Post by Oomori Aya on Nov 12, 2003 17:38:39 GMT -5
Here's a REALLY short intro on Japanese schooling, made because, if we're going for the realism I strive for in my fanfic then everyone might as well be informed (and it never hurts to learn a bit...ooh an educational RPG!
But don't be too worried about following things, particularly about how students act--that's just for YOUR info (to explain why the NPCs I play act the way they do)
The Japanese school system is a unified system where educational decisions are made by the ministry of education and all schools have to follow it.
Like in the U.S., there are two major types of schools--private and public. In both schools, uniforms are worn. Uniforms are often distinctive and one can often tell what school you go to based on uniforms, for that reason, the more prestigious or special looking the uniform, the more elite the school (generally speaking.) Contrary to popular belief, that stereotypical "sailor-suit" outfit seen in Sailormoon isn't the most popular type of uniform--and those uniforms are usually cheap and indicative of a rather boring, plain school. Students are often seen in uniforms outside of school. Some schools mandate that students wear their uniform at all times when they are out of school. Most schools also do not allow students to dye their hair, pierce their ears, and wearing make-up to high school is a BIG no. Also, they mandate the sort of shoes you wear with your uniform--but you don't wear the shoes inside the school. There's also two uniforms, a winter uniform and a summer uniform and they're usually completely different looking.
Private schools are generally not religious like they are in the U.S., private schools are almost always exclusive and the best of the best (and often have special tests to get into them.) There are some private religious schools though, just not very many...
High school is THREE YEARS. It starts with what we call in the US, sophomore year. There are no organized team sports, but there are sports clubs which play other schools clubs, but they're not the same affairs that they are in the U.S. The class also cleans the classroom and the whole school, it depends on the school but it's usually done once a week. Many things are organized by the students themselves, making them very responsible, actually. In addition, schools have sports days and school festivals which the students also organize.
Within each grade, students are assigned a homeroom that does NOT change. Students will be with the same group that they were first year that you were third year. Additionally, they always have the same homeroom teacher who moves up with them. They also never change classrooms during the day except for elective classes. Teachers come to you, you don't go to them. For this reason, you will have all of the same classes with the same people (except for elective classes.)
There's a sempai/kouhai system in place too, where anyone older than you is supposed to be a role-model. Sempai isn't a term reserved just for people you like. Anyone older also has to be a role-model for their kouhai (underclassmen)
Now for student behaviour...
Japanese high school students are really, really, unlike American ones. It's almost shocking. There's a fascinating contradiction between sexual maturity and social maturity. They're completely segregated in sexes until almost their last years of high school. Girls and boys are often embarassed to be on the same teams or groups, and they are embarassed to talk to one another. The odd truth to Japanese society is that males and females are generally not friends unless they're dating. Girls often write love letters to guys as a way to talk to them. By the time they're seniors, things change a bit. Japan's not a Christian society, so sex isn't a moral issue there. So lots of people have sex in high school, actually...girls think it to be really important...maybe that's why girl manga all the way down to the ones made for 13 year olds always have sex in it =P
All those things you see in anime about girls idolizing people in school is TRUE. Schools often have school idols who get that way for being a mixture of smart, attractive, and talented. They really do scream and say their names and giggle and do all sorts of things we American's deem to be stupid and childish.
Japanese students are very much pressured and expected to be responsible. Those who are college bound often go to even more school after school so they can cram for the entrance tests. Anyone smart or college bound would be attending "juku" (cram school.)
Maybe because of all this pressure there's a very high suicide rate amoungst teens compared to other industrialized countries. There's also a very big problem in high school with bullying (Japanese kids can be SUCH not a very nice persons), especially of those who stand out or are weird. There's also a big problem with the administrations of these schools hiding such bullying from the public...
Another major problem in high school is child prostitution. Japan actually has an alarmingly high rate of child prostitution in the industrialized world (that means prostitution of minors, in this case women under 20). But please understand, in almost all these cases the girls are having sex with older men, sometimes foreign men, for money on their OWN WILL. As stated, sex isn't a big moral issue in Japan so it isn't seen as a big deal. Additionally, high school students usually do NOT work and all their money comes from their parents. "Enjoukousai" are what they call girls who have "sugar daddies" basically, exchanging sex for money or clothes.
But of course, after high school everything changes because Japanese colleges are a complete joke. =P All you do is party and get drunk (which is also a very big part of Japanese culture, believe it or not.)
Oh yes, but all of this does not apply to International schools. =P International schools are generally run just like American or Canadian high schools.
