Sakura
Minato
Claire
Sarah
During this interview with Physics teacher, Mr. Raymond Smith, we asked him 16 questions including his past, present and possible future life. He moved to Saint Maur in 2022, and is leaving us to London this year.
Where were you born and raised?
Mr. Raymond Smith was born and raised in the United States, Michigan. He lived there for most of his life, although he moved around a bit as a child. Besides Japan, most of his life was in Michigan.
What was your first job?
His real first job was as a department store worker at TJ Maxx. Specifically at the cash register and placing clothes away.
What was your dream job as a kid?
There were two interesting jobs that Mr Smith wanted to pursue, a hypnotist and/or a magician. At the time, he believed that hypnotism was really cool, and always liked the idea of magic tricks. Although he thought doing magic constantly is weird, when people do it with the right timing, it is fun. For example, before covid, he made a coin disappear in front of a crying kid and he stopped crying.
When and why did you become a teacher?
Mr Smith first started teaching math last spring, as a long term substitute for Mr Diaz because Mr Diaz had to substitute for Ms Novik during her pregnancy. Mr Smith wanted to be a teacher because he always enjoyed it. He did a similar type of job before he came to Japan, as a manager of engineers and trained them. He had to come up with ways to teach them, but he really learnt his love for teaching when he moved to Japan, teaching English to adult students.
When did you come to Japan?
He moved to Japan five years ago, in 2018, when he was still a part time engineer.
What’s your favorite thing about physics?
His favorite thing about physics is that you can predict things, through friction and math. For example, predicting a car accident by seeing skid marks from the breaks and tires. To see how fast the car was going, etc… The more he learnt about physics, the more he learnt that you can describe things using numbers: “ I like numbers.”
If you were one component in a circuit, which one would you be?
“Honestly something I never thought of, um… I’d be a switch. I can be on or off.”
What is your least favorite and favorite thing about St. Maur?
His favorite thing about Saint Maur are the students, even th0ugh he has never taught in another school, he thinks that the students here are unique, in a good way. He believes that sometimes, or all the time, we don’t understand what he is teaching but we don’t cause problems. He loves that the students seem to always support each other in some way. His least favorite thing about Saint Maur, is how overworked the students are. It gets worse in the higher grades, and he doesn’t think the students have time to be kids, because we are constantly busy.
When was your most challenging teacher moment?
It was when he first started teaching in Saint Maur. He was teaching an energetic group of 8th grade students, whom he believed “didn’t particularly like math.” He felt that he wasn’t confident nor comfortable with being a teacher yet. He believes that with the things he knows now, he would do a lot better, and feel a lot better.
Why are you leaving?
“I don’t want to leave, my wife was offered a very good promotion, that is why everyone said I should divorce her for two years. Obviously I’m not going to, the 10th and 11th graders kept on saying it. Her promotion is out in London, so when we came to Japan it was also for her job, when we came to Japan we decided that it was her who was in the driver’s seat of the family, however we have every intention of coming back, we just don’t know exactly when yet. I don’t want to leave.”
What are you going to do in London?
He wants to continue teaching, he was an engineer for almost 15 years, and he enjoys his career. He wants to continue teaching, even when he returns. So that he will be ready to continue teaching Physics.
Are you going to miss us?
“Saint Maur students or grade 9? Yes and yes, mostly grade 9 because I learnt how to be a teacher with you guys, this year and last year. And as much of the pains in the butts you guys can be sometimes, you’re my pains in the butts. You’re like my little family that I see every morning.”
What is your favorite memory at St. Maur?
His favorite memory was on the very last day of school, when the teachers were here, when they had to stay for another week. On the very last day they all went to lunch, and spent time with each other at Yamashita Park. He got to finally see all the other teachers outside of the school environment and meet them as real people, not as teachers or co-workers. That is one of his favorite memories.
Which is your favorite class?
“All the people who take his physics class are my favorite class.”
Who’s your favorite teacher?
“Probably Doc S, I learnt a lot about how to be a teacher with her. I would say Mr Dias, but we get confused all the time, so it’s like I’m talking about myself.”
Where did you meet your wife?
He met his wife in college at a tailgate party. In college the house that he lived in was near the football stadium, and every weekend they had these huge parties before the game. One of his roommates had gone to high school with his wife and she came to the party. He was grilling the hot dogs and the hamburgers, and she was hungry, so she came and stood by him at the grill the whole party. The second time she came over, she was hungry again, and he made her pancakes, and, “I think that was what won her over.”
Sarah, Minato, Sakura, Claire