Shoutout to MChe Lee on Unsplash for the image.

Greetings from Ashoro! We have started the third month of the new school year, and it is different than the last couple of years for a number of reasons. Firstly, we are clearly still in a
pandemic. Secondly, I am the only C.I.R. (Coordinator of International Relations) here now,
whereas we had two of us here until the end of February this year.

When there are two of us here, we meet nearly every class on at least a
bi-weekly basis and two times a week for the older elementary students. Students of all ages
get to practice interacting with foreigners, and get to utilize the English phrases and topics
that they are learning in classes. The more we are involved, the more confidence they gain
in building their second language, and the better they can communicate with us when they
visit Wetaskiwin during annual Canada trips in Grade 10!

The changes in my personal schedule are subtle, yet the effects are significant. Yes, my
workload has increased which is still manageable, however, the hours that C.I.R’s spend in
classrooms have drastically decreased. Clearly, I can only be in one place at a time, and
sadly do not have the opportunity to work with each class as closely as a result. It is sad to
see, and will no doubt be at the detriment of the quality of English education here.

Hours in each class have been reduced from 35 hours to 20 hours per year.
Preschool English classes have also dropped by half, from 20 classes a year per school to
only 10. There are four elementary schools grades 1-6, and four preschools in the district.
Needless to say, the cut is considerable when there is only one of us here.

Less exposure means less momentum, and the pressure then gets placed on the
homeroom teachers to try to keep students engaged in this challenging subject. As they do
rely on us to help teach their students proper pronunciation and create fun, engaging, and
stimulating activities to foster English enthusiasm, all of us are hoping to find another C.I.R.
soon.

So, you may have seen our ads, our posters, or social media posts asking for
applicants for the job. All applications will be accepted until the position is filled, (it is a very
fun job that includes traveling in Japan!) and is an exclusive perk of being from Wetaskiwin.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any other member of the Wetaskiwin Ashoro
Friendship Society if you are curious for more information, or even curious about eligibility
(even ask me about what my house looks like and what’s in my fridge if you want), and
share the news to your friends and family who may be interested as well. Find me on
Instagram at @ashoro.cir, email WAFS directly at wafs1980@gmail.com or call at
780-312-0043 for more info.

Until next time! I am off to enjoy the breeze and look at the
flowers all over town as I make my way over to the school in town.

Originally written for the Pipestone Flyer, published on April 29th, 2021,but has been updated to make sense with June. 🙂