Lighthouse Career Encourage USA

Volunteer Experience at Local Elementary School

Participant Information

Name: Tomoharu Takahashi

School: Kyushu Lutheran College

Grade: Sophomore student (at the time)

Program: AT (Los Angeles Educational Volunteer Program)

| Reasons why I decided to participate in this program

My dream is to become a teacher. I wanted to experience being in an actual educational field outside of Japan so that I could view Japan’s education system more objectively. When I learned about this program, I decided to apply because it offered a valuable opportunity I was looking for.Since childhood, I have admired English-speaking cultures through music and movies, and I had always wanted to experience the language and culture firsthand. At the same time, because I knew the environment would be very different and challenging from Japan, I hoped that it would be a good learning opportunity to learn to solve problems and overcome challenges. Another important reason was to experience accomplishing something in my life by taking on a new challenge.

| My expectation before coming

At elementary school and my host family’s home, everyone called me Tom.

My expectation before coming

What I was most excited about was challenging myself to communicate in English during daily life. When I didn’t know exactly how to express something, I wanted to see how much I could use the vocabulary and grammar I already knew. Opportunities to test your own abilities like this are rare. I was very excited to discover my real English ability, something that cannot be measured by test scores alone. On the other hand, I was a little worried about safety. I also prepared myself mentally to stay careful and aware during my stay in the United States.

| Daily routine

I was assigned to be in first-grade class at Walteria Elementary School.What I did:

• Assisting with lessons by giving students hints for spelling and math problems

• Creating teaching materials using colored paper and other supplies

• Grading exams

• Creating student portfolios

• Helping with recess activities

【Daily Schedule】

8:50 – 9:00 AM Attendance check and morning preparation

• 9:00 – 10:45AM Math class (with a 15-minute break)

• 10:45 – 12:30AM Writing and grammar lessons

• 12:30 – 1:15 PM Lunch

• 1:15 – 2:45 PM Special classes

• 2:45 – 3:12PM Art and other activities

3:30PM End of the day / Go home

| Memorable and challenging experiences

One of the most memorable moments was hearing that some students had talked about me at home to their parents. Hearing that made me genuinely happy because I had been wondering whether the students enjoyed interacting with me.On the other hand, one experience that made me think deeply was the teaching approach used by the classroom teacher. The teacher would give hints and encourage them to work on their own, instead of immediately giving students the correct answers. I completely respected this teaching philosophy, but during one activity where students made paper puzzles, one student became frustrated and started crying because he couldn’t complete it. Even then, I was not allowed to simply help him make the puzzle. Although it was necessary for their learning process, it was hard to face a student being so emotionally frustrated. 

I was in 1st grade class.

| What I worked the most at

One thing I focused on was making sure to take one full day of rest each week. During my first week, I was busy every day and almost became sick. After that, I decided to spend Sundays resting at my host family’s home, even though I wanted to go out and explore.

We had a lesson outside on this day!

| Homestay

My host family had a lot of experience hosting students, so they knew how much to interact with me — not too close and not too distant. They were always considerate, which made my stay very comfortable. I didn’t have to make any special effort during my homestay.

| Reflections on the program

What I learned and how I will use them in the future

The biggest change I experienced was becoming able to have casual conversations in English more smoothly. Before the program, I was able to write carefully and give presentations or speeches, but I struggled to respond naturally in small talk with English-speaking teachers during breaks. After the program, however, I found myself being able to communicate more fluently in those everyday situations. I’m not sure if this can be called a clear improvement in my overall English ability, but since it was something I had wanted to improve, I’m very happy with this accomplishment.

| Would you recommend this program to your friends?

Yes! I would absolutely recommend it.

If someone is considering applying but hesitated because of the cost or other concerns, I would encourage them to just take the first step. Especially for people who feel that their English are not good enough, I believe this program can lead to a significant change and improvement.