I was surprised at the strictness of the hierarchical relationship in club activities. I wonder if I didn't read between the lines and did something rude to older students
TodayWhat is the current situation today?
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I did things that are prohibited in Japanese schools, such as coming to school with makeup and piercings,
and I got strange looks from the surroundings.
Peer pressure is particularly strong in Japanese schools,
and rather than dealing with such minority children individually,
there is a tendency to eliminate heterogeneity as much as possible.
(Quoted from Hiroshi Shimizu (2002) "Multiculturalization of the School World-How Japanese Schools Will Change" Miyajima and Hiromasa Kano (eds.) "International Society 2 Changing Japanese Society and Culture" University of Tokyo Press, 76-77)
If I don't quit make-up and piercing, my classmates didn't accept me as a friend so I had no choice but to act like everyone else.
（Quoted from Haruo Ota (2000) "Newcomer's Children and Japanese Schools" International Shoin) -
Knowing the unique rules in Japanese schools gives me anxiety.
I hated that I couldn't take snacks to school. I once brought chocolate and ate it, and everyone gathered so I gave it to everyone, and my teacher was angry at me. I didn't know the rule that I can't bring snacks to school for the first two or three weeks. (Quoted from Takami Yamoto (2018) “Difficulties of Children with Roots in the Philippines-Focusing on Children Studying in Japanese Schools” p.7（Miyagi Gakuin Women's University Repository） )
- In school lunch, they are instructed to eat all the meals that they dislike, such as miso soup and natto, which they usually do not eat at home.
- Children who grew up in a society where it is customary to "relax at home with the whole family on weekends", take a break from school events and prioritize family time. If they have a parent with a strong faith, we can think of a reason such as going to the church for absenteeism from school events and club activities. （Quoted from manabinoba.com ””International children” we actually don't know about them (vol.1) It is not only foreign students who need Japanese language instruction!”, 12.6.2017 )
SolutionWhat kind of solutions do we have?
Providing different meals considering the difference
There is a movement to provide school lunches for kids who cannot eat Japanese school lunches due to cultural or religious reasons.
Classmates should have fun understanding the differences
There are elementary schools that are making interesting efforts to understand different cultures, especially food culture.
At Minami-Yoshida Elementary School in Yokohama City,
they made a traditional Thai dessert, Ganebuat, in a comprehensive study class.
In fact, the teacher in charge of this class has roots in Thailand,
and he suggested that the children would like to know the roots of the teacher in this class as well.
Classes to understand different cultures through such actual experiences are good not only for the international children but also for the classmates.
I think it will be fruitful.
I became fond of it because I wanted to know more and find out about it. (Children who participated in the class) （Quoted from NHK Heart Net Welfare Information Comprehensive Site "Schools for Children with Foreign Roots", May 07, 2020 )
They have been familiar with things that we are not familiar with since we were children. It feels like a public international school I felt new. (Children's guardians) （Quoted from NHK Heartnet Welfare Information Comprehensive Site "Schools for Children with Foreign Roots", May 07, 2020 )
Asking situations carefully to themselves and to their parents.
It is important to have a conversation with them and their parents by not denying because it is rules.
It is ideally to talk with them including interpreter if it is difficult to understand.
OpinionOur opinion
Isn't it better to change the school rules that can be changed in the first place? I think it is necessary to explain exactly why there are school rules (although some Japanese do not understand).
When I was in kindergarten, I used to wear earrings but one girl asked me why I’m always wearing earrings and I was wondering “Am I strange?” and I stopped wearing them which I was wearing from when I was like 1year old. I want everyone to understand that even such a simple question can change the person in one word. I want everyone to understand that there are cultural differences.
Since Japan is not a "country of immigrants" like the United States, there are not many people around us who have different cultures. I think that’s the reason why it’s hard to understand that people who have different cultures have different thoughts and everyone has a different way of thinking. I think it's difficult to learn, so it would be great if everyone could be taught at school to respect the culture.
I think it's important to continue the rules that have long been followed in Japanese schools, but I think it's important to accept the rules and customs of children with international kids. I don't think it's respecting the culture of the other person by forcing them to fit them in Japan. Therefore, I hope that the content will be more flexible and considerate of other cultures. I think we should learn more about diversity.
I was very surprised to hear that some countries have a culture of wearing piercings since childhood. It is important to know diversity, and I reminded myself that I should never say anything that would deny it even if it was not malicious.
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I can't wear a bathing suit during swimming time for religious reasons, but I feel like the children around me wonder why