One of my biggest worries regarding moving to the US was about them.
Will they be able to adapt to the American school?
Will they be able to make friends?
Will they forget Japanese language?
Will they be late for Japanese curriculum?
The list is endless.
As I wrote in the previous post, they enjoy going to the local school now.
Actually, there are a lot of children who came from abroad in their elementary because we live in diverse and international city.
That's why not only my children but also other children have some difficulties to speak in English.
But teachers are skilled and very used to such children.
They help such children and they are getting used to school little by little.
I started taking the ESL class two weeks ago.
It is very inspiring and fun for me!
As well as my children's school, the ESL class is also very international.
It is opened only for adult.
The students are eager to learn English, and very friendly.
They don't stick to their friends who speak the same language, they enjoy talking to the students who are from different countries.
They try to speak in English even when they talk to the students who have the same mother tongue.
I like the atmosphere there!
I found some differences of school between Michigan and Japan through my children's elementary and the ESL class.
They are very interesting!
1. Teachers sometimes talk sitting on the desk.
When I saw the scene, I was surprised because Japanese teachers never do like that because it is usually regarded as a bad manner.
2. Children read books while lying down.
Children have a reading time in the elementary in Michigan.
My children were so surprised to see the other children's behavior.
They read books while lying down on the carpet and while eating snacks!
It could happen at home in Japan, but children have to read books while sitting on the chairs in school.
And they must not bring snacks to schools in Japan.
They can bring snacks only when they go to the field trip.
3. The students can go to the washroom during the class.
There is a washroom in the classroom of their elementary.
They can go anytime they want to go without permission of teachers.
In Japan, children are offered to go to the washroom during the recesses.
Children have to manage it by themselves.
If they want to go during the class, they have to tell their teacher.
The teacher would say like that,
"OK. But you should go to the bathroom before the class."
4. School lunch doesn't seem to be good for health.
I make lunch (bento) for children every day.
The elementary school offers school lunch.
But I don't think the menu are not good for health.
It is offered in the buffet style so that children can choose what they like.
But some parents or adult who are living in the school district have to help them as a volunteer at the lunch time.
Unless children choose vegetable, children don't eat vegetable no matter how much they offer it.
In Japan, the menu of school lunch is made by the Nutritionist.
Children and teachers eat the same one.
All children have to be on a school lunch duty in turns for a week.
They serve their lunch and clear the tables by themselves.
As I mentioned, children must not bring snack to school in Japan.
The lunch time is only the opportunity to eat in school.
Even though there is something they don't like, they get to eat it because they are hungry.
But recently, children can reduce the amount of the dishes before they start to eat.
Since my 8-year-old daughter always doesn't eat a lot, she often reduced her meal before she ate.
5. Children don't have to clean their school.
In Japan, there is a cleaning time every day and children have to clean all the classroom, hallways, entrance, school ground, and washroom.
They sweep with brooms, put the dust and garbage in the dustpan and throw it away in the dust box.
They also wipe the floors and hallways, wipe windows with a damp cloth.
In Michigan, children don't have to do it.
My children are glad, but I want them to learn how to clean.
6. Children go to school by a school bus.
My children take a school bus to school.
I think school bus is the best way for children to go to school safely.
In Japan, they walked to school carrying a heavy bag like a backpack named randoseru made of leather with a lot of textbooks and notebooks.
It was hard for the first-grade students, but it makes them stronger.
7. Teachers try to teach children with fun.
Children enjoy the local school because the class is fun.
Teachers seem to let children have more fun with learning.
They have a few homework.
The ways of teaching are quite different from each teacher.
The school seem to leave it to the teachers.
In Japan, children learn a lot of things in school.
Sometimes they don't enjoy it because it is like a training.
Teachers have to follow the curriculum guideline issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Children can learn in the similar way wherever in Japan, but teachers have a very heavy workload.
They have a lot of homework every day, reading, Kanji workbook, math workbook, and so on.
I have more other things I want to write, but I would like to wrap it up today.
Just one thing I could say, if my children are used to American school too much, they would have a hard time for them to adapt the Japanese school when we go back to Japan.
Because I think American school tend to make them have fun and Japanese schools tend to be stricter.
