Japanese Elementary School Life: Open Class Day, Parent-Teacher Meetings & Field Trips

Japanese Elementary School Life: Open Class Day, Parent-Teacher Meetings & Field Trips — YouTube

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Let's continue our talk about Japanese school events. This time, I'd like to talk about events that connect the school with our families and our learning outside the classroom. Let's compare my experiences with your own! In Japanese elementary schools, there are all sorts of events to make school life and learning more enriching.

Jugyo-Sankan (Open Class Day)#

In Japanese elementary schools, there are a few events where parents can participate. First, let's talk about an event called "Jugyo-Sankan," which means an "open class day". This is a day when parents actually come to school to see their children's classes firsthand.

Jugyo-Sankan is held a few times a year, and the atmosphere in class gets a little tense for both teachers and students. I remember that when I was a student, they would hold two to three classes so parents could have more chances to attend.

While parents can see what their children's school life is like, we students tended to get a little giddy, knowing that our parents were watching from the back of the classroom.

Thinking back on it now, I didn't really notice at the time, but my homeroom teacher, who usually wore a tracksuit, would wear a suit or other formal clothes on Jugyo-Sankan days. The class content also seemed to be adjusted for parents. For example, the teacher would often call on students to answer questions, so the parents could see us actively participating.

Kondankai (Parent Meetings)#

After Jugyo-Sankan, elementary schools often hold a parent meeting called "Kondankai." This is a meeting where the homeroom teacher and the parents get together to talk about the class and what's happening at school.

The teacher explains how the students are doing and what the upcoming learning plans are. Parents can ask questions and get advice on their child's school life and learning at home. Kondankai is also a great opportunity for parents to get to know each other. Since students don't attend, we usually have no idea what they talk about.

My parents were also part of a parent-teacher organization called the PTA, so they knew many parents from my grade. After the meetings or open classes, we'd sometimes go home with our parents, but they would keep talking with other parents. I remember being bored while waiting for them.

Katei-Homon (Home Visits)#

Another event in Japanese elementary schools was called "Katei-Homon," which means "home visit." This is when the homeroom teacher visits each student's home for an individual meeting with their parents.

Katei-Homon usually happens at the beginning of the school year. The goal is for the teacher to get an idea of the student's home environment and have a detailed conversation with their parents.

Just the idea of the teacher coming to your house made us kids feel a little restless. When it was my turn, I remember feeling a bit fidgety as I sat and listened to my teacher and my parents talk.

We'd also do a lot of cleaning to get the house ready before the teacher came. Sometimes, I would even walk the teacher to the next student's house and we'd talk about all sorts of things on the way.

Katei-Homon might be a particularly unique tradition, but it seems that since the COVID-19 pandemic, some schools have started to abolish them or switch to other methods like online meetings.

Shakai-Kengaku (Social Studies Field Trips)#

Elementary schools also have lots of events where we get to leave the classroom to learn outside. The most representative of these are "Shakai-Kengaku" and "Ensoku." Both are field trips, but their purposes are a little different.

First, "Shakai-Kengaku," or a "social studies field trip," is a learning-focused event. We visit local factories, museums, fire stations, or police stations to learn firsthand about how society works and what people's jobs are like.

It's a great chance to see how what we learn in textbooks works in the real world. I always looked forward to these because we could go into places we normally couldn't and listen to people who work there.

As far as I can remember, I went to a food processing factory, a garbage disposal plant, a museum, a community center, and other local places. We'd usually get a worksheet to fill out with things we learned or felt, and we'd hand it in at the end of the day.

We'd move around in groups and work together, so for me, it felt more like a fun recreational activity than a learning one.

Ensoku (Excursions)#

On the other hand, "Ensoku," or an "excursion," is an event primarily for recreation. The destinations are often zoos, amusement parks, or regular parks. The main goal is just to have a fun time with friends.

I remember going to zoos, amusement parks, and parks, but we also went to a mandarin farm to pick and eat tangerines right off the trees, and we'd go hiking in the mountains.

The best part of Ensoku was definitely lunch and snacks. On Ensoku day, we wouldn't have school lunch; instead, our moms would pack a bento box for us. For kids who usually have school lunch, this was a special treat, and I always looked forward to it.

Another fun part of Ensoku was trading snacks. There was often a rule that limited our spending to "up to 300 yen for snacks," so we had to choose our treats within that budget. Japan has something called dagashi, which are traditional Japanese sweets and snacks, and you can buy a wide variety of them for just 100 yen. We would trade the snacks we brought with everyone else, and showing each other what we had was a big part of the fun.

Ensoku was also a really important event for strengthening our friendships. The teachers would even plan fun activities for us on the bus, so the travel time was a blast.

So, we've looked at various events in Japanese elementary schools. With events like Jugyo-Sankan and Kondankai that connect the school with families, and outdoor learning experiences like Ensoku and Shakai-Kengaku, I hope you've gotten a sense that Japanese elementary schools value both learning and fun.

Closing Remarks#

Thank you for reading my article today. I hope you found the information helpful.
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