Kanazawa Elementary School / Itabashi-ku District

Today we visited our first school, Kanazawa Elementary School. It is a public elementary school that serves grades 1-6. It currently has 640 students in 18 classes and 25 teachers. The name "Kanazawa" along with the school symbol originates from a large powerful clan, called the Kaga Clan, which existed during the Edo period (1603-1867). Kanazawa applies nature to their curriculum through the establishment of a school forest containing over 2000 trees. Each grade level is responsible for two species of trees and they not only nuture them, but they also make products in their home economics class from the fruit. Yes, you read right, home economics. Japanese elementary education challenges many American preconceptions of what they do in the classroom and the curriculum. What I experienced today was a loosely structured, nurturing environment that promotes exploration. Not what we think of as a typical Asian school model of instruction?
We got to school early enough to see the kids arrive. They were wonderful in their matching hats and various umbrellas. Remember, it is the rainy season. As students entered the school, they took off their shoes in the shoe area, very carefully made the transition to the "clean" area and put on their school slippers and went to class. Once the kids were in the building, we did the same and were given shoe cubbies for the day with our names on them see!
Next, we were welcomed by the principal in an all-school assembly in the gym. Speeches were made and the kids sang the school song. We also had to introduce ourselves -----"watashiwa Texas no Tim Lowke des." This translates to "I'm Tim Lowke from Texas." Finally the kids played instruments and marched out of the gym. Their music skills were awesome and I have not seen such an elementary performance in all my years of teaching. Students as young as third grade were playing bamboo flutes, drums, xylophone, and other intruments all under the direction of another student. Pretty remarkable stuff.
After the students went to class, we met with the principal and heard about the school and its programs along with our schedule for the day. We learned more indepth about their school forest program and how science is integrated into the curriculum. We got to see their extensive garden, small area of grass (they are one of three schools in the area with a lawn of which they are very proud,) and about their "green curtain" program. A green curtain is a vine system that is trained on nets, strung on the building over the windows, to naturally cool the building, give students nature to interact, and provide a visual barrier to the city. We noticed that the school had all the windows open and when asked about air conditioning, we were told that the faculty and staff voted to turn off the air conditioning in the spring and summer months to conserve energy and wear less formal clothing. Can we say "wow?"
After what they call school guidance, we were given total control to visit any class in school. Here is me experiencing calligraphy class. The teacher said I did pretty good. This would be like handwriting for us in the States except much more equipment. Japanese children spend the first six years of school learning the 18,000 characters that make up the written Japanese language. Speaking of which, where our students in America attend English class as part of their study, Japanese students attend Japanese to use those 18,000 characters in written form. They also take home economics, art, music, P.E., reading and integrated studies. I attended classes in all thse subjects through the course of the day and what I left with was the knowledge that we are closer in our educational methodology than we think. Kids are kids and teachers are teachers.
Now onto the best part ----- LUNCH! In Japan, there are no lunch rooms at the elementary level. Students go to an elevator and pick-up their moblie kitchen and bring it to the classroom. They then put on really CUTE food uniforms and serve the class cafeteria style. Once everyone has food, today we had a chicken stew, rice with a minnow like fish mixed in, boiled zuchinni with fish paste and milk. All served on real plate, with tiny glass milk bottles and of course chopsticks. I am happy to report that Lowkesan impressed his class with his chopstick skills. I also spent most of lunch signing autographs. Yes, you read right, AUTOGRAPHS. These kds were enthralled with us and each wanted our signature. What is a start to do? I ask you? Really!
When lunch is completed, the students clean all the plates off, sort the garbage for TOTAL recycling and return the mobile kitchen to the elevator to be washed down in the kitchen by the food staff. Now is classroom cleaning time. Japanese elementary schools do not have custodians, the children do all the cleaning. They scrub the bathrooms, clean the classrooms and sweep the floors. With this done, it is back to work. Except for my 5th grade class, they are going swimming in the pool on the roof of the school. They have yet to have lessons due to the rainy season, but the sun is out for a while, so off we go. They each change in the classroom into matching bathing suits and caps. everyone climbs the three flights of stairs to the roof and in a very organized lesson, they get into the pool. This is like water aerobics and the regular ed teachers teach the swimming lesson. In fact, with the exception of art, home economics and music, the regualr classroom teacher does everything including PE. I did not see one teacher who was not a master at doing all those parts. They all play the piano too as part of their education, so music is everywhere in the school
At the end of the day, I took pictures with my class ---- I am ready for my close-up Mr. Demille! Then it was off to a teacher's meeting where we shared preceptions, strategies and thoughts about American and Japanese education. Whew! Full day and I am tired. Dinner, laundry at the hotel and postcard writing round out my day. Hope all is well with each of you. Tomorrow we head to the local high school to see how the big kids learn. Keep reading and commenting. Lots of love to those in Flower Mound, Corpus and Leander. I am halfway done and will be home late next week.

Oyasuminasai (good night),
Tim-