Jeff In Japan

Not sure what these girls were doing, but it makes for a funny picture. Enjoy!

Classes are all business. Teachers teach and students listen. You could hear a pin drop. Students don’t even really ask questions. Some were sleeping, but they weren’t disrupting. I’m not saying this is a good thing – personally I like group work and noise – there was none of either… I think because students don’t have to go to high school, teachers feel that if they want to learn – great… learn. If they don’t – no problem. After all, high school isn’t required – go ahead and fail out – that’s your decision to make – you’re old enough. This is much more like Junior College than what we call high school.

In high school, students eat in the cafeteria and may purchase lunch (sound familiar?)… Check out the size of those rice makers! The picture below is the lunch I was given. A brave Japanese girl sat down next to me during lunch. She had a big bowl of noodles. Without much Japanese I made it clear to her that I wished I had noodles. Communicating somehow, I found out that I had scored a really good lunch, while noodles were the equivalent of a sloppy joe in the U.S. Still, I wanted noodles. She was more than happy to trade with me. I got my noodles, and all her friends kept pointing to her lunch and saying (I would guess) something like, “No fair. How did you get the good food?”

Yes – they still teach it in Japan… kind of hard to believe – considering how we view the Japanese as being so technologically advanced and cutting edge…

In Japan – there is no school nurse. Teachers are selected to receive extra training and assume certain medical responsibilities (as well as teach the health curriculum). It’s an interesting approach, but one that I think would never be accepted in the U.S.

Visited one of the four high schools in Saitama Prefecture… I was honored to be given the opportunity to present the introduction speech for my entire group when we arrived. (A full text of what I said is available by request). Remember, high school in Japan is for grades 10, 11 and 12. It IS NOT compulsory – which means students don’t have to go. As such, for those who do go – it is presumed they want to be there. (Some do, some don’t). Classes are taught “old school.” Straight rows of desks, teacher driven lessons and a lot of drilling – in other words, everything teachers in the U.S. are not supposed to do anymore. I’ll be posting a whole lot of entries on this experience…

Visited Saitama University where we found out about what it takes to be a teacher in Japan… Let’s just say it’s good to know that Japan’s certification system is about as organized as that of New York State (not a compliment). Potential teachers must receive a degree (a Bachelors essentially) and take a national exam. Once they pass the national exam, they then must take an exam in the prefecture (like a state) in which they want to work. If they pass that exam, they are then hired by the prefecture which can send them to work in any school they want (the teachers & principals have no say over where they are assigned). After 10 years a teacher MUST be transfered to another school – it’s required. If a teacher wants to become a Vice Principal – they must be a teacher for 20 years! Not a typo – twenty. Then, after three years as a VP, they can take the Principal’s Exam. So one must be in the system AT LEAST 23 years before they can become a Principal… Quick, someone tell the Leadership Academy about this! (Also – there is no equivalent of Teach for America or the Teaching Fellows)… And we thought we had things to complain about in New York…

This is a car. A lot of cars in Japan are much smaller than their American counterparts… and the wheel is on the right side of the car (very British). [Sorry - once again couldn't think of a good picture to go with this post.]

Today we met with the mayor of Soka and the head of the School Board/Department of Education. We learned a few important things. The first (and most important) is that school is compulsory only up to the 9th grade! Think about that – 9th graders are seniors in Junior High School – then they have to take exams to go to High School (which runs from 10th – 12th grade). High school is not compulsory – though almost everyone goes (99% of the students in Japan). The scores you get on your entrance exams determine whether you go to a good high school or a not so good high school. Also, Japan is going through an education reform right now – this is their third reform… the first came at the end of the Edo period/the begining of the Meiji Restoration and the second at the end of WW II. This reform is focused on catering to the needs of the indiviudual students – helping them develop emotionally and creatively. It is very interesting to see the Japanese struggle with this… they have been consistently near the top when it comes to standardized tests, but they know they are not helping their children by just drilling them for exams… so they are trying to change. It’s not an easy process.

This is a kitty cat made out of paper. I couldn’t really think of a good picture to go with the post – but the cat is cute so I thought you’d enjoy.

Had the pleasure of attending the last home game of the Yomiuri Giants a few nights ago. We rode the train from Soka back to Tokyo (think Metro North), then navigated our way to the dome… Baseball in Japan is a bit different than in the States. The stadium was split in half – with one side rooting for the Dragons, the other for the Giants. Cheering was done in a very organized manner, like singing songs or chanting – and everyone did it. There was hardly any individual cheering (aside from me and my American friends), but the dome was louder than any other baseball game I’ve been to (save for Game 3 of the World Series in 1999). I had a hot dog (though the dog itself was the wrong color and the bun wasn’t quite right) and something like french fries… Overall, it was a baseball game, but not quite the way we think of baseball (and no 7th inning stretch!)… A must for baseball fans – an interesting experience for everyone else.

Part of Japanese culture is the tea ceremony. This consists of women preparing and serving tea (traditionally to men – but now anyone can experience the ceremony), and the participants drinking the tea. There is an elaborate proceeding that involves the removing of shoes, “sitting” on your knees and holding and drinking the tea a certain way. (If you’ve ever seen it in a movie – the movie was probably pretty accurate). The tea itself is green tea (unsweetened) and is served piping hot. In order to overcome the bitter taste of the tea, each person is given a sweet cookie or snack before they drink. For the record, I enjoyed the tea – but my knees were killing me at the end.