ibunka TB_U5

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ibunka TB_U5

Unit 5

- In the Clubhouse

INTRODUCTION TO TEACHERS Clubs and extracurricular activities may seem like a rather prosaic topic for intercultural comparison, but thinking about commitment to clubs (since these are supposedly not as “mandatory” as regular school responsibilities) can reveal some interesting cultural attitudes. In particular, how much of your time and effort you devote to a club might be seen as strongly related to issues of “the harmony of the group” versus “the freedom of the individual.” Students may be surprised to learn that the hours and commitment which they, as a matter of course, devote to their club activities in Japan are in fact comparatively long and heavy. It’s also interesting to explore how club culture in Japan has positive effects- some Japanese respondents to the Ibunka Survey remarked that “clubs are tough, but worthwhile.” Do your students share this view?

Part 1 ........................................................................................................75 Part 2 ........................................................................................................77 One Step Further .................................................................................81 Cultural Commentary ........................................................................85

UNIT 5 | INTRODUCTION

Part 1

1 - You and Your Culture

Online Form for WARM-UP SURVEY (textbook p.32)

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Online Form for INTERVIEW (textbook p.33)

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Example Sentences for INTERVIEW (textbook p.33) Q1: Have you ever been a member of a school club or circle? • Yes, I was a member of the badminton club in junior high school, and the volunteer circle at high school. I’m not in any clubs now. • Yes. I’ve been playing baseball in clubs since the second grade of junior high school. • Well, I played the clarinet of the brass band in junior high school, but I haven’t been in any clubs since then. Q2: What were the reasons you joined (or didn’t join) a club in high school? • I joined the basketball circle because my best friend was in it. • I was manager of the water polo club because I was interested in the sport, and it seemed like an easy role. • I wasn’t in any clubs in high school because I didn’t really have the time. I had a long commute every day. Q3: What do you think are the beneYits of being in a school club? • I think the greatest beneLit of being in a club is the friendship. I made many good friends. • I would say that being in a club is good for learning teamwork and improving certain skills. • Being in a club gives you the chance to gain friends, conLidence and experience . Q4: Do you think that doing club activities Yive times a week at university is worth the time and effort? • I think it is. It’s a lot of time to put in, but you can gain many things from it. • Not really. I think that studying should be your Lirst priority, but if you have the time, it’s probably OK. • No, that is just too much time to put in. I think your studies would suffer if you had to put that much time into your club. Q5: What do you think is the ideal frequency for club activities at university? • I would say that two or three times a week is just right. • I think that four times a week is good, if the sessions are not too long.

UNIT 5 | WARM-UP SURVEY & INTERVIEW

Script for Model INTERVIEW (textbook p.33)

→ Available as audio track “5-00-Interview5” for listening/note-taking practice.

Q1: Have you ever been a member of a school club or circle? Naomi: Yes. I was in the volleyball club in high school, and now I’m in a volunteer circle at this university. Q2: What were the reasons you joined the volleyball club in high school? Naomi: I guess I just wanted to make friends. I had just moved to a new town, and didn’t know anyone. Q3: I see. What do you think are the beneYits of being in a school club? Naomi: Well, of course there’s the friendship. But playing volleyball, I also learned a lot about teamwork. Q4: Do you think that doing club activities Yive times a week at university is worth the time and effort? Naomi: Five times a week at university? No, I think that’s just too much time to put in. Q5: OK then. What do you think is the ideal frequency for club activities at university? Naomi: I think about once or twice a week is enough. Our volunteer circle is like that, and as a break from studies, it feels just right.

UNIT 5 | INTERVIEW

Online Form for EXPRESSION 1 & 2 (textbook p.34)

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Example Sentences for EXPRESSION 1 (textbook p.34) • I think that in Japan, famous clubs generally have strict hierarchies. • I think that in Japan, clubs in private schools generally have skilled instructors. • I would say that relaxed schedules are more common in art clubs than they are in sports clubs. • I would say that long hours are more common in clubs in high school than they are in clubs at universities. • I think that sports clubs in Japan are much more popular with boys than they are with girls. Example Sentences for EXPRESSION 2 (textbook p.34) • For me, the opportunities to learn of art clubs are appealing, and I think most people would agree. • For me, the strict rules and long hours of clubs in high school are a turn-off, but I think I might be an exception.

Part 2

t 2 - People in Other Cultures

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Answers to COMPREHENSION 1 (textbook p.35) Highlighted words are those from the VOCABULARY boxes.

UNIT 5 | EXPRESSION & COMPREHENSION

1 Sam , Australian, artistic director, has lived in the UK When I was in primary school, my brothers and I played tennis in a local club. It was a lot of fun. We practiced once a week after school and had matches at other local clubs on Saturday mornings.

TRUE FALSE

→ Sam spent at least four days a week at his tennis club when he was at primary school.

