Interview Practice
Right now, at school, my 14 and 15 year old students are practicing how to bow correctly. It’s part of their interview practice, which has been going on for almost a month now. That’s right, students are learning the particularities of opening a door correctly, entering a room correctly, sitting down correctly, and of course most importantly.. bowing correctly!
Students have to take a written exam and in most cases pass an interview, to enter high school. High school starts from grade 10 and the 240 some odd students currently in the 9th grade, will go their separate ways to approximately 50 different high schools next year. This is normal, and if you’re thinking to yourself, are there really 50 high schools within reasonable proximity to these students current location, the answer is of course NO. 45 minute plus commutes are the norm.
It turns out high schools are ranked. Ranked on the percentage of their graduates that enter top universities (which are in turn ranked; on percentage of graduates that get jobs in top corporations.) As you may see, this ranking system has made it such that the interviews these 14 year old students will be taking are VERY important for the rest of their lives!
Personally I have a problem with this system, and as such am currently writing a Masters thesis on the very subject. (Unfortunately by “writing,” I mean lying around the house unable to write.) I’ll keep you updated on society in Japan as it progresses, so stay tuned.
posted by Graham @ 4:46 AM
6 Comments:
Yeah, that doesn't leave much time for kids to be kids :(
Hey Graham!!!
Dave is curious what your opinions are regarding the two months of exam preparation the third year students go through in which they do altered copies of the same exam - everyday- for the entirety of the third semester. Would it not make more sense for them to take some mock exams, look at the results and then actually focus lesson plans on the areas in which the vast majority of students are having difficulty. Instead of hoping, on the next test, they might do better. This is of course if you presume the system's intent is to teach the students anything other than how to successfully pass an exam.
In answer to SM:
WORD
In answer to JENN:
I don't know. I do want to give the teachers as individuals credit for their ENORMOUS effort. The system they are forced to work within is definitely what I am opposed to.
Sure would be nice if they didn't have to learn so much useless CRP though hey.
Dave isn't here, but I'll speak on his behalf. He has nothing against the teachers, he understands they have a tough system to work within. But I don't know if he would credit both teachers as putting a huge effort out there for the kids. One of the teachers he works with can't stand English. His classwork consists of worksheets, after worksheets, after worksheets...even after the board and other teachers gave him a terrible review for teaching methods. This teacher is horrible with English, and doesn't think he could get higher than 400 on TOIC (uhm, abbreviation is wrong). Did you read in the paper a few months ago that a survey done with Japanese teachers indicated that, in their opinion, at least 1/3 of their co-workers are not competent teachers. I can't remember much about the article...so I shouldn't even be referring to it like this...but still, it's food for thought.
sorry, I meant "both HIS teachers"
NO worries princess.
I've got a couple of those teachers kickin around my school too. Thankfully they don't teach with me. It's sort of like they're on their way to retirement and it doesn't matter so they do as you said.
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