School report

I've been asked to comment on the education system over here by a regular comment-leaver - Dr. Datsun Kildare (that's not his real name, and I know he isn't a real doctor at all, but we went to the same junior school, so I cut him some slack). I'm happy to offer the positives that I've seen:

• Katherine's summer homework (she's in the first year - the school year starts in April here) was to write a book report in Japanese (see above), explaining the story and then how the book made her feel; to grow a flower through the summer holidays (a morning glory) and draw its blooms and retrieve its seeds; and to make something she liked (she made a karaoke box out of cardboard and foil).
• There are no caretakers or dinner ladies so all children share all the cleaning and cooking duties around the school.
• All children are told to walk to school by themselves, parents are not allowed to drop them off by car.
• Even though we are in the commuter-belt for Tokyo, the primary school has extensive vegetable patches that are tended by the children.

On the whole, Katherine seems to be happy and learning good things. There are of course negatives, but I'll save those for another day...