Working in a Japanese Junior High

I've been at working at my school for about a week and I'm just barely starting to teach actual classes. I think it has been a blessing, however, because I have been able to adjust to my new environment and get to know my fellow teachers. Now that I am more comfortable, I am easing into teaching actual classes. There are so many little differences between Japanese and American schools. It has been a mixture of fascinating and confusing moments that I have for the most part thoroughly enjoyed!

In my school there are about 60 teachers. Most of my time has been spent sitting at my desk in the teachers' room. Unlike in American schools (where teachers tend to have their own room), in Japanese schools the teachers share one large office. Each grade of students is divided into classes, for example there are 8 classes of first year students. Each class has their own classroom (1-1, 1-2, 1-3 ... 1-8). The students remain in the same classroom throughout the day and the teachers change classrooms depending on their schedules. This makes the teachers' room the "base of operations", so to speak. Because of this, it has to be huge to accommodate all of the desks. Students and teachers are forever rushing in and out, making it a very interesting working experience.

Another unique feature of the Japanese teachers' room is how little privacy you have. There are no cubicles or separators between desks. They are all pushed together into clusters of tables organized by the year (first year teachers together, second year teachers together, etc). It's very cozy and it definitely fosters a community feeling in the workplace. Here's a wiki link to a picture of a teachers' room in a junior high school: click here! There is a definite hierarchy to the way the desks are arranged and everything appears to have a purpose, although I don't quite understand all of it yet. 

Another interesting part of my day has been the school lunch. Japanese school lunch is called 給食 (kyuushoku) and it has been integrated into the students' education. The Japanese government has insured that lunch will teach as well as nourish, therefore it is compulsory for all Japanese students to eat kyuushoku. Nutritionists are hired to create menus for the schools and each month a calendar is sent out telling students and staff what to expect each day. The lunch is a set, and since it has been planned to ensure good health, the students are required to clean their plates (for the most part). I have been eating kyuushoku for the past week. So far I've gotten a lot of nutritious and delicious food for a very cheap price. The meals are eaten in the classrooms (or in my case, the teachers' room) and are served by the students and staff themselves. People take turns serving and cleaning so that everyone has a chance to play their part in the community. It's a very interesting system and it involves lots of cooperation and coordination. It's amazing to watch how well everything fits together. 

Here are some examples of meals I have gotten this week for kyuushoku!

Fried Tofu, Soup, Rice with seasoning, and a Japanese treat (I'll put up a better description later...)

Cocoa Bread, Minestrone, Tuna Stir Fry, and a Croquette

Frankfurter, Salad, Chiken Soup, and Veggies

There is a lot of interesting info out there on kyuushoku, if you are interested in reading more. 

Here's a blog... and here's another one! Every ALT on the face of the planet (or I guess in the entire country of Japan) seems to do an obligatory "kyuushoku" blog. SO HERE'S MINE! Ha!

It's getting pretty late, but I will write more later regarding other random adventures. Here's a sneak peek: 

水口はとてもきれいだね！