In Japan, students must attend Elementary and Junior High school. What this actually means is that students must “go through” these grades in order to take the test determining what high school you will attend (or if you’ll go to high school at all). So…the classrooms are filled with kids who don’t pay attention, don’t do their work (its not even surprising any more to have 10 or so completely blank worksheets handed back at the end of class) or just don’t come to class at all. Because…they pass to the next grade no matter what. It doesn’t matter if they get zeros on everything or just don’t hand it in…they’ll move on with the rest of their class.

Here are some things I saw in class today:

1) A boy who played a gameboy the entire class time.

2) Two boys playing a regular sized version of Japanese scrabble laid out across their desk (while class was in session).

3) A boy kick a girl in the stomach twice and then slap her. He was punished by…well, uh, he wasn’t. The teacher made them sit one desk apart. That’s all.

These are the kids who are making it through the Japanese school system. Of course there are some really good and smart kids who try hard but seriously…who thought this was a good idea?

I walk through the halls of school and feel like a visitor.  A permanent visitor.  I will be here a year at least but this will never be MY school or MY career.  Its very weird but not an altogether unpleasant thought.  In fact, sometimes its downright agreeable.  I’m glad that I won’t be spending the rest of my life here and I’m also glad that since I am “afforded” visitor status, I don’t have to clean the school!  and I don’t have a lot of other responsibilities either.  When its 4:15 (sometimes before) I close my im windows, finish my solitaire game, shut down my computer and go home.  Life is good.

Yesterday I watched the junior high Sports Day rehearsal. Yes, a REHEARSAL for a field day. I didn`t understand why they had been practicing so hard for this (every afternoon for two weeks–so all afternoon classes cancelled) until I saw their Sports Day `run through.` Yes, I have heard of field days in the U.S. There are relays, three legged races, sprints, etc. They have those here too. But they also have some of the most elaborate and strange competitions…

For example: the Samurai battle. This one is for the boys only. One boy sits atop two boys shoulders (one butt cheek on one of each boys shoulder). Another boy stands in front and the two `base` boys put a hand on the front boy`s shoulder so that the boy on top has a sort of chair. These three kids are the boy`s `horse` They then proceed to play chicken with the other `samurais` atop their `horses,` trying to knock each other down.

Each game is more elaborate and more dangerous than anything I have ever seen in an American school`s organized sport. They are very fond of putting kids on top of other kids. After every `game` there were plenty of students brought to the special `medic` tent to be patched up. At least they were prepared.

Fun stuff nonetheless. Definitely interesting to watch. Somehow sitting there though, I felt a little like I was watching a chariot race or a gladiator match. haha.

Here’s a pic of a Cowboy relay

The other day I walked into class to find one of the students stripped down to his boxers and beating another student with his shirt.  The rest of the class was cracking up.  The teacher just asked him to put his clothes back on so he did…and we had class.

My headline at the top of my page is a play on “It’s a Small World.” I found out today that this is the “cleaning song” for my junior high students at my second school. Everyday after lunch someone puts this song on and the students clean the school. It’s the same for my first junior high school except they clean to the Star Wars theme song. May the force be with them.

Another strange musical note: when the bell rings, one of the students goes to the front of the class and plays a melody on a piano while the other students pack up and leave.

also…when I’m at my first school the teachers eat in the cafeteria with the students. There is a group of students who play piano and sing songs while the other kids eat. I always wonder when exactly these students will have a chance to get food…it never seems to come.