【カナダ】ロックリッジ・セカンダリーより - Chris -
・A Comparison of Japanese and Canadian School Life
After experiencing nearly 2 months of school in Japan versus the rest of one's life going to school in Canada, one notices that many differences in school life are extremely apparent. With differences in location, culture, rules, traditions, and expectations, school life in Canada and Japan are very different from each other.
From the understanding that I've developed during my time in Tokyo, I've noticed that there are many cultural standards that are different than in Canada. The main influence for this being the media. Media drastically influences how people live day to day in their society, especially now because it is a big aspect of life in the 21st century. I believe that these differences in media are the core reason that determines why standards are different in Canada than in Japan. Furthermore, Canada is a relatively new country and doesn't have much history behind it, allowing it to not have as much of a traditional influence as Japan does with its immense amount history and traditions.
Something that I've noticed in regards to Mejiro Kenshin compared to my Canadian school, Rockridge Secondary, is that there are much higher expectations. However this is likely based on the fact that Mejiro Kenshin is a private school and Rockridge Secondary is a public school. Comparing differences in school life between a public school and a private school is definitely significantly easier than public versus public or private versus private because they are very different learning environments. There are many different rules at Mejiro that Rockridge doesn't have. For example, at Mejiro students aren't supposed to use their cell phones at any time and you can't eat during class or go to the cafeteria during break. Personally I'm against these rules but I understand where they're coming from. At Rockridge students are encouraged to bring laptops or cell phones to school because they can provide amazing learning tools with various different applications (e.g. taking notes, internet research, keeping all of your stuff organized, etc.). There is even free Wi-Fi throughout the school and that any student can use at any time as long as they have an ID! This is very useful because mobile Wi-Fi plans in Canada are very expensive. Also I think it's important for students to be able to eat food during class and throughout the day because it helps them to keep their mind healthy, awake (students almost never sleep during class), and engaged so long as they're not being disruptive to other students in the class. However, being at Mejiro for over a month now has shown me a drastic difference in school life due to having less distractions from education.
Travelling to school and daily routines are very different between the two countries as well. At Mejiro there is significantly much more club involvement than at Rockridge, obviously due to the fact that it is mandatory for students to participate in an afterschool club. Moreover there is a much larger variety of clubs at Mejiro and they play a big role in school life. At Rockridge there are much less club opportunities which makes it difficult for students to want to be involved with school clubs. For example, during the winter season there are only two different sports clubs available to join; basketball and ski club. If you want to join the basketball team you have to try out and only a limited number of players are able to join, most usually being students who play basketball on basketball teams that are outside of school. With ski club not everyone has the ability to afford equipment for skiing so a lot of students are unable to participate in that either. Whereas at Mejiro Kenshin most clubs are all year (as far as my understanding) and there is a much larger variety. However this difference isn't necessarily a bad thing for Canada. Most students join extra-curricular activities outside of school if they're able to afford it.
Vancouver and Tokyo have very many differences in school life and there is a lot that I haven't included. Classes, curriculum, expectations, course schedules, time tables, holidays, and traditions; just to name a few. There is no better or worse school system between the two societies and there are many differences in each that appeal to different people. School life in Canada and Japan are drastically different.
Chris (Rockridge Secondary, Canada)
・にほんと カナダの がっこう せいかつの ちがい
にほんの がっこうで やく２かげつ せいかつして、にほんと カナダの がっこう せいかつに おおくの ちがいが あることに きがつきました。
とうきょうで せいかつして ぶんかてき きじゅんが ちがうと かんじました。とくに メディアの えいきょうです。２１せいきの にほんじんの せいかつには おおきく えいきょうしています。さらに カナダは わかいくにで にほんのように ふるい れきしや でんとうが ないことも あります。
がっこうを くらべると めじろけんしんは ロックリッジに くらべて きたいが たかいと かんじました。めじろは しりつで ロックリッジは こうりつ という ちがいも あります。しりつと こうりつでは べんきょうする かんきょうが とても ちがいます。めじろには ロックリッジには ない おおくの ルールがあります。たとえば ケータイを つかっては いけないとか じゅぎょうちゅう たべてはいけない とか やすみじかんに カフェテリアに いってはいけない などです。こじんてきには なぜ？と おもいますが、りかいは できます。ロックリッジでは パソコンや ケータイを つかっても いいです。ノートを とったり インターネットで しらべたり いろいろな ツールを つかうことが できます。がっこうに Wi-fiも あります。せいとは いつでも つかえます。じゅぎょうちゅうに たべても いいです。べんきょうに しゅうちゅう できるし、ねないためにも いいことだ とおもいます。しかし、１かげつ いじょう めじろに いて、この おおきい ちがいにも なれて きました。
つうがくや まいにちの ルーティンも ２つの くには とても ちがいます。めじろには たくさんの クラブが あります。これが がっこうの おおきな やくわりに なっていますが、ロックリッジには ありません。たとえば ふゆには バスケットクラブと スキークラブの ２つしか ありません。
バンクーバーと とうきょうの がっこう せいかつは とても ちがいます。ここに かかなかったことも まだ たくさん あります。クラスカリキュラム、きたい、コーススケジュールなど どちらが よくて どちらが わるい ということは ありませんが ２つの くにの がっこう せいかつは たくさんの てんに ちがいが あります。
クリス（ロックリッジ・セカンダリー／カナダ）
中学2年ACE授業
調理実習
Chris smile