2008年3月23日

今週の漢字: 進(む)

Move Forward:
I may be choosing the wrong kanji, but I need to try, right? Anyway, moving forward is natural in life. It’s better than dwelling in the past, but what I wanted to write about relates to changing job locations. In Japan, I heard that usually elementary and junior high schools are run by a municipal board of education. However, most public high schools, if not all, are administered by a prefectural board of education (BoE). Therefore, public high school teachers in Aichi prefecture are employed by the Aichi BoE, which is located in Aichi’s capital, Nagoya. In fact, my contracting organization is not Mito High School, but it’s the Aichi BoE.

Unlike the American school system where competent teachers can stay at a school for as long as desired, Japanese public high school teachers rarely stay at a school for more than ten years. The employer shuffles teachers around every year. There are some advantages to this. Teachers can give and take from the schools they are assigned. I think the goal is to equalize as much as possible how high schools are taught, but I could be way off the mark. Personally, I don’t have a problem with this aspect of the Japanese school system. There are pros and cons in the American education system and the Japanese system. I point out to students that many American students spend more time on homework and projects, whereas Japanese students are focused more on studying. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all students, but it’s just a personal observation on what seems to be common. Again, I don't have an opinion on which is the better way. Because of my own upbringing, I am biased toward the American education system, but I'm trying to stay as open-minded as possible.

Although I don’t have a problem with the transferring of teachers, I do have a problem with when teachers are notified. This past Tuesday, the last day of classes, marked the day when teachers would be jumping for joy either for being able to stay for another year or being transferred away from all the crazy teachers. Of course, I jest. We’re actually all MAD like the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Okay, that’s not true either, but if you want to know, you’ll just have to visit. Anyway, so now you know that the teachers in my school found out about their status for the next academic year, but do you know when the new academic year starts? It begins in early April. For Mito HS, the first day of classes is April 9th. I think it’s too short a notice for the transferring teachers—only a little more than two weeks—to clear out their desk and familiarize themselves with a new school. Parting can be such sweet sorrow, but when it’s this fast, it’s more like melodic chaos.

Stay tuned next week for another update!

En français:
Mardi, j’ai entendu que deux profs d’anglais seront transféré. Après j’avais l’entendu, j’étais triste parce qu’une prof voulait rester pour une autre année. Elle n’était pas surpris avec la décision. Les autres profs étaient tristes. Moi aussi! On m’a dit que tous les années en même temps, l’atmosphère est délicate. Je comprends parce que quelquefois dans une situation difficile, je ne sais pas quelle chose de dire. Pourtant, j’essaie de dire quelque chose.

今週の聖書の詩: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
- 1 Peter 3-9 (NIV)

今週の写真: After skiing in February, we went to Takayama located in Gifu prefecture. It’s also known as a “little Kyoto” for its old and traditional buildings in some parts.













2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Tuesday, I heard that two English Profs will be transferred. After I had heard, I was sad because a teacher wanted to remain for another year. She was not surprised with the decision. Other Profs were sad. Me too! I was told that every year at the same time, the atmosphere is delicate. I understand because sometimes in a difficult situation, I do not know what else to say. However, I try to say something."

Yet, another difference in the school systems. so many pictures, will you one day not be able to have photos ready for posting?

-c

ジャスティン said...

I don't think so. I'll probably stop with this blog when I leave Japan. It's been 9 months since coming to Japan, and I've only used about 3% of the available space. =)