Japanese School @ MindSay 
I was scheduled to teach classes at a school to the west of me called Kosaka today. I have never even seen the school before let alone taught in it. As I stepped into the principal's office to introduce myself, I realized that I haven't taught at any schools other than my usual two grade and one Jr. High.
Kosaka was bright and airy. All the woodwork looked new or at the very least well maintained. The staff was very friendly and spoke at length with me in Japanese about where I am from, my hobbies and family, as well as telling me a lot about themselves.
I was introduced to four teachers who spoke pretty good English... actually, one spoke better than my Jr. High teachers (which, admittedly, isn't that hard). I was offered coffee... HOT coffee, and the day’s lesson plans were laid out before me. I decided to use a combination of my flash cards and the ones they provided me with to make a fun lesson for the day. I also decided on some fun games to play and some follow up phrases and questions. I then readied myself for class, and boy, was I in for a shock.
The classroom, just like the rest of the school, was bright and happy looking. The students were all seated on the floor waiting for me to enter. As I walked in, heads turned toward me and smiles started spreading. Not the vindictive, cruel smiles I'm used to, but happy, friendly smiles. Without provocation I received a loud, but not shouted "Good morning!” to which I responded, "Good morning everyone."
Eyes lit up and happy giggles were murmured all around. I started in on my usual spiel. I said in Japanese "Today I will do my introduction, and afterwards we will have a quiz!" The teacher gently nudged me and asked that I use only English. I shrugged and repeated myself in English, adding "but don't worry too much, the questions will be in Japanese. I want your answers in English tho!"
Children started looking at each other and getting ready. I asked if they understood the last part and one repeated it for me in Japanese. Repeated it correctly. I was floored. These kids actually understood simple English. They understood how to pick out key words. These third and fourth graders were understanding and speaking at a level beyond that of my Jr. High kids.
I went through my introduction, and the kids were at rapt attention. I didn't need to raise my voice even once. I acted silly a few times and the kids laughed. No one mocked my English or occasional Japanese. When I asked questions in English they answered quickly. When they asked me questions in Japanese they would speak very clearly so I could actually hear them, and they would repeat if I asked them to.
The biggest shock came when we played the game of the day... Fruit Basket. Usually I have to shout at the top of my lungs just to be heard during a game of Fruit Basket, but today the kids were quiet. They were running around and having fun, but no one was screaming. The boys didn't collide in the center of the circle and wrestle each other to the ground. The girls didn't just slide one seat over at a time so they could stay near their friends and talk. The game played out like a real game... and it was beautiful.
At the end of the day I got to attend the school's English club. It consisted of kids from third to sixth grade who were all regular practitioners of the language. Many could even produce the "th" sound correctly. We did vehicles today and introduced about sixteen types. The kids only had trouble remembering two. It was truly amazing.
After club I had about one hour before it was time to go home. I ended up talking with one of the third grade teachers from my day and he asked me about my regular schools.
"I don't know why" I said, "but this school is so much better than my usual ones. The kids are so well behaved and studious."
"Really?" he asked, "I thought the kids were a little over-excited today. I was going to apologize!"
"How can you say that? They were wonderful! Some of the best I've ever had" I told him.
He then asked me what school I usually teach at, so I answered truthfully:
"K."
There was a moment of silence before he asked "K elementary and Jr. High?"
"Yes... why?"
It turns out that my schools have a reputation. A very bad reputation. K JHS produces the fewest high school students in all of my region. K elementary is know for severe behavioral problems and troubled kids. Both are notorious for poor environment and dilapidated classrooms (which I knew already). The worst bit of news, however, was that K is considered the proving ground school out here. First time teachers are sent here to learn the ropes in the worst possible environment before trading up to bigger and better things. All the problems I have been privy to, all the bad kids running around screaming and hitting me... these problems are mine almost exclusively.
No one actually expects K kids to achieve anything. This is why we have no English club or international room. It's also why I never get to see my kids outside of class for tutoring and why I never get to help with things like festivals. After hearing this from several teachers, I now realize why I have been so miserable. It's not Japan or the weather or even my job in general. Unfortunately, it's my kids.
I liked almost every single kid I came into contact with today. They were all fun and cheery. At my normal schools I actually have spite, real spite for most of the kids I see. I am going to request a school change for the next semester. Maybe I can get into Kosaka as it's not that far from me and I really like it now. In order to make my current situation more pleasant I will start treating my regular schools like everyone else does and stop caring. I have a little under three weeks until summer vacation, and in that time I plan on working as little as possible.
