Elementary School Box

Author: Elizabeth Eder
Editors: Lary MacDonald
Photography: Mark Yancey, Aya Takeuchi
Creative Team: Catherine Higbee, Miyuki Kuranishi, Aya Takeuchi



List of Items with Description:

RANDOSERU (Schoolbag)



The first day of elementary school in Japan is a ceremonial occasion in which the child is symbolically accepted into his/her school and class. The opening-day ceremony usually includes a welcoming speech by the school's principal explaining his/her expectations of the students, introductions, and safety advice. After the ceremony, children go to their assigned classrooms, complete a few chores, and then go home.

However, preparations for the first day of school usually begin several months before. These preparations may include attending meetings held by the school for parents of entering children and purchasing various school equipment such as a schoolbag. All children in grades 1 through 6 in public elementary school use a randoseru to carry items back and forth from home to school each day during the school year. The bag is worn like a backpack so that the child's hands are free. Very often the schoolbag is a gift to the student from his/her parents or grandparents. This gift carries an important meaning to the student--now you are of the age to study very hard.

Throughout Japan, randoseru are standard in size, shape, and color. Boys usually carry a black bag and girls use a red one. However, even though school bags look the same on the outside, each bag is personalized on the inside with the student's belongings such as a pencil case, notebooks, etc. In addition to having one's name, grade, and class on the bag, some children decorate their bags on the inside with charms or stickers to make a personal statement.
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SHIN NYUUGAKU DEPAATO KATAROUGU (Back to School Catalog)


(Item is missing)

Buying school clothes and equipment is a huge commercial endeavor in Japan. This catalog from the up-scale Takashimaya Department Store entitled Congratulations 2000 Kids, provides parents with all the latest fashion news and announces their annual back-to-school sale. Notice the assortment of colors for the backpacks on the front cover. Some schools require that boys and girls carry the traditional colors (black for boys and red for girls), but other schools permit more choice for parent and students, with green, yellow, and pink as options. Most elementary age students in Japan are not required to wear uniforms, hence the assortment of hats, shoes, pants, shorts, etc. On page 2, 12 different colors for backpacks are displayed.

One interesting aspect of advertising in Japan is its extensive use of words interpreted through the Japanese phonetic alphabet for foreign words called Katakana. In addition to colors being written in English, all of the colors of the backpacks are writtenin Katakana as well, for example, deep green becomes diipu gureen, corral pink is kooraru pinku etc. This phenomenon goes far beyond advertising and linguists enjoy creating dictionaries of Japanese words borrowed from English. There are literally thousands. On page 3 and 4, prices are listed and range from 25 to 45,000 yen, the equivalent of 200 to 400 dollars. Although they are a large investment, these backpacks are 100% leather and are expected to outlast even the most adventerous elementary student through six years of trapsing back and forth to school and all the play that ensues in between. They are often handed down to siblings or cousins. The next two-page layout may appear to look like school uniforms but this is actual formal wear for children who might dress like this for certain occasions at school such as graduation, or events such as piano recitals. The catalog displays fine examples of pencil cases with cartoon or sports themes, casual wear for kids, and desks. Many characteristics of culture can be revealed in something as apparently mundane as a catalog and comparing this with something similar from the U.S. may prove interesting for your students.
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KOUTSUU ANZEN KABAA (Backpack Safety Cover)




The morning commute to school is a major event in Japanese cities, big and small. Narrow streets and lack of sidewalks , especially in rural areas with an abundance of rice fields butting up against the road, makes the walk to school seem dangerous to the Western eye. In actuality, incidents of injury are rare. The following quote from Gail Benjamin's account of elementary schools in Japan in Japanese Lessons provides a vivid account of the scene:
Though motorists are careful of children in the streets, various safety precautions are observed. This flourescent yellow backpack cover serves as a safety feature for children and reflects light well . Motorists can identify children from a distance and will know to proceed slowly and carefully. Buji Kaeru Kun, a safety mascot, is on the cover, and the wording says Kotsu Anzen, meaning literally safe transportation.




