+OK 6544 octets Received: from smtp12.nwnexus.com (smtp12.nwnexus.com [206.63.63.60]) by mail3.halcyon.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id JAA11102 for ; Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:11:08 -0700 (PDT) Received: from ns1.sg23.com (ns1.sg23.com [216.42.110.2]) by smtp12.nwnexus.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id JAA03716 for ; Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:10:52 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <199906221610.JAA03716@smtp12.nwnexus.com> Received: from default (sB1-p49.dreamscape.com [209.4.252.189]) by ns1.sg23.com with SMTP (Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service Version 5.5.1960.3) id NN4NG029; Tue, 22 Jun 1999 12:11:03 -0400 X-Sender: fredb001@mail.sg23.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.0.2 Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 08:03:23 -0400 To: 71524.2205@compuserve.com From: Lauren Scheffers (by way of Fred Battey ) Subject: Japanese School Revisited Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Status: From: "Janet Cook" <4cooks@email.msn.com Subject: Japanese School Revisited Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 06:44:44 +0900 Core Knowledge Homeschoolers Several people have asked me about details on the school, so here are some. One question was about discipline. Most of the time, the kids keep each other in line. I have seen several girls tell Danielle "Don't do that" or "Put that down" when she's doing something wrong. They are also good to show her what she should be doing, too. If the kid continues to mess off, a stern look or word from the teacher is enough to settle them down. Since there is complete support of the teachers by the parents and since the worst thing you can do is to dishonor your family, doing something that would cause the teacher to inform your parents is unthinkable. Oh that I would have it so easy at the school on base! School here is fairly year round. The year starts in April. There's a week off in May, six weeks summer vacation from the middle of July until the end of Aug., three weeks off for New Year/winter break, and two weeks off between years (end of march/beginning of April). Plus various holidays here and there. An amazing amount of time, though is spent on personal health. Rather than have kids go to the doctor for a check up, the doctors go to the schools. So far they've had hearing, vision, heart (an actual EKG!), height and weight, blood check for hemoglobin, urinalysis, dental (no x-rays), and they've gotten their BCG vaccine (not my kids, though). Each time, they spend 1-3 hours just sitting around waiting their turn. I have not yet figured out why they don't have them take a reading book or math book or something, instead of just sitting. It's a real waste of time, but it does get all the kids checked for sure. School goes from 8:00-3:00 most days for 3rd-sixth grade, first and second are shorter. EVERYONE walks to school here (my kids were the only ones driven to school until we moved and they could walk--they love it now!). There are NO snow, rain, wind, whatever days here. You can see gold-hatted first graders trudging through the snow like little champions. Last year the schools on base closed several times for weather-related things, the Japanese schools never closed. Most days (MTTHF), kids spend 30 minutes cleaning the school after classes. The kids don't think it's fair that American kids don't have to do that, but then, their taxes are a lot lower, too! Also, the parents come in and help with school clean-up, set-up, etc. for special events, like the Sport's day. Odd Saturdays (first, third, and fifth) there's school from 8:00-12:00. Of course, when we started, they just said, first and third. The fifth Sat. in May, we were calmly lying in bed talking about what a nice day we were going to have when the phone rang. "Mrs. Cook, this is Yamamoto-sensei." "Yes?" Thinking, what has Danielle done now that he has to call me at home on his day off..."Did you know there is school today for Danielle and Marie?" "No. We'll be there." They were a little late, but they got there. This last Sat. we played hooky and went to the Morioka zoo with our church--three busloads of people. It was fun, but a long day. A beautiful setting with lots of trees and pretty walkways. Not a lot of animals, but enough to make it worth it. Thursdays, 4th-6th graders have an hour long "club" time--interest groups of art, music, sports, etc. They can choose what they want to do. Danielle is in the origami club. In addition, most kids take some kind of extra classes after school--sports, English, art, music, etc. Lunch is eaten at school in the classroom. Everyone eats the same thing which is shipped in from a central district supplier (often a private company). The kids take turns serving each other and no one eats until the servers have been thanked for the meal. When everyone is finished and lunch is all cleaned up (but a minimum of 20 minutes, so no one feels rushed), they can go out to recess. Recess is just like in the states--pick up sports games on the field or in the gym (the grades take turns in the gym so the little ones can play without being trampled!), bars, swings, etc. One unusual thing to us is the require the use of jumpropes. The kids are all (boys, too!) very good jumpers, doing all sorts of fancy and fast moves. They also have about 50 unicycles on the campus and the kids enjoy playing on them. Danielle is getting so she can go pretty far. Marie still has to hold onto something. Some of the older kids can ride all over the school grounds without falling! They have several periods of art, two or three of music (in which they sing, play the recorder and pianica (mouth powered keyboard), and percussion instruments), and one of calligraphy each week. They also have "moral education" which is like ethics, each week. Every Friday they have an all school assembly and have a group music lesson. Right now they're learning Sound of Music, "Doe a Deer" song with the parts and accompaniment by the six graders on the recorder. Well, that's all I can think of right now. Hope everyone has a great first day of summer! Jim, Janet, Danielle, and Marie Cook 4cooks@msn.com Enjoying life in Misawa, Japan http://homestead.com/hsckjanet/hsckjkcook.html I do not worry whether the heavenly gates swing or slide. I am only concerned that they open. Gordon B. Hinkley .