If I were asked by someone what my worst experience in Japan was, I would have to say that this week would come very close to being the winner. I spent the last week hobbling around in a leg cast, and it left me unable to leave my house. But it’s not quite as bad as you think. What happened to my leg? Here is my sad little story.
Archive for the 'Education' Category
In what is perhaps the most awesomely translated game name I’ve ever heard coming out of Japan, I learned what the game “Concentration” means in Japanese the other day.
First of all, I should explain that I use “Concentration” as a way to practice vocabulary with young learners of English. I usually choose eight words, then print out two sets of them. During a class we’ll practice the target vocabulary, then I’ll lay out the cards on the black board in a 4X4 pattern. Young children love this game, and they enjoy trying to get a matching pair of words.
Well, the other day, I was playing this game with a group of first graders and the teacher mentioned how much she like the game herself. I asked her if this was a game that is played in Japan. She mentioned it was quite popular and is called “
神経衰弱(shinkeisuijaku)” in Japanese. I didn’t get a chance to look it up until recently, but when I did, I almost fell out of my chair. I asked her again about the name. I asked why it was translated into “Nervous Breakdown.” She couldn’t give me an answer.
I can only imagine what late night session of “concentration” by a group of overzealous salarymen lead to the game being called “Nervous Breakdown.” Somebody had to be playing this game at gunpoint.
If you found yourself choking on the first word up there in title, have no fear. I will explain it all to you. The 始業式(shigyoushiki) is the ceremony that schools hold at the start of the new term. In this case it is the second term, and it starts right now. This ceremony is not as formal as most are. It doesn’t even involve wearing a tie in most cases.
The Shigyoushiki is to let the students know that they should move from their summer vacation study schedule to a regular school schedule. Otherwise they might not know they are actually suppose to attend classes again(they never stop coming to school, however.) I’m actually sure they would know about the new term, but you never can be too sure; and never being too sure is what Japan is all about. Practice, practice and more practice. Constant Vigilance!!!
I took part in this ritual and it wasn’t all that bad. The principal came up and spoke of all the recent elementary school deaths around Japan(perhaps as a subtle hint not to die this term.) He also wanted us to try our hardest and never give up, and that it’s time to pick up the pace and study like tomorrow was never going to come. Constant Vigilance!!!
Never mind that I had know idea when this ceremony started. I decided to be vigilant and get up at six am, so I could make it there without missing the ceremony. I made it with one and a half hours to spare. A close call. But I was vigilant!!!
Vigilant!!!
Japan is well known for its slow moving, bureaucratic layers of impossibility. Many tasks such as getting a driver’s license, or even signing up for a credit card often require moments of effort and patience. Applying for a job, or enrolling in University can sometimes be so stressful, people spend year training for them. We can see a little of that in North American as well(SATs, interviews etc.), but I’m not sure it is on the same scale as what I’ve seen here. What I didn’t realize was that many of these stressful motions are taught from as early as elementary school.
Today, I present for you, the elementary school English club. The school shall remain nameless in order to protect the identities of those involved.
UPDATE: The article I linked to for this post is no longer working. I do apologize for that. I’m not sure if I can find a mirror to it.
I read an article in a business magazine a number of years ago about how a typical day at a Japanese office goes. From that point on I have been quite reactionary towards many of the customs I see at Japanese companies. It might have been the long working hours (60-80 hours), or the large number of people who never take their paid holidays that got to me the most. For me, a healthy balance between work time and home time was the key to a healthy mind and body. I could never figure out exactly why the Japanese would choose to submit themselves to such terrible working conditions.
Continue reading ‘A New Perspective on Japanese Working Conditions’
Today was a rather amusing day for me. I was teaching a group of first grade junior high school students who had just taken their first really strict vocabulary test. They had to be mindful of capital letters and periods. They had practiced this already, but I was shocked to see just how many of them were missing periods and capital letters.
