RRJ #1

Chiaki Kohashi

EAP-1 A

October 28^th, 2010

Education

Reading Reaction Journal #1

Reference

DAILYYOMIURI(October,21/2010)”EDUCATIONALRENAISSANCE” fromhttp://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/T101017001560.htm

Vocabulary

supervise (v):direct

extracurricular (adj):sports or other activities that you do in addition to your usual                                                   classes

pedagogical (adj):relating to methods of teaching or the practice of teaching

scholastic (adj):relating to schools, learning, or teaching

strength (n):the physical power and energy that makes someone strong

closure (n):the act of permanently closing a building, factory, school

revise (v):to change a piece of writing by addition new information, making                             improvements, or correcting mistakes

familiarize (v):to learn about something so that you understand it

solidarity (n):loyalty and general agreement between all the people in a group

compulsory (adj):required to be done because of a rule or law

recipient(n): someone who receive something

nurture(v):to feed and take care of a child or a plant while it is growing

Summary

              Almost teacher supervise own club activities in present Japan. But they are not admitted as regular jobs. Regardless of extracurricular activities, teachers have to supervise their club activities late on weekdays, every Saturdays, and during long break. Some of them who have complains about the work on holidays claimed that the club activities are not our jobs. And the claims lead the club closures. In 2008 to 2009, the curriculum was changed and it said that there are a lot of benefits for students to participate in the club activities. Also the daily salary for the teachers who direct club activities is raised from 1200yen to 3200yen(less than from $12 to $32) There is a teacher, like this speaker, who thinks that the club activities are very important for students to help to learn about morals or improve physical power and scholastic abilities. Anyway, it is very hard to for teachers to supervise club activities and it is big load for them. The government should measure against to change the situations.

Reaction

              This is serious problems on education in present Japan. Because there are many teacher who supervise extracurricular activities almost free. I know that teachers have to prepare for their classes and the preparing takes very long time. I have done mimic classes in Japan. It was just simulation but I took the long time to prepare them. But teachers have to not only prepare the classes but also participate in many meetings even the club activities. Furthermore, the salary does not match the amount of work. I think almost teachers understand the club activities have a lot of benefits for students. For instance, the club activities give students the physical and the mental abilities, the importance to unit and cooperate, Japanese cultures, and improvements of their skills. Why does the government enforce it earnestly? Because they do not want to pay high salary for teachers. If they want to make great human materials, they should to give the opportunities for students to join in the club activities and the money for teachers. There is a lot of incoherence in the world.