Inside Japanese schools

[magevampjoe]

Hi, from what I have read on the 'net, Japanese high school students spend their lunch break inside their homerooms.

Do they not follow the same thing as in the US and UK, that is, break and lunch (or recess?) is allowed to be outside? In the UK we can go inside or outside. Are they allowed?

Also, on many mangas/animes you see characters on the roof of the school using it as a relaxing spot etc. Is this reality in some places (as I know animes are sometimes the work of slightly deranged but cool people)

Just trying to learn a bit about Japanese daily life, especially people my age.

 

[Glenski]

In the private HS where I used to work, students had a cafeteria where they brought or bought food, and they also sat around various places including homeroom to eat it. Considering that they spend almost all of their day in the same homeroom with classes, it's not surprising that they don't want to spend much time there on break. Some did in my school, mostly to play video games and chat.

My school was too far from any shops or civilization for kids to venture far outdoors, but some did just to play outside.

Roofs? Pretty dangerous thing for kids, especially in this stress-filled environment. I'd guess that it's case by case. Certainly nobody was allowed on the roof at my old school.

 

[Clawn]

It all depends on location. I go to a school that does not allow you to be anywhere _but_ the lunchroom during lunch period. A friend of mine, though, has the ability to wander about the halls during lunch, even leave to go out to lunch. Seeing as she lives in the city, and I in the country, that would make more sense. And I believe that some schools may have a rooftop that is student-friendly (railings, tables, chairs, etc.), however that is usually not the case. Hope I helped a little.

 

[MadamePapillon]

I've heard bullying is a big problem in many Japanese schools. I was sort of interested in that and the apparent lack of power the teachers have to dicipline their students, I've heard it's gotten very out of hand.

Also, that the whole country runs on one lesson plan for students and teachers aren't allowed to deviate from it, unlike N. American schools where the teachers are free to adjust the curriculum and lessons are different for every school. I was wondering how much of that is true.

 

[pipokun]

Many high school students bring their own boxed lunch, or bento.
And there was a man called Uncle Bread who sold bread in my school.

In my case, I often ate lunch early in the 10 minute break before the lunch time and played baseball at lunch. When our school sport event was coming, I played volleyball.

I think you are eligible to apply the high school exchange program for European students this year. There must be the age limitation, 17 years and/or younger.
It may be an idea to see what is going on now by yourself. Contact the J embassy in your country.

 

[Glenski]

Madame P,
Bullying is a big problem. Do a search on the Japan Times homepage to see the tip of the iceberg. The fact that most schools don't have psychologists or professional counselors is only part of the reason. (Homeroom teachers serve those roles, but they are overwhelmed with duties.)

the whole country runs on one lesson plan for students and teachers aren't allowed to deviate from it, unlike N. American schools where the teachers are free to adjust the curriculum

I can't speak for public schools but would recommend that you go to a teaching web site for better feedback. ESLCafe.com would be a good starting place. Obviously, though, the above statement is a serious generalization. Are you referring to all courses (history, math, Japanese, English, biology, etc.)? What "one lesson plan" are you referring to? The government has its own choices of books, and schools are allowed to choose from a limited choice. But, some schools are different because of the student population or the focus of the school (some are technical high schools, for example). I've had freshmen university students who have never seen a foreign English teacher before, and some who have had all 6 years of their English education with foreign teachers. In my private HS, we in the English department changed curricula every year for 7 years or more.

 

[pipokun]

I belonged to a judo club when I was in the high school.
What I did not understand was that the manga research club got more subsidies from the school than my judo club. This is one of the reasons why I am not much into manga/anime now. I know it is a stupid trauma, though...

 

[Noppin]

Pity Judo's getting less and less popular these days. I'm a member of the Judo club in my school, and we have four members. Seeing as I'm the most senior, I got bumped up to captain, despite the fact that I'm an exchange student.

At my school, we don't have a cafeteria, but they sell bread down the hallway. You can eat in any classroom you want, but can't leave the building. We're also not allowed on the roof. There is a veranda we use a lot, though.

Nobody in my school is ever actually punished for anything if you just ignore the teachers. If you're late enough times, they'll tell you to clean the hallway after school on a certain day with all the other late students, but people just ignore it. Two girls in my class have more than 30 absences each and easily over 100 tardies, and there's not really a big problem with it. Then again, I don't exactly go to a good school...

The lessons are more like lectures. A teacher starts talking at the beginning of class, and stops right about when the bell rings. There's usually no time for questions. It's good if you can pick things up quickly, but is very bad for people that have problems. I generally don't have a problem with math and Japanese, but things like Home Ec. and Biology are serious problems for me. Since there are lots of technical terms, there's never enough time for me to translate it all and still remember the lesson.

 

[Glenski]

Noppin,
Those "lectures" are pretty standard teaching technique here for Japanese teachers. Get used to it. Ask questions despite the sheep around you.

As for being a bad school, I would have to agree based on the lack of discipline. Thirty absences!? Five to seven usually constitutes serious problems including a call to the parents. Thirty is an automatic failure to pass that grade.

 

[Numark]

When I was in high school in Japan, (Saitama, Warabi Koukou, 2003) Our lunchroom wasn't even big enough for the whole school, so about half of the students ate in the rooms. During lunch students could walk anywhere and eat anywhere, generally students who brought lunch (the majority) ate in their homerooms, and those who ate school lunch ate in the cafeteria.

As for going on the roofs, I don't think that was allowed

 

[Numark]

I belonged to a judo club when I was in the high school.
What I did not understand was that the manga research club got more subsidies from the school than my judo club. This is one of the reasons why I am not much into manga/anime now. I know it is a stupid trauma, though...

this is funny because I was in kendo club, and off practice time they were basically the manga research club! They weren't officially, but the dressing room/ prep room had about 5 full size bookcases full of manga that everyone would read.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

My senior high school had a dining room and the purchasing department.
There were two convenience stores near a school.
but,The going out was prohibited.
I hid and went to buy bread.
We made an effort so that it was not discovered by a teacher and public morals committee.
The dining room was far from a school building,
When a chime of the lunch break sounded, we began to run.
Because because there are not many numbers a popular menu.
The lunch break ate in a clubroom.
Because I was a physics club, I played a game with a PC.
Club ranking of a grant of my school.
1.Baseball club,
2.brass band club,
3. physics club1
A grant of physics club is around 200,000 yen.
When we buy one PC, a grant disappears.