My Best Teaching Is One-on-One

一対一が僕のベスト

Of course, I team teach and do special lessons, etc.

当然、先生方と共同レッスンも、特別レッスンの指導もします。

But my best work in the classroom is after the lesson is over --
going one-on-one,
helping individual students with their assignments.

しかし、僕の一番意味あると思っている仕事は、講義が終わってから、
一対一と
個人的にその課題の勉強を応援することです。

It's kind of like with computer programs, walking the client through hands-on.
The job isn't really done until the customer is using the program.

まあ、コンピュータプログラムにすると、得意先の方に出来上がった製品を体験させるようなことと思います。
役に立たない製品はまだ製品になっていないと同様です。

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Making New Year's Mochi Rice Cakes with the Family

御餅 おもち o-mochi: compressed rice cakes



This is one of those Japanese traditions. (Pardon the rough edits to remove private information.)

You can use regular rice, but it takes more muscle work and more time, and mochi rice tastes different, has a different texture, and a different chewiness. (Texture + chewiness == mouthfeel?) So my wife sent me to splurge a little on mochi rice yesterday. JPY 500 for 1.2 Kg (2.6 pounds).

She added pearled barley to the rice when she cooked it up today. Proto-B vitamin amino acids and fiber, to help offset the tendency for this to raise your blood sugar.

Then she got out the big pestle.



That's it resting against the side of the pan. I didn't get any pictures of either me or her using it. We were careful not to damage the surface of the rice cooker pan.

Many people would use a machine. At mochi-tsuki parties, they use a big mallet with a head as long as my forearm and twice as big around instead of a pestle, and, instead of a bowl or pan, a mortar made of a hollowed out tree trunk about a half-meter (foot and a half) wide.

One person swings the mallet, another rolls the mochi, and you have to get the rhythm right or someone gets hurt. It's a rite of trust.

 My daughter helped form the cakes.



 I rolled one in oatmeal and kinako (bean flour). It wasn't bad.

Happy New Year!

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