Copyright © 2011 Kanda Gaigo Alumni Association(KGAA). All rights reserved.
Why do we reproduce England in British Hills? The first priority is students. We provide the students, who can't afford to go and study in England, with the experience of English culture and language at British Hills.
British Hills is a fairyland. It is England in Japan, without having to worry about getting on a plane. You can get on the Shinkansen or a school bus and come. As soon as you arrive at the gates of British Hills, it is like a door to another world.
There is long driveway up to the Manor house. And when the students on the bus see the buildings of the Manor house, they start to share their impressions and their facial expressions change too. I welcome the students and the first thing they ask me is "John, Wow, do you live here?!". And I reply "Yes, it's our home.” And they say "Wish I could live here!" with a beaming face.
Using Japanese language was forbidden at British Hills. The moment you get off the bus, it feels like you are in England. No one was allowed to speak in Japanese, the staff especially – to get the students draw out that language from Japanese. Once you help them open up, they don't stop, they want to talk and talk in English.
And it's not actually the same as being in the classroom with textbooks to learn English. They're actually performing the classes, learning English language better through having to work and do things. So, it's a two-way street of communication, not the one-way method of teaching tutors have in class. It’s the only way you learn, and you learn by making mistakes. Japanese people are afraid to use English. But when you find yourself into that English environment and you have no alternative but to speak English, you just have to use it. If you make mistake, you laugh and joke about it. It’s the easiest way to learn.
The truth is we were service staff, so we did not have to teach classes as teachers. We were not responsible for teaching. However, we all supported our guests at British Hills. Talking to guests in English and making them talk in English, and telling them how to speak in English through our service.
We actually learn Japanese culture and history from the Japanese staff, older guests, and students. I didn't know how much influence England had on Japan until I went there. The railway system, the postal system, government system, roads system, and the education system are all from England. I never even thought the roads in Japan were built on the basis of the British system during the Emperor Meiji era. (6/9)