• 学科ニュース

海外で活躍する卒業生:米国オレゴン州公立小学校教師として

2015.08.31

  • 学科コラム

 1989年(平成元年)に英文科を卒業した大先輩が、二十数年ぶりに母校を訪ねてくれました。Norie Durham(デューラム)さん、48歳、旧姓は吉本典恵、三次市出身です。母校の発展に目をぱちくりさせながら、Norieさんは、安田女子大学を卒業してからのことを、次のように語ってくれました。

  • eibunsotu-1.jpg左から、Leah Durhamさん、英語英米文学科 中川憲教授、Norie Durhamさん
  • eibunsotu-2.jpgWarrenton Grade School

 安田で学んだことで特に実務的に役立ったのが、タイピングと勝先生のビジネス英語でした。NYでは東急観光に勤めましたが、それがすぐに役立ちました。アメリカ文化や映画の授業も、私がアメリカ文化になじめる助けとなり、その理解へつながりました。語学留学など珍しい時代でしたが、その当時なりに一生懸命英語や文化を吸収しようとしていました。ESSに入って英語劇を公演したのも、発音練習になり、自分のことば(英語)を感情こめて話すのに役立ちました。若くて希望に燃えていたあの時代とあの頃熱心に指導してくださった先生方のことが懐かしく思い出されます。

 振り返ってみて、教員免許を取っていて本当によかったと思います。私が今日米国の公立学校で教えることが出来るのも(もちろんトレーニングを受けたり、テストを受けたりもしましたが)この免許のおかげです。NYで東急観光に採用されたのも、学校の先生なら雇いましょう、と採用されたのでした。英文科の皆さんに教員免許を取得することを強くお奨めします。

 これまでの話では、何の困難もなかったかのようですが、英語に関していえば、困難の連続でした。大人になってから学んだ言語は、学習すればするほど、自分が知らないことが多いことに気付くのです。50歳近くになった今でも、勉強を続けています。特に、小中学生のSpecial Needsの生徒のみではなく、時には一般の生徒を教える立場にある今の職場は気が抜けません。学校が始まると教科書を借りて家で毎日予習復習です。高校生の娘にもしょっちゅう私の細かい英語の間違いを訂正されます。はじめはいらいらしましたが、今では訂正されて良かったと思う自分がいます。英語は私のライフワークであると思っています。

 お世話になった先生方、もし西海岸へ来られる機会がありましたら、是非オレゴン州の我が家へ足を伸ばしてください。海辺に住んでいるので、夏は涼しく快適です。Cannon BeachやSeasideなどの小さな観光の町の近くに住んでいます。

  • eibunsotu-3.jpg
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以下、原文

I graduated from Yasuda Women's University in spring of 1989. After that, I went to Denver, Colorado to study English further for about two years. After I came back to my home town (Miyoshi), Japan, I taught English at two different Middle Schools in two years as a temporary teacher. Then, I was hired by the Konu Town Board of Education to work on the project of building a Jimmy Carter museum (Jimmy Carter Civic Center). I met my future husband there, and we worked on the project together. After the opening of the Carter Center, we married and started our new life in New York City. After we lived there for four years, we rented a moving truck and crossed the continent to Oregon where my husband's parents were originally from. Our daughter, Leah was born in a suburb of Portland, Oregon shortly after we moved. Now we live on the north coast of Oregon. I work at a grade school as an Educational Assistant (teacher's aide). I work with Special Needs Students with Autism, Dyslexia, and other learning disorders.

I enjoyed practical and interesting classes taught at Yasuda. Business English taught by Mr. Katsu was especially useful when I worked at the New York office of Tokyu Travel as an Inbound Operator. Studying American culture and American movies helped me understand American culture in preparation for me living in this country. I joined the English Speaking Society and we put on a drama in English once a year. That helped me speak the language (English) with emotion. Mr. Katsu and Mr. Ervin earnestly advised us how to act and helped us memorize the lines in the script. They also taught us correct pronunciation and intonation of English when we practiced the play.

Having a teacher's license was very beneficial for me in finding a job both in Japan and America. I was able to find a teaching position at a local junior high school once I came back from studying abroad. I was hired by Tokyu Travel, inc. in New York City, because of the experience of teaching. When I applied for another school position several years ago, I was hired right away once they looked at my teaching license even though it was obtained in Japan. I just had to prove that I could really do the work!


Although I have lived in America almost half of my life, I still keep studying English and try to improve. In my school job, I have the responsibility of teaching subjects and speaking the language correctly. But still, I get corrected on my English by my high school age daughter all the time. Learning English is my life work.

Yasuda is a small private college (it's getting bigger, though) and that's one of the reasons why I liked it. The teachers and students get to know each other well and can have a close relationship. Most of all, Yasuda has the most dedicated teachers. I remember Professor Kumagawa and Tada and what wonderful teachers they were. I learned a lot from their traditional teaching styles.

I was really amazed at the change in Yasuda I saw on this recent visit. In addition, I had a chance to get to know three students introduced by Joy-sensei. My daughter and I went on a little trip to Miyajima together. They were kind and caring ladies, and I realized that the good Yasuda spirit has not changed. I appreciated Joy for introducing such good Yasuda students to my daughter.


I could see that Yasuda is transforming into an even better place to study by this visit. Thank you, Mr. Nakagawa, for the time you took to meet and visit with us. I also thank Joy for inviting us to her office. We had a good chat and learned useful information about Hiroshima from your tourist booklet and website, Get Hiroshima. I got to go to "Mike and Shirley" near Miyoshi and had a nice English lunch there. Last, but not least, thank you Nakanishi-san for showing us around Yasuda.

August 19, 2015
Norie
Durham