Junior High School Visit
Thursday
Although today wasn’t as fun as yesterday, I still had a wonderful experience getting to know the students here at the junior high. In Japan, by the end of the Junior high year (9th grade) students have to decide, in general terms what they want to do for the rest of their life, and then they have to pass an entrance exam in order to get into the caliber of high school which will help develop them on their path towards a particular type of University as well as profession. So, according to the 4 teachers we had a panel discussion with, that is why junior high is in many ways the most challenging and the most important school age, since it affects their future so completely.
Today, like yesterday, we witnessed pretty much perfect behavior, school uniforms, complete participation in every class despite an average class size of around 40; we watch art, participated in calligraphy, music, English class, Science class, Japanese class, as well as eating lunch with the students in their classrooms and then observing their after school club activities. Like yesterday we found out that there is not a cafeteria, nor are their janitors: the students take care of bringing the food to the classroom for lunch, cleaning up after lunch, and then after school (at least at the Junior High) the students all clean the school before they go to their activity. Some of the activities we saw were table tennis, basketball, volleyball, baseball and soccer, although I did find out that in the winter they do also train in Judo during PE. They have tatami mats stored in a kind of indoor shed, and bins of judogis. So, I was pleased to here that, although I wasn’t able to play. Participation in club activities (sports) appears to be compulsory. I did not see anyone abstaining, but rather saw everyone full of joy and demonstrating a lot of athletic ability.
The day on the whole was very enjoyable and inspiring, and we all were able to participate a lot and interact with the kids. My Japanese skills are advancing, and I am able to converse, or at least get my point across with more ease than most of the students who attempt to speak in English. Two students in particular, pictured here, were very skilled in English and were very outgoing and interested in trying to speak. On the whole, most of the students didn’t understand much English, nor did they attempt to speak it, which I suppose is typical for that age.
A couple of humorous highlights: During my very first class I observed, which was an art class, a student was rinsing out his brush a bit to create a lighter shade of color. They were working with India ink. His brushed accidentally flicked some drops on my dress shirt, so now I have a different kind of souvenir. I contemplated letting all of the kids sign their name in Japanese writing on my shirt, but couldn’t find a Sharpe. Perhaps I’ll bring the shirt with me tomorrow to the High School where I’ve been invited to train with the Judo team, and then after practice have all of them sign the shirt. It’s already ruined anyway, so why not make something special out of it?
The other interesting thing that happened was during the school assembly they had in honor of us. They had us play this game where the students formed 16 groups, one for each of us, and then they had to ask us a series of questions in English and then write down the response. The winner was the group that had the most questions answered, and then the prize was having their picture taken with what are apparently the school mascots: they look like Power Rangers to me, but that’s what they were. In fact, I’m almost sure that’s what they were. The Power Rangers were originally created almost 30 or 40 years ago in Japan, so it would make sense.
It was another great day and I feel blessed to have experienced another level of the Japanese education system. My impression thus far is that not only do the students behave better, they also seem to work harder as a whole because they realize the consequences of not doing so early on. At this junior high they have never had a suspension and have no concept of in school suspension. If our schools could only be that way. I think we have more creative kids in many ways, and we allow them more freedom to explore, but our kids don’t understand the term respect as well as they could, nor do they always value school. Of course, this sweeping generalization is just that, a generalization, and it is not true for everyone. I have had many students who were and still are incredibly respectful, diligent, and mindful of what a gift an education is.
A note on uniforms: Although school is both compulsory and public, the parents must purchase the uniforms. So, the public education is free, but at a cost. Also, absolutely everyone eats lunch in the classroom during lunch time. No one brings a sack lunch, but everyone must pay for the lunch. This, of course, is different from us.
I’m looking forward very much to the High School visit tomorrow and to training with the Judo team. One of my colleagues here is a wrestling coach, and was actually a collegiate national champion in wrestling, so we’re going to get him on the mat too.
