My experience at English Camp

Let me tell you about my experience in English Camp.
I joined Hokkaido English Challenge camp in Sunagawa this summer. At this camp, about 50 Japanese junior and senior high school students and about 30 Assistant Language Teachers stay in tents for 5 days.

We did many kinds of exciting activities, such as dancing, hiking, sports, drama and so on, all of them Western style activities. We enjoyed the international tastes of meals like tacos, oatmeal, hotdogs, spaghetti and a lot of other snacks.

We also enjoyed talking a lot in English and singing songs. I like singing Beatles’ and Hillary’s songs. Many teachers also liked Beatles’ songs, so we sang them and danced together.

We held “Crazy Olympics”. We played many kinds of funny games, such as a fast-eater contest, various relay and so on. I took part in a speech contest game. In this game I had to say “Chubby bunny!” three times with my mouth full of many marshmallows.
We also made a short drama in groups and played it together with face painting and funny costumes. I enjoyed every activity very much.

Often I couldn’t understand teacher’s English, but I never gave up. I asked them questions because I wanted to know their ideas, and I tried to share my ideas with them in English using gestures.

At this camp, foreign teachers wanted us to answer clearly and at the very least, we tried to answer “yes” or “no”.

I couldn’t understand many words, but I could communicate with foreign teachers with a few English words, many gestures and big smiles. We didn’t have to be good at speaking English.

I think the most important thing for communication is the mindset of “I want you to know my ideas” and “I want to know your ideas”. With this way of thinking we can share a good time together. I’m going to keep this mindset of trying to communicate and I want to make many friends from other countries.

Thank you.

-Rika 2nd grade,  Secondary School

“HEC is a good experience for both students and ALT’s. In particular, for students, it is a great opportunity for them to experience real life English.”

- Masato Nagase, Mori town Board of Education

“HEC and HEC camp give children a chance to gather together and heighten their English ability. It is an opportunity to get a real feeling for the culture of others. I hope many ALT’s will participate.”

- Makoto Takizawa, Mori Junior High School Principal, Principal of the 2008 HEC JHS Champion.

“HEC is a very rewarding experience for students because they can have a wonderful opportunity to experience being in an English speaking world.  I fully support this competition.”

- Principal of Sawara J.H.S.  Shinichi Kawano

“HEC Camp is a very rewarding experience for students and ALT’s. Students can develop their English speaking skills through this experience.”

– Yusuke Itagaki, Mori Junior High, Teacher of the 2008 HEC JHS Champion

“The activities of HEC will give the students really precious motivation to learn English.  Their confidence they got through HEC will become big progress in the future.”

- English teacher of Sawara J.H.S. Takayuki Sato

“Students can communicate a lot with native English speakers through practices for HEC contest.  Whether or not they can go to the English Summer Camp, entering HEC contest itself is a good opportunity to improve their English skills.”

- Joko Mito, JTE, Obira Junior High School

“Both students and ALT’s came back from HEC camp with inspiration, motivation and new skills for English. After camp students joined an English Recitation Contest and challenged a STEP test. HEC is a wonderful opportunity for everyone.”

– Tanaka Shizuyo, English teacher, Mori Junior High School

“For my students who DID get to go to camp, I saw camp change their lives.  They left for camp a little scared and hesitant, and came back confident and excited. I truly believe that HEC, and HEC camp, are some of the best things that any student in Hokkaido can experience.”

- Misha Kiyomura, HEC Camp Co-ordinator 2007

“ I believe HEC is truly valuable for promoting the English skills of students in Hokkaido.  I am proud of HEC, and proud of our students!”

- Brandon Newberg, HEC Camp 2008 Co-coordinator

“HEC Camp has been the most intense and rewarding experience in my work as an ALT. As volunteers we give so much, but what we receive is tenfold. The reward of watching every student enjoying Englsih, developing new skills and growing in confidence is unbelievable.”

– Bryony Dunlop. HEC Co-ordinator 2008

“HEC camp was the perfect way to end my Hokkaido experience, I can’t believe it took me so long to decide to go.”

-Henry Morris, 2008 HEC Camp Volunteer, JET in Tomokomai

“Camp was a blast.  It’s really fun to see the kids enjoying speaking English, trying new activities, new foods and generally having the freedom to be themselves.”