After they got their tests back, there was quite a bit of grumbling. The person I co-teach with in this class explained that English had some rather strict rules that needed to be followed, and this was the only way they would learn. I agree witht his sentiment. One student couldn’t believe it, and vocalized his anger. He uttered out what I thought to be the equivalent of “This is Madness!” to the teacher. I immediately tuned in, and could hold myself back. I just let it slip out:
“This is ENGLISHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”
The class went silent. I went silent. I doubt they had any idea of what I was talking about, but I hope I didn’t freak em out too much.
Here are three things I bet you didn’t know about Japanese elementary schools.
1. In elementary school you can learn to ride a unicycle. I think I mentioned this before on the blog, but it blows me away every time. Usually, the girls learn to ride them. I assume it is to teach them balance, but I really have no idea why most elementary schools have them. Still, it’s pretty awesome.
2. Stilts. Yes, many(but not all) of the schools I’ve visited have stilts. Once again, I assume this is for teaching balance, but you’d think there would be better way to learn it. Did we ever have stilts in Canadian elementary schools?
3. Human Pyramid Making. I just learned about his yesterday, but it appears the students participate in human stacking projects. They do towers three students high, so they can be rather dangerous, but we aren’t talking “Cirque de Soleil” here. After thirty minutes practices, many of the students complain of sore backs and knees. Gee, I wonder why. The only time I’ve ever seen this in Canada was during cheerleading events.
There you have it. More bizzare and awesome things coming from Japan.
First of all, I would like to apologize for the two week absence. Last week was Golden Week and I was traveling all over the place. I also had writer’s block. Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.
Today I came across an interesting idea that might make English Education even more awesome for those desperately trying to learn it. I’m looking for a few good definitions for the following words. This way, no matter how a student mispronounces a word, it will always mean something else. Here is the list:
Hanb – Why is there no meaning for this word?
Cip – Perhaps a new kind of fish?
Flox – Not a real word.
Fush – Like flush without the l.
Sot – I like the sound of this. Now it needs meaning!
There you have it. Now you have until May 26th to get me a winning definition. If you win I’ll invent a word for you.
For those who aren’t already aware, Kanji is one of the three alphabets used here in Japan, along with hiragana ひらがな, and katakana カタカナ. Kanji are sometimes referred to as “Chinese Characters”, as they are borrowed straight out of written Chinese, though their pronunciation, and sometimes their meaning are very different.
So where do flowers = snow? Japan, that’s where.
The idea of a Hanko, or personal stamp, will probably be fairly familiar to anyone who has lived in Japan. Hanko are usually circular, or oval stamps, with the person’s name written in Kanji, and are the equivalent of a signature in western terms, on all sorts of legal documents. When a foreigner comes to Japan, usually one of the first things they have done is have one made up, with their first or last name in katakana. These days, they’re not asked for much, as the signature is making some major inroads, but every now and then, you’ll run into someone or some business that demands a hanko.
Like today…
Every now and then, as part of my job, we are required to receive packages for the company in our classrooms. Usually, from the Kuro-Neko Takubin, or Black Cat Transport. Today, the Black Cat showed up at my door with 6 packages, and six delivery slips to be signed. I say signed because usually a signature will suffice for them as proof of delivery. Not today, said the Black Cat, asking once again for my hanko. After checking my bag, and finding my hanko not in it’s usual place, I was a little taken aback, not sure what to do. Clearly this feline needed to drop the packages off as he was already unloading them into the classroom. I told him that I had none, but he smiled, and said it was fine, motioning to a pile of novelty stamps reserved for stamping the student’s books for good work!
Taken further aback, I pick up my stamp of choice, featuring the internet famous “Kuma”, or more commonly known in America via 4chan, Pedo-Bear…
I then proceed to stamp all six documents with said stamp.
I’ll say it again to let that sink in. I stamped 6 legally binding delivery notification slips with the likeness of the mascot for lolita complexes.
I think I deserve an internet award or something. I wonder if I can have that stamp registered to me on the Japanese name/hanko registry…
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