* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years
My graduation
* * * * * * * * * *
[Entrance exam of ε public high school]
I already passed entrance exam of η private high school. But I wished to go to ε public high school rather than η private high school. So, I studied hard to pass the entrance exam of ε public high school.
Before the exam, my junior high school hold assemblies for students to explain what to prepare for exams. I joined an assembly of applicants for ε public high school. I was surprised to see that M was also joined the assembly. M was my former classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me. If she and I passed the entrance exam, we would go to the same high school.
The next day, entrance exams were held. The exams included a English listening comprehension test. After the exam, I felt a sense of accomplishment.
[Graduation ceremony]
A day after the exam, graduation ceremony was held. I graduated from junior high school. But to me, true graduation was when my future course was decided.
[Failed exam]
About a week ago, application results were announced at each public high school. I went to ε public high school to know whether I passed the exam. Examinee's numbers of successful candidates were presented on a bulletin board at the school. But my examinee's number was not listed. I failed the entrance exam.
When I stood in front of the bulletin board, a classmate of mine approached me. "Tomishige, you failed? Me, too." My face remained impassive, although I failed the entrance exam. As I have selective mutism, my face always impassive. But the classmate got angry when he looked at my face. "Aren't you frustrated, Tomishige? I'm so frustrated!"
[Leaving ceremony]
At the end of month leaving ceremony for teachers was held in my public junior high school. Attendance at the ceremony was optional. I attended the ceremony, because my homeroom teacher would leave the school. After the ceremony, I saw and greeted my teacher. She said to me, "I'm sorry you failed exam, Tomishige. I think you should be greedy." That was the last day I visited the junior high school.
* * * * * * * * * *
I graduated from junior high school. Although got to be able to smile slightly in school settings, I couldn't overcome selective mutism completely in this three years.
(To be continued to the next chapter)
Index of SM story
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
My first entrance exam
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years
My first entrance exam
* * * * * * * * * *
I had a parent-teacher-student meeting around the middle of the school year. The purpose of the meeting was to decide which high schools I applied to.
Under the local regulations we junior high school students could apply to only one public high school and one private high school. Most students' first choice was public high school. They applied to public high schools just to be on the safe side. I was not an exception.
At the meeting, my mother and I told my homeroom teacher which schools we wanted to apply. We wanted to apply to ε public high school and ζ private high school. My homeroom teacher agreed to apply to ε public high school. But she recommended us to η private high school, not ζ private high school. It was easier to pass the entrance exam of η high school than ζ high school.
My mother said to the teacher, "I worry that η high school is failing school." "Many parents who experienced entrance exam long time ago have negative image of η high school. But recently η high school makes a strong effort to raise the academic achievement of students. η high school is not a failing school now."
In the end, we decided to apply to ε public high school and η private high school. My first choice was ε public high school.
* * * * * * * * * *
Two month before the end of the school year, many private high schools hold entrance exams. That was the first time for me to take an entrance exam. I was quite nervous about my first entrance exam.
Before we students took exams, we were allowed to look at exam stations in advance. But when I went to the exam station, I got lost. So, I visited to Koban(police box) to ask policemen the way to the exam station. It was tough for me to ask directions, because I had selective mutism. But I managed to ask a policeman. When I arrived at the exam station, most students had already looked at the station and gone to home.
After that, exam day came. I could go to the exam station and take exams smoothly.
A few days after, test results were announced. We heard our test results from our homeroom teacher after school.
All students went out into the corridor. Our homeroom teacher called students one by one to enter classroom and told him or her test results. When I waited for a while, our homeroom teacher called me. I entered classroom. There was nobody except her and me in the classroom. She told me that I passed the entrance exam. But I showed no expression. I had selective mutism. "Aren't you happy? I heard from your mother that you worried a lot about your test results." I nodded in silence. "Just as I thought. Good thing you passed the exam."
In this way, I passed the entrance exam of η private high school. But my study was not over. I must pass the entrance exam of ε public high school. My first choice was ε public high school.
(To be continued)
Index of SM story
Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years
My first entrance exam
* * * * * * * * * *
I had a parent-teacher-student meeting around the middle of the school year. The purpose of the meeting was to decide which high schools I applied to.
