Today was the last day of our time in elementary school! It was very bittersweet. I had a fantastic day making origami with a first-grade class. It was great to see classmates helping each other fold the paper correctly. They worked together very well for being so young! They made sure I was following along and having fun, which was very sweet. I wish I would have been able to stay longer in this class, but the schedule for today was very tight. Afterward, we all spun our origami discs, and I videoed taped it and showed them which they loved watching the video.
After origami, I got to attempt Japanese calligraphy. I was very excited to try. I am not sure what makes calligraphy “good” or “bad.” I loved working with the lady trying to improve my letters. Most of the kids hate taking a calligraphy class. They find it very dull and challenging. Some of the students take lessons outside of school for calligraphy. There is competition for calligraphy. They have calligraphy in the school’s schedule because it is so vital to the Japanese culture. This was so interesting because, in the states, we do not have a class that is so important to our culture. It was so sad saying goodbye to the kids that I have gotten so close over the past couple of days.
Kyōiku: View through U.S. Teachers Eyes 