Day 9

Woohooo! We finally get to go to a school! We kick things off with a visit to Fukashiba Elementary School in Kamisu City. Our host city group includes 16 teachers from throughout the USA and includes a person of African-American descent and several folks of mixed Caucasian background that runs the gamut of blonde, redheads, green-eyed, blue-eyed, etc. So, factor in the fact that Japan as a whole is pretty homogenious as an ethnic society, the entire experience was very much akin to being rockstars. It was bananas! Kids were surrounding us by the droves asking for our autographs. I literally signed hundreds of books, bags, folders, papers, and even a lunchbox.

Aside from the circus coming into town, there was real work to be done. We went and observed classes to see how they taught academics and handled behavior. We also got to participate in activities such as Japanese Calligraphy, computer, recess (dodgeball & double dutch), and gardening.

There are quite a few interesting differences in their schools and our American schools. First of all, coming to school is a very organized event where the kids wear the same brightly colored hat (usually a yellow baseball cap) so that they are very visible to traffic. Also, they are organized in teams where older kids walk younger kids to school with the 5th or 6th graders on the front and back to sandwich all the little kiddos. Immediately after arriving at school and before the school day starts, kids either do self-directed exercises or do chores such as cleaning or watering plans. Another interesting fact is that the students take of their outside shoes and put on slippers for the inside of the school.

Other differences include the entire concept of lunch. In most US schools, lunch is handled in the cafeteria as students get their food and eat at tables. In Japan, lunch is handled in the classroom as a team of students for each class brings the food to the classroom and they serve the food from rolling pots and pans onto plates. All of this is student directed and the teacher eats with them in the classroom.

After lunch and towards the closing of the school day, the most mind-blowing thing occured...cleaning time. Yes folks, the elementary students had their assigned areas and started to clean. Not just picking up rubbish or straightening chairs, but full blown sweeping hallways, wiping down furniture, vacuuming, weeding the gardens, beating carpets, etc. It was like watching Karate Kid as hundreds of Daniel-Sans had to paint the fence or wax the floor for Mr. Miyagi. Once again, the teachers didn't have to tell these students what to do. They were busy cleaning themselves.