KOUTSUU ANZEN WAPPEN: PAMFURETTO(Safety Arm Badge and Information Booklet)




First grade students receive this safety badge when they enter elementary school. The booklet, distributed by the Police Department, gives valuable information on the proper way to cross the street and how to read road safety signs. Advice is given on household rituals that might border on being intrusive to American parents. For example, mothers are advised to encourage their children to prepare for the next school day the night before, making sure the backpack is ready with school books and homework. Clocks are strategically placed in the animated segments giving subtle hints as to proper bed times.

The route to school is determined by the school and mothers are encouraged to have their children adhere to this prescribed route. The booklet is set up with simple instructions in hiragana script for the children to read (or practice reading), animated pictures for each lesson, and notes for mothers on the bottom of the page.
Directions to children and mothers include:

1. When crossing the street, stop, look right and left, check for cars, and cross only when there are no cars coming.
2. Where there is a walking overpass available, please use it.
3. Dismount from your bike when crossing the street.
4. Don't play on your way to and from school

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TSUUGAKU BOU (School Hats)



Another safety precaution for the walk to school, school hats are required by some schools but not all. They come in different colors and styles as the pictures indicate. The main purpose for the hats in addition to safety is as an identification marker--neighbors identify hats with particular schools. This dark-colored hat is not common in elementary schools but found more often in junior and senior high. Some private schools require uniforms and this type of hat is part of the boys uniform.
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NAFUDA (Name Tag)





Name tags are common for Japanese elementary students. The use of names and/or a grade level marker rather than personal pronouns when speaking to children is common in Japan. Students will introduce themselves by noting first their schoo, their grade, and then their name. Teachers and citizens of the local area like to identify students by their names and schools and the tags make this task possible. The item is made of cloth with the name of the school on the front. The student's name, grade, and class are written on the front and on the back, a parent or guardian's name, address,and telephone number are noted. There is also a space for the child's blood type in case of an accident on their way to school.
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UWABAKI (Indoor School Shoes)




The ritual of changing shoes in Japan is something every foreigner remembers vividly upon their first Japanese encounter. Students and staff change from outdoor to indoor shoes when entering the school building. Children are provided cubbies for their outdoor shoes which are located in the student entrance area, often seperate from the staff entrance. Children's indoor school shoes are rubber-soled, cotton slip-ons that contain no laces. Often girls will wear shoes with red soles and boys with blue though this varies. The name of the student is written across the elastic strap of the shoe.
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RENRAKUCHOU (Message notebook)

To facilitate communication between teachers and parents, elementary school students carry a small memo book. On the inside of the front cover is a sample message from a parent to the student's PE teacher. It says the student has a slight cold and asks the teacher to let him/her rest during PE class. It indicates the month, the day, and the day of the week. The small card in the pocket on the top right side of the plastic cover is used to indicate whether the message is going to the parents (the pink side says to home) or to the teacher (the blue side says to the teacher).
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KYUUSHOKU NO MENU (School Lunch Menu)



One of Monbusho's (Japan's Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture) priorities is "to nurture children to have sound minds and bodies." One way this goal is accomplished is through school lunch programs which aim to enable children to have nutritionally balanced diets, to encourage students to learn good manners, and to acquire desirable eating habits. School lunch programs also support the moral growth of students as they assist in their lunch programs in a variety of ways. For example, they put on their special lunch-serving uniform to bring lunch into their classroom for their fellow students or to help in the school cafeteria, while other students might prepare television programs or radio broadcasts to be aired during the lunch period.

As of May 1991, 98.1% of elementary schools in Japan offered school lunch services consisting of a full meal (bread or rice, main course, and milk). The logistical arrangements for food preparation vary according to jurisdiction. In rural settings many schools have their own kitchens, but in urban areas, more often the food is prepared in a central location and distributed to each school. Schools take great pride in their lunch and will boast if their lunches are prepared on site as opposed to externally because the rice is hot and the food fresh. If a school provides lunch for its students, there is almost always a nutritionist on the staff. Generally, the nutritionist carefully prepares a menu wich varies daily and includes international cuisine.

