Ryoma's Weekly Schedule
*explanation on bottom
Monday
English
Math
Science
Japanese Language
LUNCH
Social Studies
Technical Home Ec.
Class meeting- appox. avg. 10mins
Cleaning School -approx 15-20 minutes
After-school club
Tuesday
Japanese Language
Math
English
Science
LUNCH
Physical Education
Social Studies
Class meeting- appox. avg. 10mins
Cleaning School -approx 15-20 minutes
After-school club
Wednesday
Social Studies
Science
English
Physical Education
LUNCH
Technical Home Ec.
Art
Class meeting- appox. avg. 10mins
Cleaning School -approx 15-20 minutes
After-school club
Thursday
Math
Science
Japanese Language
Moral Studies
LUNCH
Technical Home Economics
Physical Education
Class meeting- appox. avg. 10mins
Cleaning School -approx 15-20 minutes
After-school club
Friday
English
Math
Japanese Language
Physical Education
LUNCH
Home Economics
Music
Class meeting- appox. avg. 10mins
Cleaning School -approx 15-20 minutes
After-school club
Japanese – Kokugo
Just as Western students take English in order to strengthen their writing and speaking skills, Japanese study Japanese. By high school, Japanese students are studying Japanese literature.
Math – Suugaku
There is a popular notion that in order to get into a good high school one must already have a firm grasp of high school mathematics before applying. This notion has supported the growth of juku, or "cram schools," to which parents (who can afford them) send their children to receive additional educational instruction.
Science – Kagaku
In middle school, students take more generalized science classes. By high school, students specialize in specific types of science (i.e., physics, chemistry, biology, geology). In their third and final year of high school, some students in some schools get on science "tracks." In other words, their whole curriculum is modified to a science focus. Other students might go on a humanities "track."
Social Studies – Shakai
Social studies are popular classes in elementary and middle school because they usually include field trips – some lasting as long as a week! The field trips give students a firsthand opportunity to see how Japan "works."
English – Eigo
Japanese college entrance exams stress English comprehension. English is seen as an essential language for international dealings. This is why English is the most studied foreign language in Japan. The need for good English instruction has created a high demand for English-speaking instructors. This is good news for you if you are a non-Japanese English-speaker who wishes to work in Japan!
Home Economics (for girls) / Technical Home Economics (for boys) – Kateika / Gijutsukatei
Home economics education is a bit like the home economics classes offered in U.S. schools. Instruction is provided in cooking (including nutrition), sewing, and "home time," where shop-type skills are learned (for example, repairs and the wiring of electric cables). Girls usually take the cooking and sewing components while the boys generally take the "technical home time" portion. Students are not barred from taking whatever home education classes they desire.
Music – Ongaku
In Japanese elementary and middle schools, all students take a music class. Most students learn how to play the recorder. Later on, they may be instructed in the playing of other Western instruments through participation in clubs. Some schools have orchestras or bands, although this is not common. Some schools also teach Japanese traditional instruments, such as the shamisan (which resembles a guitar), koto (described by some as a horizontally-placed Japanese harp), and traditional drums.
Art – Bijutsu
All Japanese students study art during their school years. Because of the Japanese school system's emphasis on artistic training from an early age, most Japanese people can draw fairly well. In high school, students can specialize in one form of art (for example, sculpture, oil painting, watercolor, or pottery and ceramics).
Physical Education – Hokentaiiku
Physical education (PE) is a standard part of the Japanese curriculum. In addition to having PE classes during the regular school day, students are expected to participate in after school activities. A variety of sports are offered, from judo to volleyball; basketball to kendo. Practices can last as long as three hours, which can make one very tired at the end of the day.
Class Meeting – Gakkyuukai
This period is also called hoomuruumu in some schools, which comes from the English "homeroom." Unlike its American counterpart, the typical hoomuruumu comes at the end of the day, after classes are finished and before club activities. The homeroom teacher comes into the classroom and has a short meeting with students regarding announcements or concerns. Students might be informed that someone received a prize, a broom is missing, or the next day's schedule will be irregular. The length of the meeting depends on how much there is to discuss, but usually lasts less than ten minutes.
Moral Studies – DootokuMoral education takes place in elementary and middle schools. Students discuss their roles and responsibilities to the Japanese community and to their families.
After School Activities
Two things go on at the end of the school day. One is the cleaning of the school and the other is the attending of club functions. Students clean the school first, which makes for a 15 minute chore.
Participation in clubs is not required of students; those who aren't club members simply go home. However, most students belong to a club. Most clubs meet for an hour to an hour and a half. Some clubs meet every day; others meet a few times a week. Clubs that are offered vary from school to school.
Clubs can be divided into two groups: athletic and non-athletic. Athletic clubs might include baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, swimming, table tennis, kendo, judo, volleyball, track and field, softball, mountain climbing, cycling, and gymnastics. Examples of non-athletic clubs are calligraphy, music, art, drama, English, reading, sewing, flower arrangement, and tea ceremony.
Four are in the morning before lunch, and two in the afternoon between lunch and the end of the day. Each class lasts 50 minutes with a 10-minutes break between classes. Lunch was about...40 minutes I think, followed by cleaning time and a 20 minute recess.
...yes, I am thoroughly devoid of a social life as to have enough time to actually research this. In my defense, however, I researched the daily schedule of Japanese schools in general last year. I just looked up the classes pertinent to Junior High now, and decided to apply it. It doesn't feel complete w/o it, imo. So, this isn't really a chapter, but since it was updated right after chapter 3, people won't feel *too* cheated...right? *ducksbehindpillarandpeeksout * please be kind! Onegaishimasu!
Oh, and let's, for the sake of this story, say that Nationals occured on a Sunday. And because I'm both unable to find any information on a tennis nationals tournament in Japan w/o coming up with like a gazzilion hits on PoT and I'm just not that interested in their sports timetable as I am in their schools, that the Sunday the Nationals happened was in September, ok? Even if we go by the anime timeline, it does fit- there were drifting sakura petals at the beginning, signifying the start of the school year in April, so if we follow that there wouldn't be a tournament every. single. week. it could easily be September by Nationals. So there! ^-^ ...that, and the third years would have had to stop playing if it got into the second half of their third year, as they had to focus on entrance exams into high school. And tennis can't be played on cold climate unless in an indoor court, and we didn't see many of THOSE in the anime or manga, so...yepyep. ^-^
~over and out.