Yasunishi Elementary School

Today was amazing! The principal at Yasunishi Elementary School had us line up with her to greet the students as they came in the school gates. What a treat to watch the mingled surprise, fear, and excitement that crossed the faces of the students as they rounded the corner -- some careening, late, into the schoolyard -- and caught sight of 16 Americans lined up in a row. They mostly recovered and started yelling “Hello” and flashing the peace sign, but some of the more timid hid behind friends or older siblings. Our official welcome started in a program with performances by the various grade groups. Then pairs of students -- some holding hands for courage -- stepped forward and presented us with gifts.
The most important gifts of the day, however, came from interacting with the students. We led English lessons, tried calligraphy and let the 6th graders try out their English on us while we shared their hot lunch -- served by the children. After lunch students cleaned the rooms, halls and bathrooms. I have the pictures to prove it.
Of the many interesting things I saw, the most unique had to be the instruments students were playing in Music Class. When students started passing them out in yellow cases, I thought they might be the recorders we’d heard at the assembly. To my surprise, they were little keyboards. They were powered by students blowing into a tube, which produced a sound similar to an accordian.
Although the students goofed around like kids anywhere, they knew when to settle down and get to work. The first graders had yellow covers on their backpacks, so the parent volunteers that watched students walk safely to and from school could easily see and look out for them. On their desks were the ubiquitous tennis balls to protect the floor. The took math notes in gridded notebooks with squares for each character. When I asked a girl at lunch if she liked movies, she answered, “High School Musical!” Kids are more alike than different.