1 　School Events

　　　2 The Typical Day of Teacher

　　　3 The Typical Day of a Student

　　　4　 Japanese School Life

Ⅸ Japanese School Life and Culture

Entrance　Ceremony Opening Ceremony

Closing Ceremonies

Morning Assemblies

Sports Day 1 School Excursions ("Shugaku-Ryoko")

School Excursions ("Ensoku")

Medical Check-ups Music Festivals

Marathon Races

Disaster Drills

School Events

Graduation Ceremonies

Morning Meetings

Meeting before Going Back Home

Skills to Teach

School Lunch 1 Cleaning Time

Instructions to Students

The Typical Day of a Teacher

Recesses

Teacher's Desks in Classrooms

School Lunch 2

The Typical Day of a Student

Morning Meetings Class-based Activities

Sports Day 2 Overnight Trips Involving Outdoor

Study

Preparation for Class

Teachers' Rooms

Before ClassGoing to School in a group

Teaching Classes

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Playing

Meeting before Going Back Home

Recesses 1

Getting out of After School

Greeting

Collective Discipline (Indoor Shoes)

Cooperative Work during School Lunch Periods

Notices and Posters 3 Nurse's Offices

School Life

Notices and Posters 1

School Emblems and School Songs

National Flag, Clocks

Co-education

Recesses 2

Before and After Lunch

Teacher's Room

Collective Discipline

Places Needing Cleaning

Preparing &

Notices and Posters 2

School Lunch Bags Keeping Records

Uniforms

Health Education

Keeping Animals, Growing Plants

Class Hour

Testimonials

Recesses 3

Name, Name Card

Lunch Time

Students' Preferences

Memorial for Graduation Assistant English Teacher

Notices and Posters 4

Cooperative work forcleaningSchool Lunch Menus

Teachers' Study

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The course of study defines five types of school events.

① Ceremonial events ② Events concerned with arts ③ Events concerned with health/safety/physical education

④ Events such as a school trip/collective lodging

⑤ Events concerned with labor service or volunteer

（Special activities →Ⅳ－ 49）

① Primary school entrance ceremony (admission of new 1st grade students), April 2004

② Primary school entrance ceremony (principal’s speech) , April 2004

③ Primary school entrance ceremony (the introduction of homeroom teachers) , April 2004

④ Lower secondary school entrance ceremony, April 2005

The school draws a line between the beginning and the ending of events, activities, and classes, etc.

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① The start of an opening ceremony for the new term

② Singing the school song

③④ A speech from the principal

In the beginning of ceremonies students usually sing a school song and the national anthem, and the principal or vice makes a speech.

The morning assembly and vice-principal’s speech

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①② Departure from the school

③ Aquarium, ④ Prefectural office, ⑤ Eating lunch, ⑥ Returning to school, ⑦⑧⑨ Aquarium (Students in a group are moving and watching during

the school excursion), ⑩ Prefectural office, ⑪ Prefectural office (an explanation with video), ⑫ Prefectural office (prefectural parliament)

The students are asked to be punctual during assemblies and departures. Though school excursions students deepen their understanding

of community characteristics and modern society.

① School gate

② Opening ceremony for Sports Day（1st grade）

③ Cheering performance

④ Team sports

All the students join in Sports Day activities (Undokai).

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① Footrace (1st grade)

② Lunch with students and their family in the school yard

③ Playing a tug of war joined by students’ parents (5-6th grade students and their parents)

④ Closing ceremony

Not only students but also parents and members of the community (including kindergarten infants) and senior citizens participate in

the sports activities.

① Students are divided into male/female groups in each grade. Students race in this groups.

② The race course extends to areas outside of the school premises.

③ Parents are cheering on and supporting their children.

④ Teachers are recording the time and place at the finish line.

⑤ Students are practicing in recess before the marathon race.

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① Departure from the school

② Climbing a mountain

③ Arrival at a Youth House (a Youth House →Ⅲ－ 25,26,27,28,29)

④ Meeting to introduce the rules for the use of the Youth House

⑤ Candle fire ceremony

Youth houses (for teenagers) and juvenile houses (for children) set up as social educational facilities are often used for school activities.

