Farewell Ceremony

Today, the Japanese 2021-2022 school year officially came to an end. Even though graduation was about three weeks ago, classes continued until two days ago, while preparations were made for the final two days of ceremonies. Yesterday was the official Closing Ceremony. The students and teachers all gathered in the gym, while there were some speeches from the students who will return next year as well as the principal and some other teachers. This was all standard stuff, it seems to happen before every school break. Today, however, was the “Farewell Ceremony.” Seeing this on my schedule, I assumed it was some sort of goodbye for the students who are leaving. Actually, it was a goodbye ceremony for all the teachers and faculty who are leaving.

Japan has quite a different public school system when it comes to where teachers are assigned than the US. Before I explain what I mean, I want to say I don’t entirely understand how this process works. This is all from what I’ve gleaned talking with the faculty out here. Basically, in Japan, public school staff are assigned to a work location in the prefecture that employs them. That might be a particular school or a few schools for teachers of subjects like music. Newly graduated teachers might work 2 or 3 years at a school and then be required to move to a new location. Over time, your tenure at a particular school may be longer but you may still be asked to move by the prefectural Ministry of Education at any year. I’m not sure exactly how they choose who will move in a given year. I’m pretty sure you can request to be moved or stay or ask for a specific location, but of course not all these requests can be honored as every school needs certain staff. I am also not sure if there is any way to avoid a move. I think the Government’s word is essentially final.

I can see the merits of such a system. It requires staff to work with a diverse range of kids across the prefecture. It probably helps rural schools as well and keeps the labor pool from favoring any one area in particular. At the same time, it seems like it would be hard to suddenly be asked to move on a whim. The teachers and staff who were moving only found out last week. Could you imagine getting a job teaching in Portland, then two years later being asked to move to Baker City? The comparison kind of breaks down when you realize that Japan is smaller than California, but still I feel like that is a big thing of your employer to demand from you. Also many of them seem to be intracity moves, at least out here on Sado. But not all, and it is entirely possible that you could be asked to leave the island, or perhaps worse for mainlanders, being assigned to the island. Nonetheless, it is a recognized and accepted fact for working in public education here. This year, 11 of our faculty were leaving. This was about 1/4-1/3 of our entire school faculty. A few of them were being assigned to schools on the mainland or leaving the education entirely, but most of them were being transferred within Sado.

The actual ceremony was a bit like graduation, even down to being an emotional affair for some of the staff and the students. First, all the departing faculty were introduced by the Principal. Next, each gave a short speech about their time at the school, nice memories, messages for remaining students and the like. Then, pairs of students walked to the stage, read each departing staff member a personal speech and handed them a bouquet of flowers. After, some students donning red headbands performed a sort of drumming act involving clapping and rhythmically chanting each departing faculty member’s name to a beat. This was my favorite part and apparently it is tradition at every school Farewell Ceremony. Finally, the students formed two lines and the staff departed between them to applause and some tears as well. It was a nice send off. Following the ceremony, all the students left for spring vacation and all of us staff had a big bento lunch. The atmosphere was very relaxed and partylike. I had not really experienced anything like it in the school teachers office, which is generally quiet and busy with working teachers. I have been told that in the past, schools usually held boisterous party with a lot of drinking at a hotel in town. These have been indefinitely postponed due to coronavirus.

I have to say, even though I have only known my colleagues for four months, I was a bit sad today, just knowing that it would be the last time I’d ever see most of them. Of course, with their departure there will be new teachers coming in to meet. Next week is spring vacation. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I have any time off. Teachers and staff are still required to come into work, and school club activities continue like normal. I have been recruited to help with the baseball club and it has been fun to help out practice with them. The days are getting longer and warmer, and the famous cherry blossom season is almost here. School starts again on April 1st, and I will continue with much the same schedule as I had before. My students will mostly be the same, but I will be getting two new 3rd grade classes. I am excited to meet them all and, of course, all the new teachers and staff next year.