-Whitney Warren, HEC Camp Volunteer 2008, Private CIR Nanae

The weather wasn’t the best, in fact it was probably the worst, but that didn’t keep us down.  We sang, played, and spoke like the sun was shining.  These kids grew in their confidence, not just in English but in human interactions as well, and it was something quite remarkable.

-Justin, HEC Camp Volunteer 2009

“This is simply the best thing you can do as an ALT in Hokkaido! HEC Camp brings English education to life and captures the hearts of all involved!”

-Bryony Dunlop, HEC Camp Co-cordinator 2008, JET in Mori, ALT to HEC JHS Winner 2008.

HEC is probably one of the best things I could have done for my students, if not THE best. It was definitely an unforgettable experience for them and a rare opportunity for them to use English to communicate and not just as a school subject. Through HEC, I saw my students becoming more confident in using English and having a lot of fun in the process. In fact, they told me that they felt like they went out of Japan during the camp and they definitely left with many friendships.

-Weiling Chen, 2007 HEC Camp Volunteer, JET in Hokuto.

“I came to Japan travelling because I had no idea what to do with my life after university. Helping at HEC made me realise I want to be an ALT -  as cheesy as it sounds it was truly a life defining experience!”

-Jennie Evans, 2009 HEC Camp Volunteer (Attended as friend of a Hokkaido ALT who was also volunteering)

HEC isn’t only beneficial to the students, it’s also incredibly valuable for ALTs.  To see my students come from barely squeaking out a “hello” to running up to me saying “Hey, what’s up?!” at HEC Camp was absolutely outstanding.  No classroom in Hokkaido will show students how much fun English can be more than HEC and HEC Camp, and that is a lesson much more valuable than proper grammar.  The spirit to try, no matter what, applies not only to the English classroom, but to any subject and all throughout a student’s life.  I’ve had no experience in Japan more rewarding than doing HEC(, and you should do it too)!

-Zachary Kern, HEC Camp Coordinator 2009

HEC camp is the ‘ish!!! the “oishilicious letters” from everyone, plus the smiles and satisfaction you see on all the kids faces during camp helped to keep me crank throughout the days. Bring on 2010 I say.

-Wayne Bennison, HEC Camp Head Chef 2009, JET in Tomamae

HEC isn’t only beneficial to the students, it’s also incredibly valuable for ALTs.  To see my students come from barely squeaking out a “hello” to running up to me saying “Hey, what’s up?!” at HEC Camp was absolutely outstanding.  No classroom in Hokkaido will show students how much fun English can be more than HEC and HEC Camp, and that is a lesson much more valuable than proper grammar.  The spirit to try, no matter what, applies not only to the English classroom, but to any subject and all throughout a student’s life.  I’ve had no experience in Japan more rewarding than doing HEC(, and you should do it too)!

- Zachary Kern, HEC Camp Co-ordinator 2009

During my 3 years as a JHS ALT, I entered 15 students in HEC.  Some of those students had very little confidence in their English abilities, and even just practicing for the contest was difficult for them.  But they tried their best, we worked as a team, and they were really proud of themselves that they even completed the contest.  And even if they didn’t win a spot at camp, I saw their confidence and interest in English rise, and just their participation in the contest helped them to try harder in English class over the next few years.

For my students who DID get to go to camp, I saw camp change their lives.  They left for camp a little scared and hesitant, and came back confident and excited.

I also volunteered as a group leader at camp 1 year, and I coordinated the camp in 2007, and I think it truly is an amazing, life-changing experience for kids to come to HEC camp.  It doesn’t matter what their English level is–interacting with foreigners in a truly immersive experience, trying to use their English in real-life situations, making friends, and doing fun activities that they’ve maybe never done before, really changes their lives.  Most of the students come to camp scared and shy, and they leave crying, and so sad to leave their new friends.  I’ve seen and experienced amazing bonds formed at camp, and the students (and volunteers) seem to grow so much.

I truly believe that HEC, and HEC camp, are some of the best things that any student in Hokkaido can experience.  I only wish that the camp could afford to accept ALL students, not only the winners, because I believe that EVERYONE could benefit from it.

-Misha Kiyomura, HEC Camp Coordinator 2007