① Departure from the school, ② Visitation at the Diet building, ③ Visitation at the Ship Museum

④ Arrival at an inn, ⑤ Eating dinner at the inn

⑥ Preparation for sleep

Students are taught group discipline while they inspect social facilities and equipment.

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A medical check-up is carried out every year for all students. These pictures show the medical check-up for children who are entering

this primary school next Spring.

① Explanation at gymnasium

② Ophthalmology checkup

③ Dental checkup

Daily health consultations and care for the injured and ill are carried out in health care rooms.

① At the end of an evening meeting, there is an announcement that a big earthquake has occurred. Students place themselves under desks, and

begin to flee after the earthquake subsides. 6th grade

②③ homeroom teachers lead students to the schoolyard. ④ A homeroom teacher is doing a roll call.

⑤ Swimming with cloths on

Teachers pay close attention to student safety in their school life.

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A primary and lower secondary concert is held by the Municipal Board of Education.

① A speech by the principal

② A farewell speech to a teacher who is taking maternity leave

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①② Graduation ceremony at a primary school

③④ Graduation ceremony at a lower secondary school

The graduation ceremony is the biggest all school events. It illustrates the characteristics of school life by encouraging students’ parents

to participate in the event.

Teachers are responsible not only for instruction of subjects, but also for various types of student guidance.

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① The time schedule for a morning meeting, ② Morning song sung by the students, 4th grade

③ A hygiene check up, 4th grade, ④ A hygiene check note

⑤ A one minute speech by the students, 4th grade

⑥ A hygiene check up, 6th grade

① A science class at the science room

② Preparation for a science class

Before teaching a class teachers prepare well with teaching aids and experimental equipment.

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Teachers devise their teaching approach. Teachers teach students in a friendly manner. A teacher prepares a lesson plan.

① Arithmetic, 5th grade, January 2005

② Arithmetic, 1st grade, December 2003

It is necessary for teachers to utilize various teaching aids and a computer. Teachers prepare various devices for use as teaching aids.

① Blackboard, science, 6th grade, December 2003

② Scissors, drawing & handcraft, 3rd grade, December 2003

③ Computer, the period of integrated study, 6th grade, December 2003

④ Musical instrument, Music, 6th grade, December 2003

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A long recess (between 2nd and 3rd periods) and a recess after lunch is usually 20 minutes long, so students can play in the school-

yard. Teachers will participate with the playing groups and are vigilant about safety.

① The teacher is playing with students.

② The teacher is watching students’ play.

In the course of study it is explained that desirable habits should be developed among students through and during the school lunch

programs.

① The teacher is helping students serve meals.

② The teacher is checking clearing.

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①② Having lunch with students

③ Brushing teeth with students

At lunch time the teachers take their meals together with the students of their classes. School lunch periods are regarded as an

educational activity.

①② Teachers are helping students with cleaning.

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① Time schedule for an evening meeting

② Information from a student responsible for tasks

③ Greeting

① Student guidance meeting, February 2004

② Class hour, December 2003

③ A teacher at her own desk in the teacher’s room, February 2005

④ Teachers still at school. December 2003

In each Japanese school there are teacher’s rooms where teachers’ desks are arranged. At their desks teachers prepare for teaching

subjects and other educational programs. Educational counseling is also conducted in these rooms. Teachers’ meetings are also held in the teachers

rooms.

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①② July 2004 ③ Teachers’ desks in classrooms, 4th grade February 2005

④ Checking students’ notebooks at at a teacher’s desk in her classroom, Arithmetic 2nd grade, December 2003

① A homeroom teacher is cautioning a student who is talking with his friend in class.. 2nd grade, November 2004

② Teachers are examining the cause of trouble between students from different grades. 1st and 4th grade, January 2005

③ Teachers are directing students in the teachers’ room. 6th grade, February 2005

（Guidance meeting →Ⅴ－ 38）

A home room teacher takes charge of educational counseling. For students guidance teachers provide academic and life guidance.

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Teachers and students share the same time table in a class room. Students not only study and perform tasks given by teachers, but also

derive their own pleasure and meaning from the activities.

