substitute teachers

There's no such thing as a substitute teacher in Japan. If a teacher takes a vacation, all the classes are rescheduled so that his or her classes are made up ahead of time. If a teacher gets sick, they rearrange all their classes' schedules so that the classes can be made up when they get back. Needless to say, teachers don't take sick days and instead come to school sick. This prolongs the sickness and gets everyone else sick too. The lack of heat in the classrooms doesn't help either. I think substitute teachers would help lower the stress level of these teachers and the scheduler! However, it takes the students forever to warm up to new people, so perhaps the substitute teacher's job would be difficult. But then again, substitute teachers have a difficult job no matter what. I think new teachers in Japan or teachers in training would do it though.

I snuck into the unused counselor's room yesterday and took a nap for 15 minutes! heh heh heh It's the only room with a couch and the counselor only comes a couple afternoons a month. Afterwards, I tap danced in all of the classes at this school since I promised them I would several months ago. It was the first time all of the students and teachers had seen American tap dancing. They thought my tap shoes were crazy looking.