Japanese Schools

I thought it would be interesting to write a little bit about Japanese schools because they are a little different than what those of us in the States are accusomed to. I think the first thing that strikes people with being different is the school uniforms that the students are requied to wear. This starts from Jr. High school and goes up through graduation. I'll try and find some pictures to accompany this post but, in the event that I don't I'll briefly try and describe what they wear. I teach at two schools and both have differnt uniforms but, for the most part, the boys are in navy slacks and white collar shirt at Suisan and charcol-plaid with white collar for Shima. Now that it is cold, the students are required to wear thier jackets which for Shima make them look like the stereotypical ivy-league college student we see in movies with thier slacks, jacket and school insignia on the front. The Suisan jackets are dark navy to match thier pants and looks more like a military uniform than slacks and blazer. The girls at both schools are required to wear a uniform skirt; colors matching the boys' colors. The top being a white collar shirt. I once heard someone describe the Japanese schoolgirl uniform as having been designed by someone with a fetish for little school girls- which is how the uniforms make them look. It is hard to describe these uniforms but, hopefully looking at a picture you'll be able to make sense of these words.
In the States, students have seven periods with lockers to store thier stuff inbetween classes as they go from here-to-there. In Japan, students stay in the class where it is the teacher who changes each period. You still take all your classes with the entire class (there are some students that do go to other classes for some periods my observations show that this is not very common... at least at where I am teaching.) In the states, where it is the students that come to the teachers room, the teacher has a little bit of freedom/motivation to decorate the room to make it warm, comfortable and applicable to the content of the class. Because here, the students are the ones staying... the room has an atmosphere of a prison more than a classroom. Note that this comment is bias because having grown up where decorated rooms is the norm to me that is normal making this seem odd.
Another intersting thing that happens here is at the beginning of class, the class leader will yell out (in Japanese) "Stand" upon which all students stand up. Next he/she yells "Bow" to which all students bow to the teacher and the teacher bows back in return... then class starts.
Back in the day students would go to school on Saturday, with school being the only day off. Back in the day wasn't too long ago either being that I think Ayumi was required to go when she was in school too. School here has six periods as opposed to the seven I grew up with. After lunch or after school, there are about twenty minutes in which the students are required to clean the school. They sweep the halls, haul out garbage, erase the chalkboards, etc. This is done daily at Shima and Suisan I don't ever see. Still figuring it out.
Students here in Japan are not allowed to have color in thier hair nor any piercings while in class. The are forbidden from using hair wax/gel in thier hair. I think makeup is off limits but, I still see students doing it... I don't this this is enforced too strictly.
School starts at 8:45 and goes until around 3:30. Immediatley following school starts clubs which go until around 6:00-6:30 where the kids will either go home or go to a cram school to learn more stuff. Japan is strict and all I can say is I really had it good when I was growing up!