① Going to school in a group, November 2004, ② Going to school in a group, December 2003, ③ Going to school in a group, February 2005,

④ Storing their own bags in a fixed place, 5th grade, November 2004

⑤ A list of students who will go to school together made by “Kodomokai”

Students learn about group discipline and safety by going to school in a group.

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① A pair of students are chairing a morning meeting, 4th grade, January 2005

② Information from a student responsible for tasks, 4th grade, February 2005

③ One minute speech by students, 4th grade, February 2005

④ Collecting money for “the Children Bank”, December 2003

⑤ 6th grade students handing a birthday card to their homeroom teacher, 4th grade, February 2005

（Class activities, Group activities, Day duty →Ⅴ－ 7 ～ 9）

A student is responsible for checking the hygiene of classmates

① A student who is responsible for hygiene takes a hygiene check note from a nurse’s office before the morning meeting.

② Hygiene check in the morning meeting

③ Returning the health check note to nurse’s office

（ Class activities, Group activities, Day duty →Ⅴ－ 7 ～ 9）

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① Preparation for a Physical Education class, 5th grade, Physical education, December 2003

② Moving from a homeroom to aScience room, 6th grade, December 2003

Students sometimes show a relaxed attitude during class hour.

① Going up to the shelf (in the cleaning time), 3rd grade, December 2003

② A thread is tangled in a sewing machine (in the home Economics class), 5th grade, November 2004

③ What is he thinking about ? (in a meeting before going home) , 6th grade, September 2004

④ Writing graffiti (in handcraft class), 3rd grade, December 2003

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① Dodge ball, December 2003

② Jungle gym, December 2003

In addition to a scheduled lengthy recess, students also have five minute intervals between classes.

① Making use of recycled tires and a horizontal bar, December 2003

② Recycle cans, December 2003

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① Hula-Hoop, December 2003

② Horizontal bar with an assisting tool (left side) & Unicycle, December 2003

③ Unicycles are equipped at school

① On a school outing involving a mixed age group activity, November 2004 ( → V － 15-19)

② During the school lunch hour, 6th grade, December 2003

③ During the morning, February 2005

④ During an outdoor study hour, November 2004

⑤ After a discussion to decide what mixed age group activity will be planned for a school trip.

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① Laying tablemats, 1st grade, December 2003

② Wearing a mask and washing hands, 1st grade, December 2003

③ Brushing teeth after lunch, 1st grade, December 2003

④ Sticking a lunch seal for lunch participation after lunch, 1st grade, December 2003

① Taking an Assistant English Teacher to a class, 1st grade, November 2004

② Removing a speck of dust from the eye, November 2004

③ Returning to teaching facilities after a class, January 2005

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① Preparation for going home, 1st grade, December 2003

② Putting on a jacket, 6th grade, December 2003

③ The class leader for the day is announcing some information, 6th grade, December 2003

④ Homeroom teacher’s speech, 1st grade, December 2003

① Wearing a yellow hat for safety, December 2003

② Taking craft work back home, December 2003

③ Going home in a group, December 2003

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①②③ Juku (supplementary private school/cram school)

② Play dodge ball games organized by the dodge ball club.

After school many students commute to a cram school (Juku) and learn such skills as playing the piano and the violin, dancing and

writing calligraphy. Some students learn such sports as soccer, baseball, kendo and judo in a youth sports club on weekends. (The five-day week

system was fully implemented from2002. )

In school life, students are trained to develop social behavioral skills, particularly group discipline and a sense of solidarity to the

community and the state. On the other hand, they also taught to recognize their own individuality through assuming individual roles and

responsibilities.

