令和５年度 ALT離任式

１学期終業式に合わせて、本校ALTのDarien Jones（デリアン・ジョーンズ）先生の離任式が行われました。Darien先生は旧足利高校時代から６年間に渡り勤務し、本校の英語教育活動に貢献していただきました。穏やかで優しい人柄で人気で、多くの生徒、教員が別れを惜しみました。














以下は離任式でのDarien先生の挨拶と生徒代表からの感謝のメッセージです。

〈Darien先生挨拶〉
Good morning everyone! Thank you for coming today even though the weather is very hot recently. I’ve listened to many farewells from other people, so it feels really strange to say goodbye myself. To tell you the truth, it felt like the day when I leave will never come, but that day has come.

Writing this speech, I thought about when I first came to Ashikaga. Before I came here, I thought I will teach in Japan for only 3 or 4 years, so I was very surprised when I was asked to teach for 6 years. I came here in 2017 when I was 23 years old. I just graduated from university and I was very worried about finding a job and Computer Science (Programming). So, I chose to come to Japan. I was excited to come here because I really like Japan and I like helping people. But, I was also nervous because I didn’t have lots of experience teaching and I didn’t know anyone in Ashikaga. Also, teaching as an ALT is my first job.

Teaching isn’t easy, but it has been very rewarding and I like it a lot. When I started, I didn’t know much about teaching. Maybe you can’t imagine it, but my lessons weren’t good. I made many mistakes. For example, because I was new, I didn’t know the students’ level of English (what do you understand), I didn’t explain activities well, and I didn’t understand many things because my culture is very different. So many students weren’t interested in my lessons. However, I enjoyed teaching many students and I hope you all enjoyed my lessons now too. I’m so happy that I came to Ashitaka.

I want to tell you about my personal life a little. My hometown is very small, so there are many things couldn’t imagine when I was young. Because I came to Japan, I could learn many things, not only about teaching.
For example, I could experience so many unique cultures and events. I saw snow sculptures in Sapporo, I skied in Nagano, and I watched Ashikaga fireworks and I wore a yukata with friends. I stayed at an onsen in Nikko and I went to many Ashikaga School Festival. These are events I’ll never forget.

I learned Japan or other countries are very different than America. For example, the food is very different and there is lots of rice, not bread. The apartments in Japan are small, but it’s ok because you can save money. For me it was a difficult though because I’m very tall and some doors are small. Also, Japan is very humid, more than America, and people often ride bicycles in Japan but not America.

I also learned that it is really hard to live in a foreign country. For example, I have made many mistakes using Japanese when I buy something, when I make a reservation, or read an email. Not only my mistakes, there are also many laws or other things I don’t know but affect me. And there’s many other difficulties too. However, now I understand immigrants’ feelings. My country, America, has many immigrants and I didn’t think about these problems before I came to Japan. I think I want to help these people in my country in the future.

After I leave Japan, I plan to go back to America and I will become a computer programmer. I look forward to trying a new job, but I’m also excited to meet my family. Actually, because of COVID-19, I couldn’t meet them for 4 years. Finally, I will marry my best friend when I go home. Maybe the wedding won’t be very big, but I’m just so thankful that I became an ALT and could meet her in Tochigi.

ちょっと日本語を使いますが、最後に先生方、生徒たち、ありがとうございました。足高にはたくさんの素晴らしくて優しい方々がいます。英語でも日本語でも、ニュースについての短いおしゃべりでも掃除時間でも一緒にどんなことについての会話をしても、皆と話し合うのが楽しかったです。僕に手を差し延べてくれて、本当にありがとうございます。この最高の高校で皆が輝いている未来があるでしょう。ここに勤めるのは光栄でした。お世話になりました。以上です。

〈生徒代表の言葉〉　(代表 :2年３組 勅使河原 栞)

Dear Mr. Jones Darien

Thank you for teaching me English for one and a half years. I have never seen you get angry and you are very kind. Wherever I spoke to you in poor English, you always listened to me with a smile. And then, your class was very exciting for us. I found it enjoyable to communicate in English. I was able to make new friends too. In addition, I was happy to receive papers with your messages and comments. Also, it was interesting to hear about your trip to Philippines. I thought how wonderful it was to see such a beautiful world by using English. In your class, during lunch, and after school, I talked with you, and they are my great memories. Thank you for everything. Students of Ashitaka love you. We will never forget you. You are gentle like an angel. Wishing you all the best.

Shiori Teshigawara