Thursday
Although today wasn’t as fun as yesterday, I still had a wonderful experience getting to know the students here at the junior high. In Japan, by the end of the Junior high year (9th grade) students have to decide, in general terms what they want to do for the rest of their life, and then they have to pass an entrance exam in order to get into the caliber of high school which will help develop them on their path towards a particular type of University as well as profession. So, according to the 4 teachers we had a panel discussion with, that is why junior high is in many ways the most challenging and the most important school age, since it affects their future so completely.
Today, like yesterday, we witnessed pretty much perfect behavior, school uniforms, complete participation in every class despite an average class size of around 40; we watch art, participated in calligraphy, music, English class, Science class, Japanese class, as well as eating lunch with the students in their classrooms and then observing their after school club activities. Like yesterday we found out that there is not a cafeteria, nor are their janitors: the students take care of bringing the food to the classroom for lunch, cleaning up after lunch, and then after school (at least at the Junior High) the students all clean the school before they go to their activity. Some of the activities we saw were table tennis, basketball, volleyball, baseball and soccer, although I did find out that in the winter they do also train in Judo during PE. They have tatami mats stored in a kind of indoor shed, and bins of judogis. So, I was pleased to here that, although I wasn’t able to play. Participation in club activities (sports) appears to be compulsory. I did not see anyone abstaining, but rather saw everyone full of joy and demonstrating a lot of athletic ability.
The day on the whole was very enjoyable and inspiring, and we all were able to participate a lot and interact with the kids. My Japanese skills are advancing, and I am able to converse, or at least get my point across with more ease than most of the students who attempt to speak in English. Two students in particular, pictured here, were very skilled in English and were very outgoing and interested in trying to speak. On the whole, most of the students didn’t understand much English, nor did they attempt to speak it, which I suppose is typical for that age.
A couple of humorous highlights: During my very first class I observed, which was an art class, a student was rinsing out his brush a bit to create a lighter shade of color. They were working with India ink. His brushed accidentally flicked some drops on my dress shirt, so now I have a different kind of souvenir. I contemplated letting all of the kids sign their name in Japanese writing on my shirt, but couldn’t find a Sharpe. Perhaps I’ll bring the shirt with me tomorrow to the High School where I’ve been invited to train with the Judo team, and then after practice have all of them sign the shirt. It’s already ruined anyway, so why not make something special out of it?
The other interesting thing that happened was during the school assembly they had in honor of us. They had us play this game where the students formed 16 groups, one for each of us, and then they had to ask us a series of questions in English and then write down the response. The winner was the group that had the most questions answered, and then the prize was having their picture taken with what are apparently the school mascots: they look like Power Rangers to me, but that’s what they were. In fact, I’m almost sure that’s what they were. The Power Rangers were originally created almost 30 or 40 years ago in Japan, so it would make sense.
It was another great day and I feel blessed to have experienced another level of the Japanese education system. My impression thus far is that not only do the students behave better, they also seem to work harder as a whole because they realize the consequences of not doing so early on. At this junior high they have never had a suspension and have no concept of in school suspension. If our schools could only be that way. I think we have more creative kids in many ways, and we allow them more freedom to explore, but our kids don’t understand the term respect as well as they could, nor do they always value school. Of course, this sweeping generalization is just that, a generalization, and it is not true for everyone. I have had many students who were and still are incredibly respectful, diligent, and mindful of what a gift an education is.
A note on uniforms: Although school is both compulsory and public, the parents must purchase the uniforms. So, the public education is free, but at a cost. Also, absolutely everyone eats lunch in the classroom during lunch time. No one brings a sack lunch, but everyone must pay for the lunch. This, of course, is different from us.
I’m looking forward very much to the High School visit tomorrow and to training with the Judo team. One of my colleagues here is a wrestling coach, and was actually a collegiate national champion in wrestling, so we’re going to get him on the mat too.
I'll post more pictures later. There were server errors.
1 comment:
Impresive - not many know of the Super Sentai Rangers.
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