This booklet was prepared by the nutritionist at the Ikebukuro Daiichi Elementary School in Tokyo. This school's nutritionist has received awards from the Ministry of Education for excellence. The booklet contains several weeks of lunch menus and editions of the school lunch newsletter prepared for parents and students. One day menu has been translated to show the range of lunch offerings (both Japanese and international) at this school. Also note that each menu is listed daily with an explanation of nutritional value and calories.
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KAPPOGI (Lunch Serving Uniform)

Lunch is served at school and students take turns serving lunch in the classroom, though some schools have a cafeteria. This is one of the many ways that students learn different roles and responsibilities. The students who serve lunch (Kyuushoku Touban) wear a special uniform consisting of a hat and a jacket, designed just for that purpose- another way that form and function intersect in daily routines. In some schools, students wear masks over their mouths to keep from spreading germs-a manifestation of concern for the public good. Each student is responsible for purchasing his/her own uniform which is stored in a special bag. Some students go to the kitchen to retrieve the food and bring it to the classroom, while others prepare the place settings, which consists of a stainless steel plates and bowls and often only a spork as cutlery. Contrary to eating habits at home, students at school rarely use chopsticks for lunch. Indeed, in some schools there are tatami rooms where children learn to eat correctly in an old fashioned way--with chopsticks, on the floor, waiting on one another, and holding their chopsticks correctly. After serving up each student's portion, the class leader will lead the group in the utterance of Itadakimasu (literally, to receive), whereupon students begin to eat. During lunch period, the video monitors in each class room are turned on and students hear announcements of school events. When they finish, those who are not responsible for lunch duty are free to enjoy their break. Some students play cards while others head to the playground for soccer or baseball.
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ZOKIN (Cleaning Cloth)

This small square of cloth is used to clean the classroom. Usually students make their zokin themselves out of used towels. Students are required to bring a zokin to school at the beginning of each school year. They use it to clean their classrooms every day as part of the daily schedule. Usually the cleaning period lasts 20 minutes. Using wet zokin, the students work in teams to clean their desks, floors, and blackboards. After the cleaning period, students wash out their zokin by hand and hang them on their chairs to dry. Three times each year the cleaning schedule is lengthened to one hour. During this time students clean the windows, lights, lampshades, and doors as well. Students in the higher grades must also help clean the public spaces such as laboratories, stairways, and the playground in addition to their own classroom. In Japan, children learn that their classroom belongs to them and keeping it clean is their responsibility.
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SHUJI SETTO (Calligraphy Set)

Historically, Japanese warriors and noblemen alike sought to be accomplished calligraphers, as mastery of the fundamentals of writing represented an attainment of character on the part of the practitioner and was believed to develop spiritual discipline. This respect for the art form is still found today as calligraphy is taught in a separate class period in upper elementary and lower secondary grades and the Japanese equivalent of penmanship, is taught in lower elementary grades.

This calligraphy set, designed to be used in an elementary school classroom, contains all of the traditional calligraphy tools, as well as a few modern ones. Implements have changed little since the art form was first used in Japan and this kit contains the two basic kinds of brushes: the thick brush and a slender brush. The former is used mostly for the main body of writing and the latter is usually used for inscriptions, signatures, cursive-style writing, or fine work. In both styles of brush, the base is made of bamboo and the tip is made from animal hair. Ink is usually made from soot burned from wood, mixed with glue and formed into a stick (this is in the red box). Sticks are often decorated and can be quite elaborate in design. To make liquid ink, the ink stick is rubbed with a very small amount of water from the water dropper (in this case a clear plastic bottle) onto the ink stone (kept in the blue box). Water droppers are usually made of ceramic or metal and can be found in any shape. (Note that this kit also contains a large black plastic bottle with already prepared liquid ink, a blue plastic container to store left over liquid ink, a yellow sponge, a paper weight, and a gold plastic lid for a brush). There is a picture of a Japanese Calligraphy classroom and a Calligraphy textbook in the box as well.
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KAKIKATA (Writing Lessons)


These two notebooks are for writing practice. The pink book is a third grade text for calligraphy class, the age at which many schools begin calligraphy. The book begins by introducing the proper posture and grip for the calligrpahy brush. Strokes are examined in detail with diagrams of how to create balanced strokes. For example, students are encouraged to make the start of the stroke thick and apply pressure on the brush, but end the stroke by lightening up the pressure on the brush. The end of the book introduces writing characters in pencil and rules that apply. Examples of calligraphy are often displayed in the classroom. Creativity is not encouraged at this level in calligraphy but masters in the art manipulate characters with artistic genious. The other notebook is used for writing practice with pencil or pen. The amount of squares placed from top to bottom on the page dictate how small the characters should be written. This book is 15 masu, or has 15 boxes from top to bottom. Younger students use 10 masu notebooks which allows more space to write each character.
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SHUUJI NO KURASU (Calligraphy Class)


