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Can you imagine entering a gymnasium full of 730 elementary students – all clapping enthusiastically? I definitely got my kid-fix today! All this time that we’ve been in Japan, and this was the first full day with kids, and boy (and girl) was it great!
Mifunigaoka Greeting
With an average of 30 students per grade and a maximum of 40, these were the best behaved elementary students I have ever seen……..and friendly and curious…..wow did we have fun!
Mifunegaoka students in window
We had a whole school musical performance by the sixth grade, we visited a second grade language class where they were looking at and describing shapes to each other and writing about what they learned, an art class on the color wheel in which each students mixed colors, a 3rd grade math class on multiplication, a 4th grade math class covering area, a 6th grade math class on volume and a 6th grade calligraphy class. We ate lunch in the classroom that was prepared by the students, played dodgeball, slapped five, helped the students clean the school – yes it’s true, and played duck-duck-goose etc during after school program for students k-3 whose parents are working (available until 6).
Mifunegaoka School Lunch
Student Chefs 5th grade
Student Custodians
Some really awesome kids!
- We learned that in order to become a vice principal you must be at least 45, and to be a principal – 50.
- A special ed academic assistance room is only available 4 hrs per week for language and math (if that isn’t enough, you have to go to a special school.
- Student “promoters” are assigned to help lagging students.
- There are 6 classes of 45 minutes per day with a 15 min break between and an extended lunch followed by recess and cleaning time.
- More than half these students ( a point of pride) are preparing for the exam for entrance to a prestigeous jr. high
- There is no failure or retention
- Teachers feel class size is biggest challenge followed by expectation to assume parental discipline role.
- Teachers at this school work from 8-5 (required) plus 2-3 hours afterward at school plus work at home, plus one day each weekend.
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