2016年02月29日
Graduation
Hello, all!
Today in my Baby Club we had a graduation. Five of my seven students are no longer "babies"! We had a short ceremony, with small yellow mortarboards for the kids.
"Mortarboard" is the name of this cap. It's also called a "graduate cap," "square academic cap," or "Oxford cap," among other names.
We took some pictures and I blew bubbles over the kids' head for a festive atmosphere. I'm sad I won't get to see those babies any more, but I'm glad they're growing up! (And they're such good students!)
A graduation is always "bittersweet," but there's a small cultural difference between Japanese and American views of graduation. In Japan, things are more "bitter" than "sweet": graduation is when you say goodbye to your teachers, your old daily life, and your classmates. The students are meant to be grateful: "thank you," they always sing, "for helping me grow up!" In America, things are more "sweet" than "bitter": graduation is when you celebrate what you've done, reach the goal you set out for, and start a new, exciting life. The students are meant to be proud: they've achieved something amazing, and now they're being recognized for it!
Of course Japanese teachers also congratulate their students, and American students thank their teachers (and often cry). But the difference is big enough that Japanese exchange students are often surprised by American graduation parties, and Americans are confused when everyone bursts out into tears at Japanese graduations! The concept is the same, but the perspective is a little different. It's learning small cultural quirks like this that make living in a foreign country so very rewarding.
How do you think of your graduation?
—Matthew
Today in my Baby Club we had a graduation. Five of my seven students are no longer "babies"! We had a short ceremony, with small yellow mortarboards for the kids.
"Mortarboard" is the name of this cap. It's also called a "graduate cap," "square academic cap," or "Oxford cap," among other names.
We took some pictures and I blew bubbles over the kids' head for a festive atmosphere. I'm sad I won't get to see those babies any more, but I'm glad they're growing up! (And they're such good students!)
A graduation is always "bittersweet," but there's a small cultural difference between Japanese and American views of graduation. In Japan, things are more "bitter" than "sweet": graduation is when you say goodbye to your teachers, your old daily life, and your classmates. The students are meant to be grateful: "thank you," they always sing, "for helping me grow up!" In America, things are more "sweet" than "bitter": graduation is when you celebrate what you've done, reach the goal you set out for, and start a new, exciting life. The students are meant to be proud: they've achieved something amazing, and now they're being recognized for it!
Of course Japanese teachers also congratulate their students, and American students thank their teachers (and often cry). But the difference is big enough that Japanese exchange students are often surprised by American graduation parties, and Americans are confused when everyone bursts out into tears at Japanese graduations! The concept is the same, but the perspective is a little different. It's learning small cultural quirks like this that make living in a foreign country so very rewarding.
How do you think of your graduation?
—Matthew
Posted by teachers at 17:00│Comments(0)
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