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Last Wednesday, I found myself in Bizarro World.

After teaching my three 4th grade classes how to ask, “What is this?” and sharing my lunch with a very active 2nd grade class, I was sitting at the back of the 6•1 classroom waiting for class to begin. I’m not sure if I was specifically asked to attend this class or if I simply assumed I should as all of the other teachers in the school were in attendance as well as a few teachers from my other schools who had come especially to observe.

Given the Monkasho’s (Japanese Dept. of Education) decision to require schools to begin teaching English in an official capacity in the 5th and 6th grades next year, I assumed this would be an trial English lesson, as many of my schools have indicated they are going to begin soon. However, after 20 minutes of hearing nothing but Japanese, I had to admit that I had no idea what was going on. When the students were involved in yet another partnered exercise and the teachers were wandering around the room taking extensive notes in their red pens, I shifted over to my coordinator within the school and asked her what exactly was being taught. Her answer floored me.

The students were being taught how to hold a conversation. They were being instructed on how to speak intelligently to each other. Specifically, Harata-sensei said, they were being taught how to verbalize their agreement and disagreement with each other. She said there is an old Japanese saying, ‘Silence is money,’ however, Japanese are beginning to realize that that policy doesn’t exactly work in Western cultures and now are trying to teach their children how to talk to people.

Unable to hide my amusement, I told Harata-sensei that American teachers often have to teach the exact opposite –for the students to keep their opinions to themselves and stop chit-chatting. But it was so funny the way all of the teachers were so intently listening to the students practice talking and taking notes. There was even a teacher in the corner of the room videotaping the entire class. Bizarro World, indeed.

I have to admit, however, that the students themselves looked – as a whole – completely discombobulated by the entire thing. Whenever asked to stand up and tell the class his or her opinion on something, I couldn’t help but think that they were asked if they would like to say a few words in their own defense before the rest of the class decided whether they could live or not. They all seemed so incredibly nervous. Each student began by thanking the class for letting him or her speak to which the entire class basically replied, ‘Go on’ – they have absolutely no problem speaking as a whole. And after a few stilted sentences, the student would say something that Stewart thinks probably translated to ‘I’m finished,’ and sit down to tepid applause from the rest of the class.

After speaking to some of the teachers and observing the class more closely, I realized that the students weren’t even being asked for their own opinions on things, they were being told whether to agree or disagree with a statement. In the exercises, each student’s role was very clearly defined. In one exercise, the students were divided up into groups of three and given different identities – salaryman, teacher, and tradesmen - and a situation – meeting in a tea room – and asked to talk about what they like and dislike about their jobs. I have no idea what these kids will do when they have to talk as themselves without being told what to say. I can only hope that will be taught in the next lesson.

The need for these lessons is clear, though I wonder how effective they will be, especially since they are discouraged to voice their opinion or thoughts at any other point in the day. I feel the same way about the Monkasho’s new policy to teach creativity to schoolchildren. Apparently, they have decided it is important to teach Japan’s youth to think creatively and encourage their imagination, and to this end, they propose to devote an entire 45 minute lesson once a week to teach this. Good luck.

This entry into Bizarro World has cleared up a few questions in my mind regarding my lessons though. I have found that the students often grasp the sentence structure I introduce fairly quickly, like ‘How are you? I am ~.’ However, when asked individually, they have the most difficult time filling in the blank. I have never seen such terror on a kid’s face as when I ask them what they like to eat. His or her eyes will start to dart around the room frantically and not say a word. Even when I prompt them with ‘I like…” they will quietly repeat it while all the while looking terrified at their friends as if begging them to save him or her from certain death. I will even begin to offer choices to fill in the blank – sushi, ramen, pizza, etc. – and they still will act mystified. On my off days, I just want to yell “Pick one, it doesn’t matter!”

It does matter to Japanese, though. There seems to be a cultural disapproval of expressing one’s opinion or preference or even indicating that one has an opinion or preference. Mariko explained this when I observed once that I never saw a t-shirt with Japanese written on it. As I mentioned in my last post, my co-workers t-shirts for Sports Day not only misspelled ‘elementary,’ but more oddly in my mind, were entirely in English. Why? Why is 97% of writing on apparel or accessories in Japan in English? The other 3% appears to be a combination of German or French. Mark said that to wear a shirt with Japanese writing on it would be telling everyone who sees it your opinion on something and Japanese are terrified of doing that.

Japan in so many ways is truly the Bizarro World of America. Culturally, we are so completely opposite of each other. And like many things, I really feel like we could learn so much from each other to balance the extremes. Japan needs to learn how to encourage more expression of independent thought and America could use a little more group consciousness.

On less philosophical thoughts, I am settling into my apartment nicely. I have discovered the bus stop near my place and hopped it this past Sunday to find out that it runs downtown. I’ve also been wandering around my neighborhood on the evenings it hasn’t been raining in an attempt to get my bearings. I’ve even met one of my neighbors, a sweet middle-aged woman that lives on the floor above me. With the little bit of English she learned at the Y and my little bit of Japanese, we were able to introduce ourselves and chat for a little while.

A group of 50 or so 2nd graders are waiting for me now so I can attempt to teach them how to ask and answer, “How are you?” so I should sign off.

I’ve got a few more pictures up on Flickr.com and have found my new favorite store name, ‘Bag Lady Wisely.’ I hope you are all having good weather and enjoying your summer. We are in rainy season now with 2 out of 3 days being rainy and the 3rd day being overcast. It’s still warm, however, with temperatures in the low 80’s and humidity in the 60- 70 percent range. And my schools don’t have air conditioning. I’ll leave you with that.

- Jenny