Schools in Japan don't have janitors. It is the job of the students to clean their school. At my junior high school, cleaning time is the period right after lunch. As soon as the trays have been cleared, swarms of students head to their assigned location and begin to sweep, mop, and empty trash cans. It amazes me that no one lazes about. They do their assigned tasks, and don't seem too bitter about it--even those assigned to clean the bathrooms.
It's a relaxed time. Kids make games out of their tasks. They race against each other as the push rags across the floor; they see who can empty the most trash cans. Of course, the main reason they do this is so that they have more time to chat before the next class.
While I've heard the idea of cleaning time expressed as 'moving-the-dirt-around time,' I am generally impressed by the level of cleanliness of Kizaki. My elementary school, however, is very dirty even though the kids there also have a cleaning time. They try though. It's hard for them since when they finish cleaning they are allowed to play on the playground. They generally rush through their tasks.
And where am I during these times? My assigned area is the staff room, so with four or five other students (and the vice-principal) I help to empty trash cans and sweep the floor. It's no great highlight, but I like being able to share the occasional comment with a student.
I wonder if kids in the US would have more respect for school buildings if they had to clean them everyday.
2 comments:
An interesting post. I look forward to future entries in this series!
Yeah can't wait till part 2. I think that making kids clean up would be a good thing and make kids avoid making a mess of the school more. It's smart thinking to do that.
Post a Comment