Calligraphy class begins in the 3rd grade though some students start younger students with private lessons. This picture shows students practicing their skills during class. Brush technique and the arrangement of the items on the desk are important aspects of the lesson. Students shown in the picture are 5th graders and the character they are practicing is amagumo(rain cloud). The calligraphy example shown is also a 5th grader's work and represents a pictograph of the world, pronouncedsekai.
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FUDEBAKO (Pencil Case)

This type of container is used by elementary school students to carry pencils, erasers, and other desk supplies in their schoolbag. Elementary age students most often use metal cases but plastic, cloth and leather ones are also available. Pencil cases vary greatly in style and design and can therefore reflect the student's individuality. Themes are usually age appropriate. Upper grade students often have pencil cases with pictures of their favorite pop singer or actor/actress. Lower grade students enjoy pencil cases adorned with cartoon characters such as Doraemon (a robot cat who grants the wishes of his master, Nobita) , brand names such as Hello Kitty and Kero Kero Keropi (an animated frog design), and Pokemon (pocket monster). Children often have more that one and will alter them according to the day of the week or activity at school. Some students have collections of them. Certainly all students have at least one fudebako to hold their personal writing materials since it would not be proper to carry one's pens and pencils in any other way.
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SHITAJIKI (Note Page Protector)

Some students use a note page protector to create a hard surface for writing and to protect their papers. The student can chose a protector with his/her favorite cartoon character, rock musician, or other design and therefore reflect something of his/her personality in this personal item. As with pencil cases, themes are age appropriate and reflect the student's likes and dislikes. Baseball player and more recently, stars of the Japan Professional Soccer League often show up on these items. Early elementary grade teachers spend considerable time instructing the students on how to position personal materials such as fudebako, shitajiki, pencils and erasers on the desk top. Japanese teachers and parents believe that the establishment of these habits is one of the most important determinants of future success. Teachers pay careful attention to these study habits to ensure that elementary students master these routines at an early age.
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DOTOKU NO HON (Moral Education Textbook)

This fourth grade textbook is called "Our Ways." The book contains 24 stories, each with a different theme, which are meant to be used as a departure point for classroom discussion.

Moral education is a required subject in grades 1-9. It takes many forms in the curriculum and varies according to the desires of each of the prefectural local board of education. In some jurisdictions, Moral Educaton is only required for two hours a week while others require up to four. Content also varies greatly depending on location. For example, where minority children are present, lessons may focus on a new initiative known as Dowa Kyoiku (Equality Education). This initiative has become extensive in some areas of Japan and many prefectures assign a designated school to host a conference in which students create and perform dramatic skits, write opinion papers and display creative artwork, all with equality education as the theme. In others, the focus may be on neighborhood history, or human rights, or international understanding.

Here is the translation for one of the stories: "I Ask You Guys to Do the Rest" In the following example from a moral education textbook, children have the opportunity to discuss a moral dilemma, Japanese style.

It was a special day for children to join a parade and festival at their neighborhood shrine. They were going to get to carry the portable shrine (Mikoshi) on their shoulders around the whole neighborhood. But eight members of Mr. Karoki's class, including Takeshi, were responsible for cleaning up their classroom after school. Because their teacher, Mr. Karoki, was on a business trip, Mr. Yamada, the teacher of the class next door, was supposed to be supervising the clean up activities. After everyone left school at the end of the day, the eight class members stayed to clean up a few remaining parts of the room. But Hirai, who was supposed to stay because he was the group leader, decided to go home. He said, " I ask you guys to finish the rest."

Ueno, whose job it was to wipe the desks said, " Its not fair that the group leader gets to loaf on the job and go home early." Ueno decided to leave the classroom without finishing his task. He left his cleaning cloth on the desk.

Kimura, whose job it was to throw out the garbage said, "This is bad. If everyone cooperated, this job could be finished in no time." But he didn't finish his chore either. He put the trash can down at the door instead of taking it outside, and hurried out with his backpack.