Okay, if you have any other questions you want to ask, go ahead and ask... I'll try and answer as best as I can, but my experience in Japanese high schools is limited...
But don't be too worried about following things, particularly about how students act--that's just for YOUR info (to explain why the NPCs I play act the way they do)The Japanese school system is a unified system where educational decisions are made by the ministry of education and all schools have to follow it.
Like in the U.S., there are two major types of schools--private and public. In both schools, uniforms are worn. Uniforms are often distinctive and one can often tell what school you go to based on uniforms, for that reason, the more prestigious or special looking the uniform, the more elite the school (generally speaking.) Contrary to popular belief, that stereotypical "sailor-suit" outfit seen in Sailormoon isn't the most popular type of uniform--and those uniforms are usually cheap and indicative of a rather boring, plain school. Students are often seen in uniforms outside of school. Some schools mandate that students wear their uniform at all times when they are out of school. Most schools also do not allow students to dye their hair, pierce their ears, and wearing make-up to high school is a BIG no. Also, they mandate the sort of shoes you wear with your uniform--but you don't wear the shoes inside the school. There's also two uniforms, a winter uniform and a summer uniform and they're usually completely different looking.
Private schools are generally not religious like they are in the U.S., private schools are almost always exclusive and the best of the best (and often have special tests to get into them.) There are some private religious schools though, just not very many...
High school is THREE YEARS. It starts with what we call in the US, sophomore year. There are no organized team sports, but there are sports clubs which play other schools clubs, but they're not the same affairs that they are in the U.S. The class also cleans the classroom and the whole school, it depends on the school but it's usually done once a week. Many things are organized by the students themselves, making them very responsible, actually. In addition, schools have sports days and school festivals which the students also organize.
Within each grade, students are assigned a homeroom that does NOT change. Students will be with the same group that they were first year that you were third year. Additionally, they always have the same homeroom teacher who moves up with them. They also never change classrooms during the day except for elective classes. Teachers come to you, you don't go to them. For this reason, you will have all of the same classes with the same people (except for elective classes.)
There's a sempai/kouhai system in place too, where anyone older than you is supposed to be a role-model. Sempai isn't a term reserved just for people you like. Anyone older also has to be a role-model for their kouhai (underclassmen)
Now for student behaviour...
Japanese high school students are really, really, unlike American ones. It's almost shocking. There's a fascinating contradiction between sexual maturity and social maturity. They're completely segregated in sexes until almost their last years of high school. Girls and boys are often embarassed to be on the same teams or groups, and they are embarassed to talk to one another. The odd truth to Japanese society is that males and females are generally not friends unless they're dating. Girls often write love letters to guys as a way to talk to them. By the time they're seniors, things change a bit. Japan's not a Christian society, so sex isn't a moral issue there. So lots of people have sex in high school, actually...girls think it to be really important...maybe that's why girl manga all the way down to the ones made for 13 year olds always have sex in it =P
All those things you see in anime about girls idolizing people in school is TRUE. Schools often have school idols who get that way for being a mixture of smart, attractive, and talented. They really do scream and say their names and giggle and do all sorts of things we American's deem to be stupid and childish.
Japanese students are very much pressured and expected to be responsible. Those who are college bound often go to even more school after school so they can cram for the entrance tests. Anyone smart or college bound would be attending "juku" (cram school.)
Maybe because of all this pressure there's a very high suicide rate amoungst teens compared to other industrialized countries. There's also a very big problem in high school with bullying (Japanese kids can be SUCH not a very nice persons), especially of those who stand out or are weird. There's also a big problem with the administrations of these schools hiding such bullying from the public...
Another major problem in high school is child prostitution. Japan actually has an alarmingly high rate of child prostitution in the industrialized world (that means prostitution of minors, in this case women under 20). But please understand, in almost all these cases the girls are having sex with older men, sometimes foreign men, for money on their OWN WILL. As stated, sex isn't a big moral issue in Japan so it isn't seen as a big deal. Additionally, high school students usually do NOT work and all their money comes from their parents. "Enjoukousai" are what they call girls who have "sugar daddies" basically, exchanging sex for money or clothes.
But of course, after high school everything changes because Japanese colleges are a complete joke. =P All you do is party and get drunk (which is also a very big part of Japanese culture, believe it or not.)
Oh yes, but all of this does not apply to International schools. =P International schools are generally run just like American or Canadian high schools.
Okay, if you have any other questions you want to ask, go ahead and ask... I'll try and answer as best as I can, but my experience in Japanese high schools is limited...