What goes up... well let's leave it up there for a while.

We’ve been doing a lot more writing in my classes this school year than we did previously. This means that I have a lot more marking to do between classes, but it also means that I get to read about my students more thoroughly.

We had students write about their future dreams this week in class. This entailed that I read paragraph after paragraph about students wanting to either be a teacher in the future because they liked a particular subject and enjoyed working with children, or they wanted to be a pharmacist because they wanted to help sick people; I estimate about 60% of assignments were completed as such. There was a fair bulk that also aspired to be doctors and lawyers (not such a big stretch considering the academic focus of this school), and the rare gems who wanted to be concert piano players and cartoonists. There was also a student who wanted someday to be a pilot, which I thought was cool.

I think that my favourite of the lot however, was this one:


I want to be a magician or a juggler. Because I like to surprise people. When I told my friends, they said “if you become a magician, you won’t get enough income.” It is not a well-paying job. But I would still like to be a magician.


I have to make efforts to realize my dreams. For example, the No. 1 juggling club is in the University of Tokyo and the No. 2 is in Kyoto University. It is too difficult for me to enter these schools. But, I’ll never give up! I will realize my dreams!


Thank you for listening.


There are a few things that I like about this piece of writing – my favourite being the acknowledgement of the adversity he faces and the persistence in spite of this. Not only do his friends not support his dreams, but also the future prospects of the career itself don’t appear to be very self-sustaining. Even the pursuit of the dream itself appears to be unrealistic in his eyes as the academic requirements to enter Tokyo or Kyoto University, which will allow him to truly excel in his chosen profession and to study with the best of juggling talents, seems beyond his means (last year, only one student from Iwaki High School was able to enter each of these universities respectively).

There is also the irony, which I can’t help but mention, in attending such a rigorous school as Iwaki High School in pursuit of a dream to study juggling, of all subjects, at Japan’s top academic universities (where most students go to pursue successful and highly distinguished careers in areas such as medicine).

I’ve been doing some reading on autonomous learning practices lately and I’m also very appreciative of the fact that he’s taken charge of his learning. He knows the prospects; he has a clear picture of where he needs to go and what he needs to accomplish this; and I saw him the other day from a second-floor window, practicing his juggling in an empty classroom after school – a further demonstration of his persistence in achieving his dream (as a once juggling hack-enthusiast myself, I can also say that he was pretty damn good).

Anyway, I probably won’t be around long enough in Japan to see him realize his dreams, but the inspiration is nonetheless comforting.

Thanks for listening.