Finally, no one was left but Takeshi. He looked around the classroom which had become very quiet now that he was alone. Garbage and dirty water was still in the room. Mops and brooms were left out of the locker, and the windows were wide open. Takeshi wanted to go to the festival with the others, but he tried to be patient, and decided to do the remaining work by himself.

It took much more time than he had imagined to finish everyone else's jobs. When he went to throw the dirty water away, he could hear the sounds of the drum coming from the parade. He thought about the happy faces of his friends who were already having fun at the festival, parading around the streets with the portable shrine on their shoulders.

Reluctantly, he started to take the garbage away to the rear of the school building where it belonged. He went down to the ground floor and changed his shoes so he could go outside. The trash can was made of heavy thick wood, and it was hard to hold all by himself. Takeshi was so discouraged that he wanted to cry but he told himself to be patient and went out to throw the garbage away.

When he finished all the remaining chores in the classroom and left for home, Mr. Yamada, who was still next door, praised him saying, " Takeshi, what a good job! You are great!!"

Takeshi left the school and crossed the schoolyard but he couldn't hear the sounds from the festival anymore.
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SANSUU NO KYOUKASHO (Arithmetic Textbook)

This is a fourth grade arithmetic textbook (Sansu no kyoukasho). It is the first of two arithmetic textbooks which are used during the school year. Arithmetic is a required course in all public elementary (grades 1-6), lower secondary (grades 7-9), and upper secondary (grades 10-12) schools.

Students receive textbooks for each of their subjects from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (Monbusho). Monbusho provides the required, pre-approved textbooks at no charge to all children enrolled in compulsory schools.

This textbook is used in class with an accompanying drill book. The drill book reinforces the skills learned in class and is used for homework assignments. Drill books are used a daily homework and reinforce the skills covered in the class. Teachers spend considerable time writing comments on student drill sheets.
Chapter 1: Big numbers (numbers higher than 100 million), How to read big numbers using population figures as an example; addition, subtraction, and multiplication of bg numbers
Chapter 2: The study of geometric angles
Chapter 3: Learning to approximate numbers
Chapter 4: How numbers change
Chapter 5: Division
Chapter 6: How to read graphs
Chapter 7: Equations
Chapter 8: Geometry

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KOKUGO NO KYOUKASHO (Japanese Language Textbook)

This is a fourth grade Japanese language textbook (kokugo no kyoukasho). It is the first of two Japanese language textbooks which are used during the school year. Students receive textbooks for each of their subjects from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (Monbusho). Monbusho provides the required, pre-approved textbooks at no charge to all children enrolled in compulsory schools (elementary and lower secondary). Japanese language is a required course in all public elementary (grade 1-6), lower secondary (grades 7-9), and upper secondary (grades 10-12) schools.

Each chapter in this textbook contains either a story or poem or provides guidelines for composing a story. Chapters end by summarizing new words or characters. In this textbook alone, 129 new kanji are introduced. The textbook reveals a whole language approach to teaching reading and writing. For example, in chapter 5, students are taught to consider the meaning of words in context and in Chapter 7, they are taught how to construct sentences. The curriculum incorporates reading and writing skills around content, a fundamental component of whole language.

Notice the small size of the book. Japanese students usually bring their textbooks back and forth from school to home each day, so the books are light and easy to carry.

The content of each chapter is listed below.

Chapter 1: Story about two boys who were playing on a rooftop. After the story, certain questions are asked such as: Why did this boy feel like this? Also, introduces new kanji which were used in the story.
Chapter 2: How to write a good essay with suggestions for topics. Suggests that even a small topic can be used to make a story, collect facts and put it in order in an outline, etc.
Chapter 3: Two poems by famous Japanese poets
Chapter 4: Story about a white hat with questions relating to the story (teaches descriptive skills like colors and smells)
Chapter 5: Let's think about words: How to use certain words in context and how to use a dictionary
Chapter 6: Two stories: one about a horseshoe crab and one about dinosaurs. Reading sentences to describe something accurately and an emphasis on connector words to make sentences more clear.
Chapter 7: How to construct sentences. Children write essays and recite them in front of classmates on the theme of experimentation, for example, How things float?
Chapter 8: Story written by Tolstoy about an incident that happened on a ship focusing on a captain and his son. Questions at the end of the story.
Chapter 9: Story with words I can never forget (about the War in the Pacific) with questions at the end of the story and instructions on how to make construct Japanese words.
Chapter 10: Dialect used in different regions in Japan with local folk songs and a lesson using Roman letters