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2 Sam , Australian, artistic director, has lived in the UK Looking back, I feel it was just the right amount of time to invest in it. I’m glad I did it- it was the perfect diversion from my studies, and it kept me outdoors and active.

TRUE FALSE

→ Sam thought his tennis club took too much time from his studies.

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3 Stéphanie , French, teacher, lives in Japan In my opinion, there is no real "school club" culture in France. In my case, I never belonged to a club when I was at school. I only attended art classes on Wednesdays, and dance classes on Saturdays- both separately from school. There were no clubs at university either.

TRUE FALSE

→ Stéphanie went to two cultural clubs at her high school: art and dance.

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4 Stéphanie , French, teacher, lives in Japan It took me a long time to realize what my students meant when they talked about gasshuku . In France very few people join clubs at school. So the idea of going somewhere and staying overnight with other club members was almost impossible for me to imagine.

TRUE FALSE

→ In France, staying somewhere overnight with clubmates is an extremely rare thing.

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UNIT 5 | COMPREHENSION

Answers to COMPREHENSION 2 (textbook p.36)

Example Sentences for DISCUSSION (textbook p.36) • I found Sam’s response to be the most surprising. He said that only one practice a week was enough for him, but for me that would feel like I wasn’t taking the club seriously. • I found Junya’s response to be the most relatable. I also played sports in clubs for many years, and although it was tough at times, I learned a lot of social skills and leadership skills. 6 Junya , Japanese, barista, has lived in Nepal I belonged to the soccer club from when I was in elementary school, all the way through to the end of high school. It did take a lot of my time and energy , but I feel that my club activities made me a better student. It gave my schedule some balance and I was able to make many friends. And it wasn’t just the sports, we also spent a lot of time organizing our club. I think I learned some good life skills from watching how the senior members did things. 5 Catriona, British, writer, lives in Japan In Japan, three of my children were in clubs. One daughter was in the softball club in junior and senior high school. She had overwhelmingly positive experiences, which I believe impact her life today. However, right from the outset it was clear that there would be no time for anything else, and no family time. She had early morning practice, so she left before 6 a.m. She also had evening practice every day, and matches all day every weekend. At New Year, Obon and around test time she sometimes got a few precious days off.

UNIT 5 | COMPREHENSION & DISCUSSION

Answers to CULTURE SHOCK (textbook p.37)

7 Dirk, Dutch, professor, lives in Japan My son was a member of the soccer club in junior high school. He was pretty good at it, but in his final year it took up a lot of his time- about 17 hours per week! That’s almost half of the hours in a school week in Holland. I felt that it was excessive for a student his age, especially with his grades not being very good at all.

TRUE FALSE

→ Dirk felt that his son was being asked to give an unreasonable amount of time to his soccer club.

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8 Jakob , Japanese-Dutch, student, lives in Japan My father encouraged me to stay at home on Sundays and rest. I did from time to time, but the coach always punished me for sometimes not coming to practices. He said, “Since you are not really involved in the team, you won’t be playing!”. I was made to sit out matches and just watch my teammates play.

TRUE FALSE

→ Jakob wasn’t allowed to play in matches because he wasn’t good enough at soccer.

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9 Dirk, Dutch, professor, lives in Japan I went to speak with the coach. I told him that it was unfair that my son would be punished by being excluded from games. It obviously fell on deaf ears. He told me that the club was for “ gambaru hito ”, that is, students who were willing to give their all. I was quite indignant.

TRUE FALSE

→ After discussion, Jakob’s coach was able to see the situation from Jakob’s father’s point of view.

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10 Jakob , Japanese-Dutch, student, lives in Japan My father and my coach obviously had very different views on this. As for me, since I wasn’t included in games, I lost my desire to play and quit the club. I later joined one which was more relaxed, with only two practices per week.

TRUE FALSE

→ Jakob joined a different club after his time at the soccer club ended.

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UNIT 5 | CULTURE SHOCK

Extra Discussion Questions 1. What is the most enjoyable experience you have ever had at a school club ? 2. What are some positive aspects of being a manager of a club? 3. How do you think students manage both study and club commitments at the same time? Is there anything they, their parents or teachers can do to make this easier?

One Step Further rther

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Suggested Answers for ONE STEP FURTHER Activities (Google Form)

p.82-p.83 | LOOKING FOR PATTERNS Here are some example answers for the Google form.

1 Australian / female / marketing manager / has lived in the UK and Japan Cultural Pattern A: I was happy to be invited to join the basketball team, because it was my favorite sport Cultural Pattern B:

I later realized just how important seniority in age is in a Japanese team environment.