It is not that which school is superior, or which school is doing right.
I just would like to say that there are so many differences in both.
Thank you(^o^) for reading this article!
Hello Kumi,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like you were very observant in noticing all the differences between Japanese and American school systems. Personally I think the Japanese system is better, but the main reason the Japanese system works so well is that the children put in a lot more effort when learning than say the American kids. I have always thought that the Japanese school system is old fashioned in its teaching methods (very rigid, learning by memorisation), but the Japanese children work so hard they make the system work in spite of the limitations of the Japanese system. Also if I am honest a lot of the things we learn in school are so basic and well understood that learning them by memorisation by not be fun, but it is effective. American School systems are underfunded and badly organised but the American children would do much better if they worked as hard as the Japanese children. However the teachers and parents of American children do not demand the same amount of effort from their children, which means they do not learn as much.
Also I am glad you noticed the unhealthy American food menu, that is truely a thing that America should be ashamed of, feeding their children the unhealthy food they do. It is unfortunately the same in schools in England.
Here is a list of some of the issues I found while reading your post:
Part 1:
This Line:
The differences of schools between Michigan and Japan
Should be:
The differences between schools in Michigan and Japan
This line:
I have two children, 9-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter.
Should be:
I have two children, a 9-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter.
This line:
Will they forget Japanese language?
Should be:
Will they forget the Japanese language?
This line:
Will they be late for Japanese curriculum?
Should be:
Will they be held back with the Japanese curriculum?
This line:
Actually, there are a lot of children who came from abroad in their elementary because we live in diverse and international city.
Should be:
Actually, there are a lot of children who came from abroad in their elementary because we live in a diverse and international city.
This line:
That's why not only my children but also other children have some difficulties to speak in English.
Should be:
That's why not only my children but also other children have some difficulties in speaking English.
This line:
But teachers are skilled and very used to such children.
Should be:
But the teachers are skilled and very used to such children.
Part 2:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
They help such children and they are getting used to school little by little.
Should be:
They help the children and they are getting used to school little by little.
This line:
As well as my children's school, the ESL class is also very international.
Should be:
Not only my children's school, but the ESL class is also very international.
Note: Your original sentence is not wrong it just sounds a little odd.
This line:
It is opened only for adult.
Should be:
It is (available/open) only (to/for) adults.
This line:
The students are eager to learn English, and very friendly.
Should be:
The students are eager to learn English, and are very friendly.
This line:
They don't stick to their friends who speak the same language, they enjoy talking to the students who are from different countries.
Should be:
They don't just stick to their friends who speak the same language, they enjoy talking to the students who are from different countries.
This line:
I found some differences of school between Michigan and Japan through my children's elementary and the ESL class.
Question:
Do you mean:
I found some differences between schools in Michigan and Japan through going to my children's elementary class and the ESL class.
This line:
When I saw the scene, I was surprised because Japanese teachers never do like that because it is usually regarded as a bad manner.
Should be:
When I (saw this/saw this scene), I was surprised because Japanese teachers never do (likewise/anything like that) because it is usually regarded as bad manners.
Note: Even when it is only a single thing which is generally not considered polite we use the plural form "bad manners".
Part 3:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
Children have a reading time in the elementary in Michigan.
Should be:
Children have (a reading period/designated reading period) in the elementary school in Michigan.
This line:
They read books while lying down on the carpet and while eating snacks!
Should be:
They read books while lying down on the carpet, (eating snacks/while eating snacks)!
This line:
They can bring snacks only when they go to the field trip.
Should be:
They can bring snacks only when they go on field trips.
This line:
There is a washroom in the classroom of their elementary.
Should be:
There is a washroom in the classroom of their elementary school.
This line:
They can go anytime they want to go without permission of teachers.
Should be:
They can go anytime they want to, without the permission of the teachers.
This line:
The teacher would say like that,
Should be:
The teacher would say something like:
This line:
4. School lunch doesn't seem to be good for health.
Could be reworded as:
4. School lunch doesn't seem to be healthy.
This line:
I make lunch (bento) for children every day.
Should be:
I make lunch (bento) for the children every day.
