Memoirs of a Certain Sansei: A Japanese American Mother and Teacher

By Elsie Higa

Initiated from a child’s and student’s points of view, this memoir shares a seasoned teacher’s thoughts and methods on education and parenting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483424583

Book preview

MEMOIRS OF A CERTAIN

S A N S E I

A Japanese American Mother and Teacher

ELSIE HIGA

Copyright © 2015 Elsie Higa.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2459-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2458-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015900426

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 01/27/2015

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I    The Early Years

Part II    As a Mother

Part III    As a Teacher

About the Author

To Shawn, Charlen, and Amy

Acknowledgments

W hile writing this book, I asked several alumni to write me letters. They wrote a few decades after they were in my classes. They kept up with me through the years and shared pictures or visits with their children. I am touched that lessons from yesteryear have helped them find success today. Words cannot express the amount of pride I have in them and in all the other graduates who have become successful doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, and good human beings.

I also wish to thank my friend and colleague Charles Proctor for his editorial assistance.

Introduction

A s I complete my fortieth year of teaching, I reflect upon my life as a teacher and mother. Education is not a lucrative field, but it is rewarding in many other ways. Seeing a youngster grow from an immature teenager to a responsible young adult gives one immense satisfaction. To have had a hand in that growth is reward enough. Money cannot buy the pride I feel as I see my students set off on life’s journeys.

With the benefits, however, come responsibilities. Parents trust teachers to nurture their priceless children. We are asked to help them become the best human beings they can be. We are the ones who guide students as they become responsible, contributing members of society. It is a big job, and teachers undertake the task knowing that they need determination, confidence, and perseverance.

We know that teachers cannot do it alone. Parents play a vital role in molding children into productive citizens. Many families already do the right things and have children who are positive additions to society. So why this book? There are other families who wish to improve their parenting skills. There are parents who want to do better in encouraging their children to become self-sufficient. New families starting out may welcome my ideas on helping their children become happy adults.

My children have told me that they would like to raise their kids the way they were brought up. Today’s young adults face the choice between feelings of entitlement and passivity, and a more wholesome course of conduct that is active and finds ways to help others. There are things that we can do to create a new generation of caring and responsible young adults.

As a sansei, a third-generation Japanese American, I still observe traditional Japanese values in the way I conduct myself at home and in my Japanese-language classroom. I now realize that the values instilled in me as a child, such as respect, responsibility, diligence, empathy, patience, and filial piety are at the core of my lessons in the classroom. I believe what I have learned from my personal and professional experiences may serve as guides for others as they work with children and students.

In this book, I will share some excerpts of stories written by my children, students, and me, after which will I share my opinions about the entries. The names in the excerpts have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved. I do not profess to know the way to bring up kids. This book is simply a way of fulfilling my responsibility as a parent and a teacher. If it can help even one family, I will feel honored.

Part I

The Early Years

I think I knew that I was going to be a classroom teacher before I began kindergarten. Even as a child, I recognized good teaching and its opposite. I didn’t attend preschool, but from kindergarten through my senior year in high school, I remember the names of all of my teachers and the memorable events that happened during those years.

From kindergarten through sixth grade, I was in a self-contained classroom. One teacher taught us all subjects: language arts, arithmetic, social studies, science, art, and physical education. In seventh grade and thereafter, we moved from class to class for instruction in the specific academic disciplines.

Through all those years, my desire to teach grew with each new subject and inspiring teacher. And today, as I walk to the front of my classroom, I think that somewhere in my own class there may be someone who, like me, aspires to become a teacher. I know I need to do my best to encourage that child through my personal example and professional skill.

A First Recollection

I was a two-year-old lying on the wooden parlor floor and drinking from my bottle. The venetian blinds were open to allow dazzling rays of sunshine in through the slats. There was a zabuton cushion under my head, put there for my comfort by my mother. My parents were sitting on rattan chairs with beige, Hawaiian-motif cushions, commenting on how happy I looked with my bottle. They were praising me for being a good girl, although I hadn’t done anything to deserve their praise. I remember feeling happy that I had such kind parents who thought of me so fondly. I was unable to talk, but I appreciated each minute of lying there, basking in the warmth of the room, my parents’ love, and their words.

感謝公平責任勤勉安全同情我慢親孝行応援反省

I was an average child, not a genius. I now know that even if a child cannot communicate with language, she can understand far more than what others around her may think. Never say unkind things about a child, thinking that she cannot comprehend what you are saying. She may know a lot more than you realize, and her brain may make each conversation an indelible mark on her childhood memory.

A Visit to School: Four Years Old

When I was four, my sister Pauline and I plotted our escape to Pauline’s school. While my mother was washing dishes, we ran off to Pauline’s kindergarten two houses away.

I was impressed by the beautiful colors on the walls of the classroom and loved the kindness of her teacher. Although I was in my pajamas, I didn’t feel awkward or out of place. I loved being there with my older sister. The teacher read a story to the children and later gave them a snack of graham crackers and guava juice. She even shared some with me. That was it. I wanted to be just like this teacher: warm, loving, and providing activities for the children. I knew then that I would become a teacher.

At home, even though I was the youngest, my older siblings humored me in joining my favorite game: playing school, with me as the teacher. I stood on my bed, and all four siblings sat on the floor so that I would be bigger than them. I am not sure what I taught them, as I was still unable to read or write at that age.

感謝公平責任勤勉安全同情我慢親孝行応援反省

As I was enjoying my day at school with Pauline and her teacher, my mother called to check on my whereabouts. The school office said that it was okay for me to be there and that she could come pick me up later. Although my adventure at a real school lasted only a day, it showed me the importance of a colorful classroom and a kind teacher.

Kindergarten

My kindergarten photos show a happy girl. I greeted my first day of school with anticipation and excitement. I finally was able to do what my four older siblings had done for years. I insisted that I be allowed to walk to school alone and asked permission to do so. My mother gave in. School was two houses away. I later learned that my mother called to say that I was walking to school by myself.

Once at school, however, I walked around the front lawn in circles, as I suddenly felt apprehensive. My teacher, Ms. Phillips, came to my aid and asked if I was Elsie. When I nodded, she took my hand, chatted with me, and escorted me to the classroom.

Ms. Phillips paid particular attention to me, as I was the only Asian American child in the private Lutheran school classroom. Without her, I don’t think I would have made so many new friends.

In the course of the year, I grew to love school despite my minority status. On one occasion, however, a classmate put gum in my hair. I had black hair, and the rest of the girls were blondes and brunettes. I remember crying hysterically because the gum could not be removed. The teacher comforted me, and soon after, I forgot all about the gum. Ms. Phillips had an angelic touch and provided the humane, positive attention that made all the difference between pain and pride. She even came to visit my home that day, and I felt proud to show her off to my mother. As Ms. Phillips explained the gum mishap, I rode my red tricycle in fearless circles nearby and felt warm inside, despite the gum-in-the-hair incident.

I am indebted to Ms. Phillips for inspiring me to become a teacher. She and her colleagues helped me choose my profession. Okagesama de. Thanks to them, I am who I am.

感謝公平責任勤勉安全同情我慢親孝行応援反省

Bullying can happen in any classroom. How a teacher handles the situation determines the effect of it on a child.