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① Physical education class, 4th grade, November 2003

② Drawing & handcraft class, 3rd grade, December 2003

③ Science class, 4th grade, December 2003

④ Performance after school lunch, 6th grade, December 2003

⑤ Entrance ceremony, April 2004

① Line up before the opening ceremony, 3rd grade, September 2004

② School excursion at an inn where the students stayed, 6th grade, November 2004

③ Outdoor study (the period of integrated study), 4th grade, October 2004

④ After closing ceremony, 3rd grade, July 2004

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① Desk, chair and school bag, 4th grade, January 2005

② Private bag, 4th grade, January 2005

③ School lunch bag, 4th grade, January 2005

④ Submission of homework, 4th grade, January 2005

① Preparation for Physical Education, 5th grade, December 2003

② Preparation for school lunch, 6th grade, December 2003

③ Clearing in Physical Education, 4th grade, November 2003

④ Clearing at Entrance Ceremony, April 2004

All the students help with preparations and clearing-up during and after class and school events.

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School lunch bags with an apron and coif are hung on the wall. Students wear an apron and a coif when it’s their turn to serve lunch.

When they finish their task for the week, they wash their apron and coif, and hand them to the next students who will be responsible for the task.

① Going to school with a school lunch bag on Monday morning

②③ School lunch bags on the wall, ④ Going home with a school lunch bag on Friday

① Checking reading homework, ② Students are recording their assigned jobs anytime after they finish them, 4th grade, January 2005, ③ Students

responsible for hygiene check ups for a class record student attendance every morning, 4th grade, February 2005,

④ Students responsible for hygiene check ups for a class record attendance of students for every morning, 3rd grade, November 2004

Students record in turn student names for reading books, job assignments and attendance. They are accustomed to such responsibilities

for record keeping. Students are responsible for attendance and general hygiene checks.

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Students usually change their shoes inside and outside of school.

① In school students wear indoor shoes.

②④ Computer room

③⑤ Music room

① Eating lunch sitting in a chair, 1st grade, December 2003

② Using chopsticks, 6th grade, December 2003

③ Drinking a bowl of soup, 6th grade, December 2003

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The division of tasks between students at school lunch time makes it possible for students to have lunch regularly: a group of students

are responsible for serving lunch, while another group arranges desks and chairs for lunch. They take turns for these tasks.

① Putting on a apron and a coif. ② Carrying school lunch container to the homeroom. ③ Distributing the school lunch. ④ Returning the school

lunch containers to the school lunch room.

Students who are not involved in the tasks.

⑤ Arranging desks. ⑥ Washing hands. ⑦ Lining up to receive school lunch. ⑧ Returning the dishes.

① School lunch menus for a month, ② School lunch with bread, ③ School lunch with rice

④ School lunch is delivered from the school lunch center by truck everyday.

⑤ Students who by exception are permitted to bring a box lunch from home. (left side), 1st grade

The nutritional balance and calories are considered in the lunch contents.

（the school lunch law →Ⅱ－ 43）

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① Moving desks and chairs.

② Students are sweeping the homeroom with a broom and students are wiping the floor with a damp cloth.

Cleaning the school is done by all the students. It is considered to be one of the educational activities.

① A homeroom teacher is helping with homeroom cleaning. 1st grade, ② Corridor, ③ Gymnasium, ④ School yard, ⑤ Lavatory, ⑥ Entrance, ⑦⑧

Turn table of cleaning areas.

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① Planting flower seedlings in a planter, 1-6th grade, November 2004

② Roof gardens on top of the school building, June 2005

③ Small salmon will be later released at the mouth of the river, May 2005

④ Snails, July 2004 ⑤ Chickens

All the programs are related to life and the natural environment.

Around the blackboard: These are pictures of the blackboard in front of class and around the blackboard. The date and the names of students

who have duties on that day are written at the bottom right corner of the blackboard and are updated daily ( ② ). Posters of monthly goals, the

slogan of the class ( ① ), time schedule ( ① ), the names of students in charge of retrieving and serving lunch from the kitchen, and the lunch menu

are posted on the right side of the blackboard ( ④ ), these are ways to communicate with the students. Cards for a morning meeting ( ①③ ), the

meeting at the end of the day, and the names of the students who have duties on that day enable students to know what their roles are for the

day. The posters around the blackboard are mainly about what students need to do in their daily school life, and what the teachers want to let the

students know, and therefore the space is used more as a bulletin boardas compared with other spaces in the classroom.

It is also one of students cooperative responsibilities to make notice, to make notices, posters and attach these to the blackboard.