Part 4:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
But I don't think the menu are not good for health.
Should be:
But I don't think the school lunch menu is healthy.
This line:
But some parents or adult who are living in the school district have to help them as a volunteer at the lunch time.
Should be:
But some parents or adults who are living in the school district have to help them as a volunteer at lunch time.
This Line:
Unless children choose vegetable, children don't eat vegetable no matter how much they offer it.
Should Be:
Unless children choose to eat vegetables, they do not have to eat them, no matter how much they are offered.
This line:
All children have to be on a school lunch duty in turns for a week.
Should be:
All children have to be on school lunch duty in turns for a week.
This line:
As I mentioned, children must not bring snack to school in Japan.
Should be:
As I mentioned, children must not bring (a snack/snacks) to school in Japan.
This Line:
The lunch time is only the opportunity to eat in school.
Should be:
Lunch time is the only opportunity to eat in school.
This line:
Even though there is something they don't like, they get to eat it because they are hungry.
Should be:
Even if there is something they don't like, they eat it because they are hungry.
This line:
But recently, children can reduce the amount of the dishes before they start to eat.
Should be:
But recently, children are able reduce the amount of the dishes before they start to eat.
Part 5:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
Since my 8-year-old daughter always doesn't eat a lot, she often reduced her meal before she ate.
Should be:
Since my 8-year-old daughter never eats a lot, she often reduced her meal before she ate.
This line:
In Japan, there is a cleaning time every day and children have to clean all the classroom, hallways, entrance, school ground, and washroom.
Should be:
In Japan, there is a cleaning time every day and children have to clean all the classrooms, hallways, entrance, school grounds, and washrooms.
This line:
They also wipe the floors and hallways, wipe windows with a damp cloth.
Should be:
They also wipe the floors and hallways, and wipe windows with a damp cloth.
This line:
6. Children go to school by a school bus.
Should be:
6. Children go to school by school bus.
This line:
I think school bus is the best way for children to go to school safely.
Should be:
I think the school bus is the best way for children to go to school safely.
This line:
In Japan, they walked to school carrying a heavy bag like a backpack named randoseru made of leather with a lot of textbooks and notebooks.
Should be:
In Japan, they walked to school carrying a heavy backpack like bag called randoseru, which made of leather with a lot of textbooks and notebooks inside.
This line:
Teachers seem to let children have more fun with learning.
Should be:
Teachers seem to let children have more fun while learning.
This line:
They have a few homework.
Should be:
They have very little homework.
Part 6:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
The ways of teaching are quite different from each teacher.
Should be:
The ways of teaching are quite different for each teacher.
This line:
The school seem to leave it to the teachers.
Should be:
The school seems to leave it to the teachers to decide how to teach.
This line:
Sometimes they don't enjoy it because it is like a training.
Should be:
Sometimes they don't enjoy it because (it is like drill training/it is very rigid in how things are taught).
This line:
Teachers have to follow the curriculum guideline issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Should be:
Teachers have to follow the curriculum guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
This line:
Children can learn in the similar way wherever in Japan, but teachers have a very heavy workload.
Should be:
Children are taught in a similar way everywhere in Japan, but teachers have a very heavy workload.
This line:
They have a lot of homework every day, reading, Kanji workbook, math workbook, and so on.
Should be:
Children have a lot of homework every day, reading, Kanji workbook, math workbook, and so on.
This line:
I have more other things I want to write, but I would like to wrap it up today.
Should be:
I have many other things I want to write, but I would like to wrap it up today.
This line:
Just one thing I could say, if my children are used to American school too much, they would have a hard time for them to adapt the Japanese school when we go back to Japan.
Should be:
Just one more thing I should say, if my children become used to American school too much, they will have a hard time re-adapting to the Japanese school system when we go back to Japan.
Part 7:
ReplyDeleteThis line:
Because I think American school tend to make them have fun and Japanese schools tend to be stricter.
Should be:
Because I think American schools tend to make them have fun and Japanese schools tend to be stricter.
This line:
It is not that which school is superior, or which school is doing right.
Should be:
It is not (my place to say/clear to me) which school system is superior, or which school is doing the right thing.