, you got some knowledge on dubbing? XD you can get a mic and show them how dub is done for a scene or thing like that
@ Dragonliger
I don’t now much about dubbing, nor do I have the right microphone. But maybe I can talk about voice actors/voice acting and find videos online. It’s a thought.
Going off of Dragonliner’s idea, could you show them an episode or short clip in Japanese and ask them to make up a script for it (in English, obviously) and present it as a group? They could play around with acting, storytelling, teamwork, and creativity that way.
You could also have them make up OCs or something.
@ Akikura
A lot of my kids are 7 years or younger and can barely write/read, so I doubt I could get them to come up with a script to act out. Also, I only have a half-hour with each group of kids, so that would take up way too much time. But a lesson about dubbing and voice acting in general sounds good. Some of the older kids might be able to do OCs.
I recommend showing “Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar”.
Wow, sounds like a lot of fun, just change misconceptions to make one piece back and I’ll be happy :]
You pretty much have a dream job there.
@ Glo
LOL, it’s a nice job but I wouldn’t exactly call it a “dream job” – the kids can get kind of rowdy, the environment isn’t always ideal for teaching, and the pay/hours are low. But compared to long, stressful, thankless jobs, it’s great. I don’t make enough to live on this job, but it’s a great way to get experience =) Now, teaching about anime with no limitations to teenagers/adults in a professional environment for good hours/pay? That might be a dream job.
I will be teaching anime culture next, and for my curriculum, I’m going to show the different styles of mangaka of Asian manga/manhwas, vs the different styles of Western comics. That’s an idea. Of course, my students are middle school students so I can discuss plot, concepts, symbolism, etc. With your younger ones (and I know this post is a few years old), studio ghibli is great! My Neighbor Totoro is perfect! A Korean manwha called “Dooli” is great for young students (I grew up with it, hehe). And of course, Dae Mon. You can probably show what mangakas use to draw/color their artwork… markers, watercolor, colored pencils, pen and ink, etc. I also like to show the culture of anime, anime fans, etc. Of course, you have to explain what “culture” means too. G’luck if you’re still teaching. :)
What anime do you have for the pic? I have been looking for it for it for ages!