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The side walls and back walls in the homeroom: A rotary figure with the name of the students and pictures shows who is in charge of particular

class tasks. Students take turns in cleaning different areas in their classrooms and school s( ④ ). The school lunch newsletter, the grade newsletter,

and the school newsletter are made by non homeroom teachers.

In addition to these, there are special student creations in the classes (Japanese calligraphy ( ① ), drawing ( ②③ ), handcraft ( ②③ ), and

compositions), and the contents relate to the students individually.

Hallway: There are signs at the entrance of each classroom. The grade, classroom number and name of home room teacher are written on the

sign( ③ ). Signs for emergency exits and emergency goods are also visible( ④ ). Social topics are written on posters, lunch news and children’

s newspapers on the wall. In addition to grade news and health news, notices and introduction of activities at grade units, such as the period of

integrated study and (international understanding, welfare activities) school trip are visible.

① 5th grade June 2004 ② 6th grade November 2004

③ , ④ December 2003

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① A nurse treats a student’s injury, December 2003

② A nurse counsels a student, December 2003

③ A bed with curtains, February 2005

④ Health check records, February 2005

⑤ Bulletin board on the side of the nurse’s office door

Every school has a nurse’s office.

At school events, both boys and girls serve as student representatives. In classrooms boys and girls sit side by side. In a group study

activity boys and girls do the same work.

① Entrance ceremony for new 1st grade students, April 2004, ② Athletic Meeting, 1st grade, September 2004

③ Home Economics, 5th grade, November 2004, ④ Moral Education, 4th grade November 2004

⑤ School Lunch, 1st grade, July 2004

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① Team teaching by a homeroom teacher and nurse teacher, 4th grade, November 2004, ② Study with students work, 4th grade, November 2004,

③ Watching a video program, 4th grade, November 2004, ④ Remarks, 4th grade, November 2004, ⑤ A notice from the principal to the students’

parents.

1st grade ｢Clean body｣(1st semester), 2nd grade ｢The secret of the navel｣(3rd semester), 3rd grade ｢My birth｣(3rd semester), 4th

grade ｢Changes into an adult body｣(2nd semester), 5th grade ｢Birth of new life｣(1st semester), 6th grade ｢Let’s learn about AIDS｣(2nd semester),

(based on “a guide book for sex education”（Prefectural Board of Education))

① Posters: A survey of students’ favorite game and color

② Posters: A survey of students’ favorite subject and lesson

③ Posters: “What will you do in the summer vacation?”

④ Posters: “Do you have a meal three times a day?” and “Do you play outside?”

⑤ Posters: A survey of students’ favorite sports and animals

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① Gym suits (in primary school, September 2004)

② Students wear school uniforms (in an elementary school attached to a national university, March 2005)

③ Students wear school uniforms (in a lower secondary school, April 2005)

④ Students wear school uniforms (in a six-year secondary school, October 2004)

① School emblem (primary school)

② School emblem and school song (school pamphlet, primary school）

③④ School song (primary school)

⑤ Prefectural flag, National flag and School emblem (six-year secondary school)

Every school has its own emblem and song. By using the school emblem and song, students nurture their love for and attachment to

their school.

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①② The national flag and the school emblem flag

② School clock

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Graduates donate memorials to their school.

① The lyrics of the school song are carved on a stone monument

② Tiles made by the graduates

An English lesson by an AET (Assistant English Teacher): AETs are employed by the Board of Education in each city.

①② An AET reviews the last lesson

③ An AET employs an English card game.

④ With an AET after class

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Posters and newspapers which are sent by various external organizations are posted in school areas .

① In-service training within own school：class visit by teachers and reflection meeting (Physical education, 4th grade, November 2003)

② In-service training within own school：class visit by teachers and reflection meeting (Moral education, 1st grade, March 2005)

③ In-service training within own school：Teachers from several schools gather with lesson plans and discuss them. A guidance director from

prefectural training center joins in at the request of teachers. (Japanese language teachers of several elementary schools and lower secondary

schools November 2004)

In-service training and study meetings for teachers are conducted quite often.

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