Despite this, I feel good. Very good in fact. It's like having a severe pain in your neck and then one day finally finding out it's because of your pillow. I know the source of my unhappiness now and I can take steps to rectify it. With some luck I will have a very pleasant and rewarding final six months in Japan. Hell, maybe I'll have something more to write about and update more than once a month too!
-Maru!
Anyway, one thing that most people notice is that all kids seem to have this exact same backpack. For once, this is completely correct. A randoseru is a very well constructed backpack that is meant to serve a child for the full six years of their primary education, and although many companies make these, they all follow the same basic design.
Here, take a look:
With little more than coloration and stitching variations, they all look like this. Exactly like this. For little first graders these seem very large, but once a child reaches sixth grade and is prepared to trade in for a more adult-like satchel or backpack (some schools have a "backpack code", others don't care how you shlep your books) the child is now much bigger and the randoseru seems much smaller. Many adults still have their old ones stored away someplace, a memory of their carefree days of youth.
*sigh*
In Japanese culture ceremony and tradition are considered extraordinarily important and followed to the letter. So far I have seen opening ceremonies, closing ceremonies, graduations and festivals, but the idea of a more physical tradition, such as the randoseru intrigued me. I asked my teachers at school. They remembered their own and mentioned a little about receiving it and being so proud, and being sad when they put it away for good... but then I asked about the design.
"Oh, they all look like that"
"Yes, I've noticed, but why that specific design?"
The answer was always the same, "I don't really know. It's just always been like that."
Well, that answer wasn't good enough for me. I continued to ask lots of people, getting the same answers each time, until I asked one of my vice-principles.
"Oh, it's a military design, from before the Second World War I think."
Huh? I did some research and it's true. This bag is only a slight variation from those carried by Japanese soldier back when they were allowed to have a standing army.
It's hard to find old photos of Japanese soldiers fully geared up and facing away from the camera, so take a look at this one:
You can see that the design elements are all basically the same. Materials (they used heavy canvas back then and leather now) and the cross-strap design are all that have really changed.
Take a look again:
See that superfluous metal thing on the side? It can be used for a key-holder or whatever a creative child can think of, but it's real purpose was that of grenade holder. The Japanese used the same stick type grenades employed by the Germans, so a hook made for safely carrying the weapon was attached. I have seen many of my grade schoolers using this in many ways, the best of which was to carry their kendama, a ball and stick game.
It's a little scary to think that these innocent bags now used for carrying tomes of knowledge were once a part of one of the most ruthless war machines in history. But then again, these bags humbled to the point of servicing children is also a kind of redeeming sight... it's akin to seeing a munitions factory shut down and a large public park being built in its stead.
Maybe there is hope for us yet.
-Maru!
I should add that in my research I found evidence for this design originating in the Netherlands, hence the Dutch name, but I still find it amazing that just prior to its use as a school accessory it was enlisted.
Spring is definately on its way now! I was watching the weather report this morning, and they said it will be a "harurashii" day, which means "Just like a Spring" day. I have hayfever too, I'm sneezing all over the place.
Ah the birds and the bees and how they make you sneeze!
Anyway, I forgot to write about my Karaoke experience on Monday night.
One of my favourite coworkers, Doi sensei, invited me out to dinner with him and his daughters, and Martha (who was the ALT here before me). DOi sensei is so cool, he is a bit of an eccentric for a Japanese man, he never lets himself get caught up in any school politics, and just lives by his own rules. Or so I thought. He is divorced, which is unusual, so he tells everyone he is single. NO-ONE at the school knows he has children. So I feel pretty special to be let in on the secret; although he probably knows it is safe because no one actually ever talks to me!
Karaoke was so great though! Doi sensei loves Enka, which is kind of Japanese old-school folk music. It was absolutely brilliant!! His daughters were really great too. I even sung a Japanese song (Nagai Aida, by Kiroro). Thinking about making that my token Japanese song for when I go to Karaoke with Japanese people, although Doi sensei thinks I should learn an Enka song.
