Japanese lesson (2): Japanese and American School Comparisons

It may be obvious that, naturally, schools in Japan and schools in the U.S. are different; but here are some qualities that you may have not noticed; whereas some stuff that you ought to know that remains the norm in Japanese schools.

• Before students attend high school, they are to apply and take tests to which high school they desire. So, in a sense, it's similar to students applying for college in the U.S. If they are really determined (or if parents force them to), students would go to cram schools which occur after normal school hours in a separate sort of facility.

• Once they enter high school, they only stay there for 3 years. It's funny since junior high for them goes from 6th-9th grade. So, in comparison to the U.S... Their "freshman year" is still in junior high.

• In grade school, the kids are to keep a dairy as a homework report for the summer. That's not-so bad if you compare to the junior high school kids and up that just have summer homework. Yep, it doesn't matter if you're going to school or not, Japanese kids WILL get homework haha.

• In high school, students are often given questionnaires as to what sort of career they want to shoot for. For some people, that may enforce an individual to really consider the future...

• Every student rotates for cleaning duty after school in which they clean their classroom and the like. (i doubt this was done in college). This not only teaches kids how to clean, but it may (or may not) enforce discipline in which seems to be only forced in bootcamps (at least in the US).

• Not sure if it's in grade school, but I know both in Junior High and High School they have student representatives both male and female which are pretty much the person that is considered a role model to the class as well as the "student pet" to the teacher. The student rep also runs student meetings within the classroom to discuss regulations, concerns, and who does what in the sports festival and the like.

• Contrary to U.S. schools of junior and senior high, Japanese students pretty much stay in one classroom all throughout the day. The teachers are the ones that transition to different classroom locations after each class time. I figure that builds up strong friendships/teamwork/pride within the classroom. Though by next year students change classrooms and may not see the same people again, but still stay within that classroom until next year again.

• Students don't really have lockers but cubbies where they keep their shoes. They would (usaually) have 2 pairs of shoes: one pair they wear for everyday use and the other pair that is worn within the school building; thus, they rotate shoes before the school hours after hours.

• girls and boys are taught separately during P.E. and yes, girls wore those bikini-looking bottoms for PE. They even had swimsuit uniforms o.O They don't wear them anymore, but they are still seen in recent anime for laughs & giggles.

• "senpai" and "sensei" is often heard during school hours. Senpai (sounds like 'sehn-PIE') is a title-prefix given to someone who is upperclassman to you. Whether this person is 1 year ahead of you or 3, you would still address that person as "name-senpai" or just simply "senpai." That sort of formality is used the same way for "Sensei" (sounds like 'sehn-SAY") only it's used for teachers/instructors. Underclassmen (known as "kouhai") don't really have a title used among the upperclassman, they're just called by their names.

• school trips seem to often occur after the school year (guessing at the end of elementary, junior high, but definitely high school). It's like a field trip, but they get to stay over night or two. So jealous over that.

• there aren't any school buses, students generally just walk and/or bike to school (considering the overpopulation and it's eco friendly ;p). The rich ones are usually seen transported by car.

• yes, students wear uniforms (even as far as kindergarten) and no, the girl's skirts actually aren't that short as they make it to be in some anime. (When you watch enough anime, you notice the type of genre you're watching by the girl's skirts sometimes.) As far as I can tell, high school students WILL have school uniforms. Junior high is seen often, grade/elementary is debatable.

• Also good to keep in mind that--Japanese students treat applying to high school as a U.S. student trying to apply for college. U.S. high schools are usually decided by taxes and location (unless your parents are really anal [or other circumstances...] and prefer you to be enrolled in a catholic school or home-schooled). 

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