The Worst Part About Japanese Public Schools...

There are many things that will come as a shock to you when you come to Japan and teach in a classroom. You'll find so many things that's different from your OWN school experience. For example, my elementary school had coat/bag hangers in the hallway and a place for your shoes underneath.

I was surprised that this did not exist at the elementary school I taught at, and all students were to hang their bags next to their desk, and their coats go in the back in a little cubby hole.

Of course, schools differ in how they deal with this just like how schools in Canada differ in the setup and what's available for students to utilize. But there is one thing... just ONE THING that doesn't change in all Japanese schools, and it is one of my biggest pet peeves.

There is no central cooling/heating.

Yes. No central cooling or heating. Maybe I'm a bit spoiled in Canada? But I went to a public high school in Toronto that is more than 80 years old now, and they have central heating and cooling in the hallways.

In Japan, there is no such thing.

Almost all schools will have an air conditioning system in the staff room, and the library. But consider yourself lady luck if you have aircon in the CLASSROOMS. That's definitely still considered a luxury in some parts of Japan.

I have very vivid memories of teaching in Junior High Schools in the middle of Osaka Prefecture where students are only given two gas/kerosene heaters for their classroom.

Not exactly this model, but very close enough.

Students are not allow to turn them on (and sometimes off) themselves. Only teachers are allowed to turn them on. I mean, I've never met a teacher saying no to a student about this ever, so it's a non-issue... but imagine having to study in an environment where you can't REALLY control the temperature in your study space. Yeah.

Turning them on was always a chore in itself. If you push to ignite and you didn't push it down long enough, it doesn't start. Press it too long, it's on too high and now you're burning the student closest to the heater (but of course the other students are still crying in the cold classroom).

Also note that students are generally not allowed to bring coats to wear. Even wearing a scarf can be a huge taboo.

They are allowed one small blanket to use in the classroom.

(if you're wondering why Japan sells all these blankets as goods, this is why)

There are also rules surrounding how students can use the blankets too. Students are mostly only allowed to use it around their legs, like how this girl in picture in this blog has it. Other rules vary, but at one difficult school, students were 100% forbidden to wrap the blanket around their heads or their bodies. And definitely cannot use it as a scarf! (ask your school's Head of Discipline Teacher if you're curious about how strict your school is about this)

Now, the teachers are never held at the same standard. You can wear a coat during lesson.

You can wear a scarf, but some students will point it out and make you feel bad about it when they can't wear one. But you can wear one.

So the issue really isn't that.

The worst thing? In essence, if you're traversing between classrooms in the hallways during the winter - good luck, because Satan clearly took all the heat out of the atmosphere around you to supply hell with fire. It is FREEZING. There are days when it's possible that the hallways are COLDER than the outside.

I really miss central air conditioning......