Showing posts with label elementary school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elementary school. Show all posts

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Day 9: Osaka Elementary School

Osaka

More power to principals
For school management, making changes for BOE review.

Community activities are decoded by school district. 

All local governments hav same system. Local property tax and salary tax. National gov stipend. . Don't count per student spending. And public information in US not in Japan. 

Do not hav insurance to cover 2week stay students 

Teacher evaluations
Makes clear management policy, the he asks all the teacher to make their own target and based on own students studying skills and personality, how organized, how you are org member

Evaluate all teachers at end of term make a report for all teachers. Reported to board. 

Informal eval? W coaching?

Informal as well and goes to class to Checkin as well. 

Support the teacher? 
Yes. Could be possible. 

How long are teachers here? 
7-8 years. That's a long time to be at the same school. Start initial teacher starts skills at 4 years in a school. 

Same grade level and subject?
They switch. Grades and subjects. Every school year all teachers change classes, new teacher new students. Shuffle all classes ever year.

Does he favor a methodology for teachers? 
HaS has many good teacher. He's a first year principal at this school. Encourages all teachers to spend more Time with the kids while kids are in school. Physical School levels should be more stronger to be on par with other schools. He tells the teachers to play with the kids and make more exercise. The playground is not enough space for more then 300 kids. There's a temple but no parks. 

Schools encourage child's movement, for movements sake. I as a parent said regularly it helps get te kids excited energy out and they can focus better.

Parents are very supportive, they keep an eye on the children when en route to school, and they helped with the library. School children all walk to school.  

American school suburbs- kids are bussed and parents drive them to school. Walk and ride bikes is frequent. HS can also drive. HS has 500 parking spots. 

Attendance rates in us are 96% goal, is that a concern here?
100% in Japan. So times it easily comes and kids confront challenges and teacher can pick up symptoms and cooperate with parents and teachers to encourage the children to attend class and not drop out. 

December and January kids take exams to get into private junior high. 

Do the keep track of statistics where kids go? Percentage to private, public or elite schools. 
Yes, 1/3 private junior high. Former school 90% goes to public.  

BOE principal selection process. I pass years we selected asst principal to promote. We selected from a pool who wanted to be. Sometimes they don't have any teacher experience. 9 known teachers experience. 1 just quit. Usually promote from vice principals. Non teacher experience don't know school system culture. 

Do you have career switch?

Prefecture made a change last year. Bringing in news management can help change hands in the system, for improvement. Public can apply even and non teachers to be principals.

Japan career is usually for life. People do not switch careers. A system for changing careers is coming to Japan. You need a license to be an elementary school teacher. Ou can go to 2nd chance

GED equivalent or a 2nd Janice school does exist. 

W out high school degree you can take a test to then enter to college. Almost "test out" of high school and then go to college. 

Junior HS, age doesn't matter, adults can take classes, even beyond 25 YO. 

Brother in law has andifferent view point which helps. Some people might say negative things, but he likes it. US has career changers, sometimes the other teachers criticize this method, but not its assimilated. Discussion...

Junior college classes for anyone

Seminars for parents teachers bring in experts to talk about their subject or expertise
There's a education for parents conducted by pTA. Junior
College had a lot of schools, but its not a community college like US. Japan's are more Career driven, police or other. School college tuition is low In Japan.


What do you want to be when you grow up in Williams class
Sen Sai
Restaurant
Scientist
Biologist
Astronaut
Cartoonist
Writers/ publishers 3-4

Happy Travels!!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Day 5: Hiroshima Elementary School Visit and Peace Program

The school we visited is driven by a Peace Program emphasized throughout the area. after removing our shoes and putting on slippers. as customary in every visit we were welcomed to the Principals office. The principal showed us a photo sketch of the school, in the center of which was a tree. She introduced us to the schools peace program this way:

"On August 6, 1945 at 8:15 am was the accident. After the accident many people died. Nearly 700 were brought here, where this tree grows, to be buried. This tree, which is used to make incense for the Shrines, grows here in remeberence."

As you may know the United States dropped the first bomb, the center was Hiroshima City, a military hub. Our visit to this school was awesome. Current teaching practices my husband looks for in his teachers were exemplified here. A great experience and a great visit at this school! 

Take off you Filthy shoes and put on our nice clean slippers!!

The Principals office: the tree in the middle of this photo represents a spot where 700 dead were brought after the "accident" and buried.

Meetings are more relaxed here in Hiroshima, they are comfortable being here talking and know what to say do. Clearly they have experience in high level meeting. 

Everyone exchanges cards and has a cold drink for us, coffee, green tea, orange juice. 

We Start the meeting with customary introductions, we the guests first, and then the local staff.

Women don't cross their legs or ankles! They are confident, and dynamic. Husband is the only man in the meeting.

 A lesson on the day "of the accident

Samurai Art completed by 6th graders

Husband receives  his paper crane gift 
Kids said there names before we started- I repeated one row and husband the second.

What is your favorite color
Did you have an atomic bomb
What city will u see in Japan
What do u like in Japan (bullet train, sushi, calligraphy, 
We asked the kids: What do u want to be when u grow up? Chef, desserts, baseball, noodle maker, comedian, rocket maker, some were silent, police man1 1 doctor , cartoonist many chefs, kindergarten teacher, teacher
What is your favorite color
Have you ever been to Japan
Have you seen New York
Why did you becomes teacher
One girl said she's been to New Zealand

What should we buy our kids: pancakes, stuffed animals, dragon ball, ice cream, 

Kids had us sign a hat at the end
Shake hands at the end


The playlot

Hand washing station 

After lunch saying goodbye and hacking hands


Pencil cases 

Excellent and dynamic lesson and teacher in action

The tree

Japanese calligraphy 

The students clean the schools
Quick facts:

The schools Class size is on average similar to the USA with 6th grade having 31-40 students. 

Teacher is supposed to appt 1 teacher aid to focus on students who takes care of them and their extra needs, Mentally & physically of the kids and she assists them. 

Husband asked: How do they deal with the why if the accident? And natural curiosity of students that age? (= handling of faults, violence in the world) etc.  

A teacher explained the students have peer groups peer to exchange ideas. Symbolism is also used.

School Symbols: School name - 4 faces symbolism
Kah = distinguish Good and bad
Ko = Behave and act well
Gah = Hold on. Nevergive up
hah = Healthy body

2nd teacher used methods and strategies we see and used them well. 

Teachers meet for Peace Education weekly.

Symbolism usage is similar in the USA and their efforts are evident and effective.

Sodoko and the 1,000 paper cranes 7th grade - it's a good read to help understand this subject. Katy gives it to her students.

The local staff said to us "We feel you energy and hope. We will share some ideas with the students."   

Teacher Evaluations:
2 x year 
evaluated in an open class teachers and principal
Principal interview 1-1
Self evaluation

Compile all reports send to BOE
School requests BOE goes to school for advice them

In jPN kids clean the school
Wash hands before lunch

Taxi driver wants our driver to go first, she has a GPS luckily.

Happy travels!!