Flickr Photo by Sandy Kemsley
It’s what some teacher in Japan wrote back after I sent her instructions for Joining Class Blogmeister, “Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.” One of the fiction series I’ve been reading lately is set, partly, in Japan, so I recognized the phrase a Japanese (before logic did it for me). So then I copied the phrase and pasted it into the address box of my browser, hit enter, and it took me to a page of AikiWeb: the Source of Aikido Information that explains the phrase in detail.
It basically just means: “Thank you very much.”
In this case, I’d put the definitions down as:
Doumo = thanks
Arigatou = thanks (yes, again. We’re a redundant sort)
Gozaimashita = for something that has happened
I’m not mentioning this to pat myself on the back. I’m just sitting here and looking around in wonder at what is happening, how small my world has become and at the same time how large my personal experiences has become — and I wonder why so many people (educators) are afraid of this.
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And as a powerful reminder of how important music is to help shape our foundations for future learning and connections, I’ll share that the only way I’ve ever known this phrase was through Styx! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cShYbLkhBc
=)
Doumo,
Steve
I am not so sure as to why educators are afraid of the technology as much as the parents are. I have digital classroom. Not literally. I have a digital version of my text, a class blog and an iDisk with every form a kid could need in my class. I use Twitter for my students to tweet due dates and reminders or just to reflect on a class. I also use Twitter professionally for me to keep up to date with all of you “professional” tech educators. The problem I have is my 15 year old students HATE not having a text book to hold and their parents HATE that I “require” them to use my blog. It is not a school approved web site. It’s a .me account. How bad can it be? It is all their for my student’s success on the national test in May.
I just sat in a conference where the parent accused me of not teaching history. He said I should be teaching a computer class not an AP class. I was offended! I want EVERY advantage for my students. What could I be doing wrong?
Frustrated in Florida!
Kara