2 Hungarian / female / hotel staff / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: I couldn’t really afford to do as an exchange student

Cultural Pattern B: Not only did we have three practices a week in different campuses, the attendance was mandatory / the Japanese students really spent all their free time (and sometimes school time) on the group’s activities / how much passion and effort the students put into them / that feeling made up for all the hardships I experienced

UNIT 5 | ONE STEP FURTHER

3 Swedish / male / educator / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: I think that the dedication and commitment of time to school clubs in Japan is extreme 4 New Zealander / male / professor / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: Most ordinary students would never do this because they would fail all their classes!

Cultural Pattern B: Students devote themselves completely to something for three or sometimes six years, practicing before and after school and all weekend

Cultural Pattern B: dedicate their life to clubs

5 French / female / teacher / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: to have fun and play with the students

Cultural Pattern B: From 9 am to 2 pm -that’s seven hours of club time / the boredom that students sometimes experience at clubs is supposed to prepare them for the boredom and alienation of the working world. Not having a day off and "suffering together," for example, is the norm

6 American / female / professor / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: For me, the decision was not hard. If academics are your priority, then quit the team! / My son was on board with that. He quit.

Cultural Pattern B: he could study while he was on the bus going to tournaments and in between games / It was hard for him, socially ー team members who had been besties no longer talking to him

7 Japanese / female / career consultant / has lived in France Cultural Pattern A: none

Cultural Pattern B: I had to attend practice every day, and sometimes we had to go away on weekends for games / It was the first time I had ever experienced such hierarchical relationships.

UNIT 5 | ONE STEP FURTHER

5 In the Clubhouse

One Step Further ACTIVITIES

Here are some more responses from the Ibunka Survey on the topic of club activities. Let’s examine them for underlying cultural trends. We can see that the language in many responses hints at two basic patterns.

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LOOKING FOR PATTERNS

CULTURAL PATTERN A: Clubs as places for fun

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In some cultures, being involved in a club is seen as a break from studies, and usually limited to a few hours per week.

Read through the Ibunka Survey responses below. Most are the impressions of foreigners who have had experiences of clubs at Japanese schools or universities, either as students, teachers or parents. Highlight in one color the words and phrases that hint at Cultural Pattern A: Clubs as places for fun or gaining skills, and in another color the parts that suggest Cultural Pattern B: Clubs with rigorous demands. You can work and discuss this in pairs or small groups.

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. YFZLMY KTW Y\T ^JFWX FY F /FUFSJXJ MNLM XHMTTQ &Y ƳWXY . \FSYJI YT OTNS YMJ UNSL UTSL club to have fun and play with the students. Some of them chose this club because there were only three practices per week. Two or three hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. +WTR FR YT UR YMFYƍX XJ[JS MTZWX TK HQZG YNRJ ! The teacher who supervised wasn’t a professional, so the students didn't learn any techniques. They simply played FLFNSXY JFHM TYMJW STS XYTU 8TRJ FHYZFQQ^ XUJSY RTXY TK YMJNW YNRJ HQTHP \FYHMNSL ! I love living in Japan, but this is one area that I really don’t feel comfortable with. Perhaps the boredom that students sometimes experience at clubs is supposed to prepare them for the boredom and alienation of the working world. Not having a day off and "suffering together," for example, is the norm. Absence is frowned upon more than poor performance. )UHQFK IHPDOH WHDFKHU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ My son loved playing basketball until high school, when the demands became too great. He decided he wanted to quit and I had to go to the school with him, where the two of us sat with the coach, the principal and vice principal, his homeroom teacher and a few more attendees. We were pressured for about an hour for him to stay in the club. I asked about his academic results and how he was supposed to study when he had to devote so much time to practice and tournaments. They told me he could study while he was on the bus going to tournaments and in between games. For me, the decision was not hard. If academics are your priority, then quit the team! My son was on board with that. He quit. It was hard for him, socially a team members who had been besties no longer talking to him KTW J]FRUQJ GZY MJ XZKKJWJI ST QTSL YJWR consequences. Truth be told . YMNSP NY NSƴZJSHJI MNR G^ YJFHMNSL MNR YMFY MJ ITJXSƍY MF[J YT bend to societal pressure, which can be so strong in Japan. $PHULFDQ IHPDOH SURIHVVRU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 6 When I was in junior high school, I joined the tennis club because there was a rule that I had to belong to a club. I had to attend practice every day, and sometimes we had to go away on weekends for games, etc. We had to treat our seniors with great deference and respect. .Y \FX YMJ ƳWXY YNRJ . MFI ever experienced such hierarchical relationships. -DSDQHVH IHPDOH FDUHHU FRQVXOWDQW KDV OLYHG LQ )UDQFH 7 In New Zealand, a small number of students dedicate their life to clubs (usually outside the school or university). Many rugby players play in a school team, a local area team, and then a representative team. The difference is that this is only a very small group of people. Most ordinary students would never do this because they would fail all their classes! 1HZ =HDODQGHU PDOH SURIHVVRU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 4 5

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Write a paragraph on the topic of club activities. Include your opinions and reactions to the cultural patterns you found in these survey responses.