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RIKA NO KYOUKASHO (Science Textbook)

This is a fourth grade science textbook (Rika no Kyoukasho). It is the first of two science textbooks which are used during the school year. Science is a required course in all public elementary (grades 3-60, lower secondary (grade 7-9), and upper secondary (grades 10- 12) schools.

Students receive textbooks for each of their subjects from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture (Monbusho). Monbusho provides the required, pre-approved textbooks at no charge to all children enrolled in compulsory schools (elementary and lower secondary).

The content of each chapter is listed below.

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SHAKAI NO KYOUKASHO (Social Studies Textbook)

This is a fourth grade social studies textbook (shakai no kyoukasho). It is first of two social studies textbooks which are used during the school year. Social studies is a required course in all public elementary (grade 3-6), lower secondary (grade 7-9), and upper secondary (grade 10-12) schools.

Students receive textbooks for each of their subjects from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports , and Culture (Monbusho). Monbusho provides the required, pre-approved textbooks at no charge to all children enrolled in compulsory schools (elementary and lower secondary).

The book is divided into two major themes: cooperation and the process of development. The content of each chapter is listed below.

Cooperation


People Who Are Devoted to Development: The Yamato River as an Example.

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MANGA (Comic Book)

Students are required to carry all of their textbooks to and from school in their backpacks everyday. However, many other items often make it into the pack including comic books. The reading of Manga in Japan in a national phenomenon among adults as well as children. This is a Doreamon comic. Doreamon is a magical cat who can make things appear and disappear. Nobita, his sidekick, it an elementary school student and the episodes revolve around Nobita's family and school life. Though Doreamon helps Nobita realize his dreams, he also plays the role of the moral compass for Nobita, providing advice and scolding him when necessary.
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TAISOGI (Exercise Clothing)
This uniform is made of a white cotton top with the name of the school printed on the pocket, a pair of white shorts (for boys) or blue pants (for girls), as well as a reversible red/white hat so that students can play for either the white or the red team. Each student is responsible for purchasing the exercise outfit. Elementary schools often require a particular uniform but preschools and high schools do not. The gym uniform is kept in a white bag which mothers are asked to make for their child.

Each student is responsible for purchasing his/her own exercise clothing. Often the uniform is not standard in style, but it must be the correct color. Sometimes there is a separate uniform for summer and winter and the boys and girls clothing are slightly different. This is one of many ways that the identities of students are separated by gender during their elementary school years. Once each year, in the fall, there is a national celebration of physical fitness, a sports day (undokai which means meeting and movement). Almost everyone in Japan participates in this event in some way including schools, universities, neighborhoods, and companies. The purpose of the event is to involve everyone in movement and participate together. There are demonstrations like folk dancing, games for fun like sack races, as well as track-and-field events.
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SOROBAN (Abacus)
Even in an age of calculators and computer, the abacus, a traditional instrument for calculation, is still taught in third and fourth grade math classes. Some researchers believe that training on the abacus increases the student's ability to calculate quickly in his/her head and improves concentration as well.
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SANSUU SETTO (Math Set)

Arithmetic is part of the official curriculum beginning with compulsory education in grade 1. This math set (sansu setto) is a supplementary classroom kit for a kindergarten or grade 1 class (not every class or every school would use this). If a teacher decides to use this type of learning aid in the classroom, in addition to the textbook, then he or she would ask the student's parent to purchase a kit and label each one of its parts (notice how each piece in this set is labeled).