Under the local regulations we junior high school students could apply to only one public high school and one private high school. Most students' first choice was public high school. They applied to public high schools just to be on the safe side. I was not an exception.
At the meeting, my mother and I told my homeroom teacher which schools we wanted to apply. We wanted to apply to ε public high school and ζ private high school. My homeroom teacher agreed to apply to ε public high school. But she recommended us to η private high school, not ζ private high school. It was easier to pass the entrance exam of η high school than ζ high school.
My mother said to the teacher, "I worry that η high school is failing school." "Many parents who experienced entrance exam long time ago have negative image of η high school. But recently η high school makes a strong effort to raise the academic achievement of students. η high school is not a failing school now."
In the end, we decided to apply to ε public high school and η private high school. My first choice was ε public high school.
* * * * * * * * * *
Two month before the end of the school year, many private high schools hold entrance exams. That was the first time for me to take an entrance exam. I was quite nervous about my first entrance exam.
Before we students took exams, we were allowed to look at exam stations in advance. But when I went to the exam station, I got lost. So, I visited to Koban(police box) to ask policemen the way to the exam station. It was tough for me to ask directions, because I had selective mutism. But I managed to ask a policeman. When I arrived at the exam station, most students had already looked at the station and gone to home.
After that, exam day came. I could go to the exam station and take exams smoothly.
A few days after, test results were announced. We heard our test results from our homeroom teacher after school.
All students went out into the corridor. Our homeroom teacher called students one by one to enter classroom and told him or her test results. When I waited for a while, our homeroom teacher called me. I entered classroom. There was nobody except her and me in the classroom. She told me that I passed the entrance exam. But I showed no expression. I had selective mutism. "Aren't you happy? I heard from your mother that you worried a lot about your test results." I nodded in silence. "Just as I thought. Good thing you passed the exam."
In this way, I passed the entrance exam of η private high school. But my study was not over. I must pass the entrance exam of ε public high school. My first choice was ε public high school.
(To be continued)
Index of SM story
Thursday, March 13, 2008
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SMMM (Selective Mutism - My Memories) uses cookies and web beacons to collect data. The use of cookies and web beacons is an industry standard.
A Cookie is a small piece of information that web sites send to your computers temporarily and later retrieve. You can configure your web browser to reject Cookies. A web beacon is a small graphic image on a web page that tracks user's behavior.
SMMM use Cookies and web beacons for:
(1) Advertisement
SMMM use Cookies and web beacons in the course of advertisements (Google Adsense) being served on SMMM.
(2) Website Tracking
SMMM use Cookies and web beacons in the course of website tracking. SMMM track information such as your remote host, country/language, HTTP user agent, HTTP Referer, display resolution, etc.
[About Google AdSense Cookie]
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Users may opt out of the use of the DoubleClick Cookie for interest-based advertising by visiting Ads Settings. (Alternatively, you can direct users to opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for interest based advertising by visiting aboutads.info.)
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Selectively mute child in a Japanese video game
I found a selectively mute child. But he is not a real person. He is a character in a Japanese video game.
His name is Marc Brown. He is a character of Policenauts, a Japanese adventure game released in 1994.
Policenauts (Wikipedia)
The word "mutism" appear on the official website of Policenauts.
I'm surprised to know that producers of the game knew such an unknown disorder.
But I think that the producers misunderstood about selective mutism. Traumatic incident don't usually cause selective mutism.
The director of Policenauts is Hideo Kojima, a famous game designer. He was listed on Newsweek magazine's "10 most influential people to shape the future" in 2001.
Although I played video game in my childhood, I don't know Policenauts. I played Nintendo Entertainment System in the '80s.
Index of SM in Japan
His name is Marc Brown. He is a character of Policenauts, a Japanese adventure game released in 1994.
Policenauts (Wikipedia)
The word "mutism" appear on the official website of Policenauts.
I'm surprised to know that producers of the game knew such an unknown disorder.
But I think that the producers misunderstood about selective mutism. Traumatic incident don't usually cause selective mutism.
The director of Policenauts is Hideo Kojima, a famous game designer. He was listed on Newsweek magazine's "10 most influential people to shape the future" in 2001.
Although I played video game in my childhood, I don't know Policenauts. I played Nintendo Entertainment System in the '80s.
Index of SM in Japan
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