Hi all.Ý I am afraid this email won't be quite
as funny as my others, but it will be pretty insightful I think.Ý
Things to cover...the Japanese education system...landscapes/buildings...and
some thrown in funny things to lighten it up a bit.Ý
----->Before coming to Japan I had the impression,
as I think most Americans do, that Japan is far superior to America
when it comes to education.Ý This is one of the shocks that I received...it
isn't.Ý I can only really write about the Jr Highschools since that
is mostly all I know.Ý So here is a little about what I have witnessed
thus far.Ý For the most part the students here are very respectful...more
than the average American student.Ý They come to school in one of
two school uniforms depending on if there are formalities on that
day.Ý There is an everyday school outfit that looks like a jocking
suit, but when there is something special going on they dress in
their formal school attire...for the girls the uniforms are like
a typical private school look...for the guys it is a special suit
(looks like a uniform of the Union during the Civil War) that has the
school's emblem on it.Ý Now to the actual education.Ý Students can
pretty much do what they want. If they know they aren't the best and the
brightest (which they pretty much know by Jr Highschool) then they might
show up if they choose to. When they show up they might even pay
attention every now and then. If you are really lucky they might
even be quiet, fall asleep and not disturb the class too much. The
idea of failing a student is unheard of. Failing a student would
mean taking him away from his friends and in a way he would be a
social outcast...which is the last thing you think of doing in this group
minded society. So a student who never shows up, and when he does
is disruptive, rude, and never does any work is passed...year after
year. He knows that he is not going to make it to a great highschool.
Therefore he won't make it to a good, or any college. By Jr High
he already knows that the summation of his "career" will be to wave
the on-traffic flag in the pouring rain...why should he do anything
to help anyone else's efforts? All responsibilty for a student is
all the teacher's shoulders. If the student doesn't perform then it
isn't the family's fault.Ý So there are some of the same problems America
faces, I think.Ý A couple other insights are that the students have free
access to the teachers room, which is a big office with all of their desks,
including the principal's. They come in anytime they want...they bow and
say a formal phrase on the way in and out of this room to give the
teachers respect.Ý Oh yeah...I have no idea when the students have
to be here...they are already here doing something by the time I
get here at 8:30am...the first class starts at 8:35 and school ends
at 3:10..but then everyone has to help clean the school (no janitors
in Japan; the students clean) and then the first two levels (there
are 3 in Jr High)... equivalent to our 6th and 7th grade have to
participate in a club...soccer, volleyball, baseball or some other sport
which they do all year round.Ý If there are any other things you want to
know about this let me know.
------> The buildings here are not too Asian looking.Ý
Of course you will see some buildings that are very Asian...mostly
shrines and burial grounds...some buildings too. But most of the
time the buildings have aluminium, or wood siding.Ý They look like
what my family would call "lego" houses because they are so square
and pretty sterile. Most of the places look like sheds.Ý The landscape
is pretty symmetric.Ý Mostly ricefields...or some other type of garden
in perfect order.Ý Again you can tell the Japanese take pride in
anything that is appealing to the eye when it comes to gardens...many
of their dwellings are surrounded by all types of beautiful plants...the
richer you are the better the garden.Ý I will be taking lots of pictures
and video of this so if you want to see it let me know.Ý Until then,
again any questions feel free.
----->Now something funny.Ý I was hungry (it happens)
the other day and I said to my one of my english teachers a great
American phrase that "I was so hungry I could eat a horse."Ý He said
"oh really?"Ý Not wanting him to think Americans really ate horses
I quickly explained that it was a figure of speech and that Americans
would never think of eating horses...laugh laugh...until he said
"Japanese eat horse"...I love the taste of my size 12 shoe sometimes.Ý
My response "Oh really?"Ý "Yeah, mostly in Nagano and places further
north."Ý "So you don't ride horses?"Ý "No, just raise them to eat."Ý
"Oh...okay"Ý And then it donned on me that I had eaten many meat
products without having any idea what they were...the idea of the
possibility I had eaten Mr Ed still doesn't settle well with me so
I block it out.Ý Needless to say I won't be using that phrase in
this country again or I might get it.
----->Before every class a student says "stand up"
and the whole class stands because I am a teacher and this is showing
me respect.Ý I say some greeting like "Good Morning" and then they
respond...I then say "How are you?"...response "Fine thank you and
you?"Ý "I am...whatever word "(except "fine" because that is all
they know).Ý Today one student jumped the gun and asked in the beginning
how I was...I responded "Great..how are you?"...they responded "Fine,
how are you?"...everytime this happens I just chuckle to myself...I
guess they don't know I already answered that question.Ý A couple
times at another school I went ahead and repeated "Great how are
you?"...it was my idea of making a joke...sarcasim is pretty non existent
here.Ý
----->I was walking down one of the school's hallways
with one of the elementary school principals and we noticed a huge
flying object...this was the biggest insect I have ever scene...last
time I saw something that big flying it had a stewardist...you know
it is a big insect when you walk by and you can feel the breeze of
it flapping its wings.Ý It looked like a dragon fly but it was about
6inches long and its wing span was longer than that.Ý Interesting
animal life here.