In order to make math problems fun, the pieces in this kit are colorful and easy for a young child to handle so that he or she will enjoy learning math. The kit contains magnetic pieces which are used with the board for counting activities, a clock used for learning to tell time, and a box with plastic money used to learn the monetary system and for addition and subtraction exercises.
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ZUGA KOUSAKU KYOUKASHOU(Art and Crafts Textbook)




Art class and creative projects are part and parcel to the elementary curriculum in Japan. The textbook pictured above is a third grade text for Zuga Kousaku (Arts and Crafts). In contrast to the calligraphy lessons discussed earlier, the paragraph on page three encourages students to be creative. It illustrates this by demonstrating to students that they all look, think, and act differently and their projects should reflect these indivual traits. This sense of personal expression is stated as the most important goal of arts and crafts class. This sense of creativity is infused with instruction on how to use the materials needed to create art, such as watercolors and brushes which are discussed on page 4. The first assignment on page 5 instructs students to create a story that may have taken place in a village a long, long time ago and make a watercolor picture that illustrates the story. Several examples are contained on the page with an except from a child's story. Notice how aspects of language arts, in this example creative writing, are infused into the lesson.

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SEITO NO SAKUHIN (Student Art Projects)


Above are student examples of artwork. The crayon drawing of the two girls apparently dressed in their school uniforms waving, was created by a first grader at Ikebukuro Dai ichi Elementary School in Tokyo. The second example is a student example of a Hand Drawn Yuuzen, or kimono dyed in the Yuuzen style. On the right side, the student gives his impression of the Yuuzen style which the students have been studying. The student writes, "I learned that Yuuzen artisits did all this difficult work back in the old days. My hands were shaking when I was drawing. It was very different than the drawing I do everyday. I learned that when making a hand-drawn Yuuzen, it is hard to choose the rright colors and not to draw outside the lines." The final picture, taken from a calendar, shows students displaying their artwork after a field trip to this idyllic setting. Known as a Shasei Taikai, this type of field trip is common in elementary schools.

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ORIGAMI (Japanese Paper Art)

These figures, a samurai helmet, a box, and a ball, are pieces of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Japanese children usually learn simple origami at home in their pre-school years. They use any kind of paper, including newspaper, to fold origami, but colorful Origami paper is inexpensive and is sold in a variety of stores. There are simple origami figures--like the samurai helmet here--that use one piece of paper, and there are complex, artistic origami creations--like the ball here--that use many pieces of paper and many colors. Usually there is no cutting or pasting allowed. There are many books on the art of folding Origami and interested students can join an Origami club in elementary or junior high school. Even adults practice origami and use their creations for decorations, for example at New Year. Japanese children like origami because it is fun and colorful and they can fold it when they are playing alone. Japanese parents like Origami because it promotes eye hand coodination and motor skill development.
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YO-NEN NI-KUMI MONOGATARI (The Story of the Fourth Grade Second Class: Students Essay Booklet)



This booklet contains a collection of essays written by fourth grade students in class two at Ikebukuro Daiichi Elementary School in Tokyo. The essays were assembled into this booklet by the class teacher and focus on the theme of events during the school year including field trips, favorite books, and special activities. One of these essays (page 33-34) has been translated below.

Kuyashikatta Tankyori-kyoso (Disappointing Race)?E
Written by Ayako MOGI (a female, fourth grade student)

We participated in Exercise Day (Undokai) on Sunday, November 7th [1991]. I became the second place winner in the short run race. I came close to winnng first place, but I almost tripped and fell while I was running. Before the start [of the race], I was so nervous, my heart was pounding. All the time I thought, "My turn is coming, my turn is coming." When I stood at the starting line the pounding became even stronger. When my teacher Kuroki-sensei said ready, suddenly I became nervous because I didn't want to come in last. The starting pistol fired and I ran with all my might, but at the last moment the other student passed me. My friend comforted me, saying that I was running on the outer lane of the race course. Then I became determined that I would win on the next Exercise Day (Undokai). I played very hard in the other games. When I played the silk road game, my mother and father encouraged me saying Ganbatte Gabatte[Perseverance, try hard, fight], so I was very happy. When the fifth and sixth graders did kibasen [a game where people make up a human horse and fight each other], there were not enough students for the horse so I participated. I had fun although we almost fell. I am really looking forward to the next Exercise Day (Undokai).
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NYUUGAKU NO SHIORI (New Student Handbook)





This booklet, from Ikebukuro Daiichi Elementary School, is for parents of students about to enter the first grade. Displayed on the front cover are the goals of the school:

To educate children who:

1. think hard and try their best;
2. get along with others; and
3. are happy and healthy.

