Our visit today was to an elementary school about a 10-minute walk from our hotel.  The building is an impressive 30 story new building.  But, like OCES, the school itself is much older, having started 83 years ago. Would you believe there's a swimming pool on the top of the building?  Actually there are 2 - a smaller, more shallow one for the primary students and the larger one that is appropriate for racing in the swimming lanes.  Of course, it was too cold for swimming in PE this time of the year, but water is kept in the pool year round.  There is only 1 class for each grade.  So, there are 6 classes in all, from Grade 1 to Grade 6 (there is no public school kindergarten).  Student enrollment of the school is 191 children.  The total school staff is 15, including principal and assistant principal.  The largest class is 40 students, which is a usual size for Japanese classrooms.  This part of the city is decreasing in population, so there were smaller classes, too.  The lowest class enrollment was 29 students.  
I am always proud of our school.  I felt even more proud today because I believe the behavior of OCES students shows more attention to the teacher than what I observed today.  Also, our teachers know more ways to help students learn than I've seen from Japanese teachers.  Go Eagles!
     The principal was very definite about our schedule for the day.  We saw the weekly school-wide assembly where all the children gather in the large foyer of the school to have a group singing assembly.  Today, the Grade 5 students had practiced the Japanese version of "Edelweiss" from "The Sound of Music" and sang for us and the other students and staff. 
     We were allowed to observe the Japanese art of paper-cutting, calligraphy, music, P.E., and reading (where they are studying poetry).  Wait until I show you their math textbooks.  They are ahead of you - so get going on those math facts!!
     Students eat the school-prepared lunch which the class leaders bring from the cafeteria to the classrooms.  We ate with the students at their desks.  I gave all the Grade 3 students in the class where I was assigned a Georgia quarter.  They loved it!  They also wanted to know what kind of games you like to play. After lunch, everyone cleans the school.  Children use a small cloth to push along the floor in a straight line to clean it.  Wow!
I remembered to change my slippers today at all the right times.  Yeah!!