EXPRESSION

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Cultural Commentary lt l Co entary

The importance of belonging The topic of clubs is an important one for Japanese students. One’s university years are a prime time to join one, and most students have also had that opportunity in high school, junior high school and even elementary school. The ways clubs are organized and the time commitment expected from members are very interesting culturally. It might be said that they are a “rehearsal” for social life after graduation; the responsibilities that are part and parcel of club membership preYigure the involvement that will later be expected in the workplace. In some European countries, such as France, school clubs are rather rare. Most clubs exist outside of the school world- high schools and universities are spaces for academics and not much else, and in most high schools, classes Yinish at around 5pm, which is too late for any additional activities on the school premises. So, as French respondent Stéphanie says on page 35, it is extremely difYicult for people from this background to imagine the concept of gasshuku - the rather common Japanese convention of staying somewhere off-campus for a few days with one’s school club to practice and socialize. In fact, French people Yind it hard to believe that almost all Japanese schools have a swimming pool, for that matter. In other Western countries, school clubs are an important part of student life, but the usual time commitment (except for a small minority of students who aim to compete at the highest levels) is limited to a few hours and one or two sessions per week. Belonging to a club is seen as something fun, and in most cases rather light. Putting in the hours In contrast, students are required to devote a great deal of time and effort to clubs in Japanese schools. There are of course differences across regions, schools and club types, but clubs generally feature strict hierarchies, non-negotiable attendance requirements and long hours of commitment. It is not uncommon for clubs to meet every weekday after (or sometimes before) classes and to have games, tournaments or performances on the weekend. As British respondent Catriona testiYies on page 36, “right from the outset it was clear that (for my daughter) there would be no time for anything else, and no family time…” This rigorous schedule does not sit well with a number of foreign parents in Japan, such Dirk who shares a story about his son Jakob on page 37, in the Culture Shock section of this unit. From his cultural background, Dirk is used to the “clubs are places for fun” cultural pattern, and his expectations clash quite violently with the “clubs with rigorous demands” cultural pattern described in the One Step Further section. He sees the commitment required as far too heavy, and antithetical to the balance he believes is vital for high school students- a balance of reasonable amounts of study, fun and social activities, family time and rest. Why all this effort? The author of an article in Tokyo Weekender summarized what might be said to be the most commonly- perceived value of club life in Japan, that is, to provide “a sense of shared emotions and sacriYice for the team”. She writes, “In the Yirst year of university in Japan, I joined the school orchestra. The group was pretty strict in rules and practice days, and we were required to give up on studying abroad and possibly other academic activities. I ended up quitting the group (I just couldn’t deal with all the restrictions), but many members were able to simply accept the situation and give up on their plans, like studying abroad for their career goals. I realized that this gave everyone a sense of shared emotions and sacriYice for the team, which I couldn’t relate to.” Response No. 7 in the One Step Further section from an American respondent evokes the social pressures associated with clubs: pressure to attend every practice session (even if one is not involved in the practice per se), and intense pressure not to quit, or ‘give up on your teammates.’ This is another aspect in which the way students behave in clubs might be seen as a microcosm of Japanese society. This might be a good topic to broach with students towards the end of this lesson- how have their experiences in clubs so far inYluenced the way in which they live their lives today? References and further reading • Been There, Learnt That: The Ins And Outs Of Japanese School Clubs ( Savvy Tokyo article) • Female Managers or Managing Females? Unpacking Japan’s ‘joshi mane’ phenomenon ( Metropolis article) • A very clear explanation of the difference between clubs and circles at Japanese universities

UNIT 5 | CULTURAL COMMENTARY

• Chie, N. (1970), Japanese Society ( 縦社会 ), Berkeley, CA: University of California Press Sociologist Nakane Chie describes Japanese society as a “vertical society,” in which one’s closest afYinity is with members of one’s organization. Members generally start at the bottom and work their way up through clearly- deYined ranks. By contrast, in “horizontal societies,” people feel closest to people of a similar social status (e.g. architects, accountants, steel workers), even if they belong to other groups or organizations. Clubs can be seen as one of the mechanisms of this cultural pattern. • Doi, T. (1973), The Anatomy of Dependence ( ⽢えの構造 ), Tokyo: Kodansha Psychologist Doi Takeo described the relationships between mother and child, and also the senior and junior members within a group (known in Japanese as senpai and kohai , respectively). Doi identiYied the key amae , an untranslatable Japanese word that conveys the relationship in which children or juniors depend on their seniors for care and indulgence. Seniors not only have authority over their juniors, but also the duty to take care of them. According to Doi, the interdependence at the core of amae is a universal emotion, but much more overtly expressed in Japanese society than in Western ones.

UNIT 5 | CULTURAL COMMENTARY

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