The inside cover includes the school song with greetings from teachers and staff on the opposite page. The following two pages list suggestions to parents about how to prepare their children to enter school, some of which include:

Teach your children to:

1. answer in loud voice when their name in called;
2. read and write their own name in hiragana script; and
3. remember their home telephone number.

The list continues and includes advice on what clothes children should wear, what school supplies they should bring, how they should walk to school, and what attitudes they should take towards eating their school lunch. Other items included in the booklet include:

1. The daily school schedule;
2. a program for the entrance ceremony held at the beginning of the first term in April;
3. an area map with the path to and from school well marked;
4. directions for how to label children's items of clothing; and
5. a map of the school and its classrooms complete the booklet.
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GAKKYU TSUSHIN (Newsletters for Parents)

This booklet contains a collection of newsletters which were written for parents by a second-grade teacher in Tokyo. The newsletters reflect the close working relationship between the teacher and his students, his expectations for parent involvement, and his personal goals and aspirations for his students. Also included are student impressions of events that have taken place at school and their relationships with teachers and fellow classmates. The page that has been translated contains some student comments concerning others in the class. For example, the theme of the day being "I am happy because my friend made it," one student writes that she is happy because her friend finished her vegetables, which she hates.

The newsletters begin on November 1, 1991 and follow the students until November 5, 1992. It follows a group of students who move from the first to the second grade. Elementary students often remain in the same homeroom from year to year adding to the groupism of the class. However, this is not always the case and at times, teachers make cases for certain groups of disruptive students to be separated. The homeroom teacher as well can sometimes move with the students to the next grade or remain at the same grade level teaching a new group of students.

The logical explanation for the newsletters beginning in November may have to do with the development of first graders writing ability needing time to mature to the point where they could become contributors to the letter. In the first letter the teacher explains the process of deciding the name of the newsletter. The students heard the word in a song and suggested it . It is only three characters which means it is short and easy. An atom cannot be separated so its symbolizes unity and good relations among classmates. And all living things contain atoms. For these reasons, the students decided it would be a good name for their class newsletter.

Another revealing clue comes in the last letter of the first graders school year on March 24, 1992. The last line of the letter says that they will meet again. Also, in the first letter of their second grade year, one student who has moved to another school sends a letter in which he talks about his new school and teacher. From this information it can be determined with considerable confidence that in this school, the students and the teacher proceed as one class from first to the second grade. A common pattern is for teachers and students to remain together for two year intervals 1-2, 3-4, 5-6.
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GAKKO YOURAN (School Brochure)
This eight-page brochure was written for visitors to Shinjuku Kokuritsu Nishitoyama Elementary School in Tokyo. The first page of the brochure discusses the history of the school, which opened in 1949. Notice the school crest in the upper left hand corner of the cover page. The name of the school is placed within the center of the flower blossom. The second page of the brochure lists the number of students in the school by grade level (Grades 1-6; 579 students total) and the school's educational goals. These goals include cultivating children who will: 1) be kind, cooperative, warm-hearted and willing to work; 2) be able to face their problems positively, think over and solve the problem, and correct the problem if necessary; and 3) be willing to work hard to train themselves to be physically and mentally strong, try to do their best, and accomplish their goals through patience and persistence. The third page of the brochure lists the activities and research of the school such as their participation in a conference with UNESCO. The fourth and fifth pages of the brochure contain a chart that outlines the school's organizational structure (with the Principal on top). Pages six lists the school's twenty-nine teachers, the grades they teach, and the areas they are responsible for, as well as the school's supplementary personnel (four doctors, one nurse, and one pharmacist). The seventh page has a map of the school and the immediate neighborhood. Page eight has the school song at the top of the page and a foorplan on the school at the bottom. The school song was composed by the school's first principal and its verse was written by the school song committee. Every school has its own song whether it is a public or private elementary, lower secondary, or upper secondary school. The school song is sung on special occasions such as graduation ceremonies and sport.
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RESOURCES


Educating Hearts and Minds
My Day videocassette
Facts About Japan: Educational System
A Brief Comparison of Japanese and U.S. Precollegiate Public Education
Standard Number of Yearly School Hours in Japanese Public Elementary Schools


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