Each day I ask specific questions to try to learn more about exactly what he does all day. It took two months, but he now is in school full time. School is in session for five hours four days a week, as well as two and a half hours one day a week. As I learn the kids names, I can ask him if he played with this kid or that one.
Luckily, at pickup, the teacher gives a generic "what we did today" report. If I understand what she says, like sandbox, I can ask about it. Otherwise, I have to wait for my husband to translate the notes or use Google Translate (which is actually really horrible and rarely gives me a clear picture).
Today, I didn't have to ask him what school was like or try to translate the teacher's message. The school held a special Saturday school for parents to come and join their child for a typical school day. So, although today was a Saturday, my family got out of bed, ate breakfast, and went to school.
We arrived at the school along with other families. The kids all went into autopilot; changing their shoes from their outdoor shoes into indoor shoes; hanging up their hand towel; putting away their school bag; and removing their uniform (a hat and smock). Parents milled about, looking at artwork on the walls and saying good morning to one another.
After a few minutes, it was time to sit in the circle and hear about what we would be doing during the school day. We started with attendance. The kids excitedly shot up their hands when their name was called, telling the teacher if mom and/or dad was with them. After roll call, we made a ball. Each kid formed newspaper into a ball, then wrapped it in a plastic bag before wrapping it in a colored piece of plastic, and taping the whole ball together.
The ball was then taken outside, where we played games with it and kicked it around a bit. I loved that we made the ball. It wasn't the best ball, but was adequate and more appreciated since my son had made it himself. Besides the ball activities, there was the regular playground equipment, blocks on mats (to build skyscrapers), and a fishing game. If you didn't want to be outside, there was bread dough inside my son's classroom that students were playing with like play dough.
The next two hours whizzed by. We played with my son and talked a bit with his teacher. Suddenly, it was time to go back to the classroom to hear the children sing a couple songs, do some exercise stretches, and then get ready to leave. After the formal goodbyes, we walked out of the schoolyard hand in hand.
As we walked home, my husband was chatting with our son, thanking him for sharing the day with us. I listened a bit, but was actually considering what I ask him every day - "What did you do today?" When he answers "I played," he's not being evasive. He really did play all day. And that playtime brought him joy and provided so many learning opportunities that are both obvious and hidden.
Before I moved to Japan, I was really worried about my son's education. I believe in the power of letting children play and be creative. I want my son to be bored at times and have to find a way to entertain himself. At 4 years old, I don't think he is ready to sit still in a classroom and learn to write or memorize facts. He needs to learn to be a global citizen though playing and being a member of a community. I'm so glad to find that his school has the same philosophy and it isn't lost in translation. It is crystal clear that kids being kids is the golden rule at this school.
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