Graduation and the New Year

At the end of March, the 3^rd year students graduated. I was pretty sad because out of all the students, I felt the most connected to the 3^rd years. I knew more of them and talked with them the most. Most students were able to get into a high school. The ones who didn’t were the ones you weren’t expecting to, if you catch my drift. The ceremony itself wasn’t too different from a U.S. ceremony except for the fact that the students didn’t wear caps or gowns (they wore their uniforms), and there was a lot more singing. The three homeroom teachers of the third years wore kimono and hakuma (traditional Japanese formal wear). That was exciting! After the ceremony, the students cried and took pictures together. It was sad and happy at the same time. From what I know, many students have been able to adjust well to their new schools and make new friends (because high school is not mandatory in Japan and you must choose and apply for the school you want to go to). I heard that one day, however, one girl came back to the junior high school, crying, because she wasn’t making new friends in school. I feel like that that wouldn’t really happen in America. I’ve never heard of anyone going back to their high school to cry about how they aren’t liking college. Cultural difference perhaps?

With the old year ending and the new one beginning, it brings a whole new atmosphere. In Japan, there is this really strange system that I don’t agree with and no one can seem to really explain. On the last day of the school year, teachers are told whether or not they will remain at the same school or be transferred to a new one in the area. They have no choice in it….WTF?! So every year, several teacher leave and new ones replace them. The only explanation for this that I’ve been told is that it’s done so teachers don’t get bored with their jobs. Ya, whatever. My mother is a teacher and has worked in the same school for like 20 years, and doesn’t want to leave her school. It wasn’t until my first day back after Spring break that I found out the extent of everyone who was leaving. I knew my best friend at work would be leaving along with a few other teachers that were nice, but the biggest shock was to come back and find that my Vice-Principal was gone! I had no idea! He was basically in charge of me, and he was the nicest, friendliest, best Vice-Principal ever! He gave me gifts, let me go home early, and always put treats on my desk. I was so sad! I’m not the only one who was sad, though. A few days into the new year, all the teachers came back for a morning to say their farewells to the students and other teachers. Some teachers broke down in tears as they said goodbye. I just can’t really grasp the reason for doing this to everyone.

There is one more strange thing. Teachers do not teach the same grade each year. They move up a grade with the students. So the teachers who taught 1^st year students last year, now teach 2^nd year. The teachers who taught 3^rd year now go back to teaching 1^st year. I asked the reason for this as well, and I was told that it’s because teachers can easily learn how to teach new and different curriculum better than forming relationships with new students. I suppose that when I was in junior high school, there was only one teacher for one subject because I went to a small school so they taught all grades, but it just seems weird to me because we have 5 English teachers. I don’t think it’s the same way in bigger American schools. In high school, I had different teachers each year, and it wasn’t difficult. To make teachers change grades each year seems impractical and harder for them. Sigh. That’s my rant about weird Japanese school systems. I could go on about other things I find silly or inefficient, but I don’t want to sound hateful because I’m not. I’m just a little confused and annoyed.