Dinner and Karaoke were all done entirely in Japanese; even when I was talking to Martha (we didnt want to be rude and talk so no one else could understand us). Martha had to translate for me a couple of times, but I think I was doing really well. At the end of the night, Doi dropped me off at Brendans house, and the whole way there (about 30 minutes) his daughter was excitedly talking to me... it was 1230am by this stage and I was exhausted, and I was having to concentrate so hard on what she was saying.... ergh... but I was so proud of myself because I think I managed to have a fairly decent conversation!
So that was a great evening! What my stay in Japan should be all about!!! (rather than sitting around feeling sorry for myself because I am bored bored bored).
Im going to the Sumo this weekend, SO EXCITED about it. Its a once in a lifetime thing, going to an official Sumo match!
"I am a Japanese School Teacher". From the site "In August 2003 I moved to Kyoto, Japan as a part of the JET program. I am an assistant language teacher in three Jr. High schools. The experience has been...interesting to say the least. Interesting enough to warrant its own editorial." ALSO CHECK OUT HOW FUNNY THIS IS!!
"Round 3
I shouldn't even have to tell you who this editorial is about.
But for those of you lacking Batman-like deductive prowess, this is the return of the "Please!"/"I'll get it one day" boy.
He also has a thing for trying to take my wristwatch. He asks me to give it to him, and when I tell him no he tries to take it off my wrist. I don't see what the appeal is, it's a $20 Mossimo watch I bought from Target. ...But it's my cheap Target watch, dammit. I told him to ask his parents to buy him one for Christmas, but he just replied with "That won't work!" and when he's not trying to grab my dick, he's trying to steal my watch.
It's an interesting life I lead.
This day, he'd been pointing to his wrist all day and grinning at me. I responded by pointing to me and mouthing the word "Mine." After class, much to no one's surprise he came up to the front and started trying to steal my watch again. It's a banded watch, so all I really have to do to stop him is spread my palm out, so he can't slide the watch off. And he doesn't have the power to force my hand into a fist either. So, no worries there.
However, suddenly my Dodgedick Sense� went crazy. ...I didn't even know I had a Dodgedick Sense� but this thing was going off the charts. I started backing away from him, and more or less the second he lost interest in stealing my watch away, he started trying to grab my dick again. I was quick to grab both his arms and restrain him, much like before. My teacher, the same Japanese guy incidentally, looks up and just laughs. So yet again, I'm on my own here. Sigh.
I whine about being stuck in this situation again. However, my ambitious friend has not come unprepared this time. While I've got him good and locked down, another boy comes over. "Now, while he's busy holding me!" the first boy calls out. "Grab it, grab it! Aim for the center!"
....What the hell is this?! Now they're networking?! That is *NOT* allowed.
So now I've got boy #2 advancing on me while I've got boy #1 restrained. I couldn't very well let him go, so I spun him around, restrained him with one hand, and using him as a shield of sorts, tried to defend against boy #2. My Japanese teacher comments, as I'm pressing boy #1 up against me for protection, "Oh look! They've become great friends! It's so nice."
Thanks again.
However, boy #1 broke my defenses, turned around, and took a pretty close stab at it. He missed....but not by much. "You got it!" Boy #2 says. "How big? Was it this big?" He holds out his hands for a visual cue.
"A little bigger than that." Boy #1 responds.
"You didn't grab anything!" I promptly tell him.
"I did! I got it!" He says back.
"Then why do I still need to restrain you?"
"I need a second grab for confirmation."
The second boy eventually goes off and does his own thing, and my Japanese teacher makes yet another silent exit. How do Japanese people do that anyway? Before I leave the country, I wanna learn how to teleport around like they do. Batman would be jealous of their "Now I'm here, now I'm not!" space-warping abilities. Unfortunately, I spend most of my time restraining zealous young boys who want to grab my dick.
I carried him out into the hallway, again, and told him I'd carry him back to the teachers room if I had to, again. He still wasn't giving up, so this time I set him down, gave him a gentle push in the opposite direction, and ran like hell to the staircase. He pursued, but when he realized he wouldn't catch up to me before he reached the teachers's room (and there, he'd get yelled at by the guy who loves his own voice), he gave up.
So I did manage to win Round 3. But not by much. Much like The Borg, this boy is adapting to my defenses and evolving new ways to grab my penis. I'm almost afraid to go back, I dunno if I'll be ready/prepared for whatever new tactic he's got up his sleeve this time. Resistance is futile. You will have your dick grabbed.
Another day.... "