5th October 2021
School clubs start from primary school. However from junior high school they become a bigger part of school life.
At state1 junior high schools students usually go to the nearest school. At high schools, both state and private, students usually go to a school that is not their nearest high school. There are various factors2 that make the students choose their school and a big factor for some students is the school club they want to join.
Most schools have more than twenty clubs. There are cultural clubs such as the school orchestra, The Tea Ceremony Club or the chance to make rock bands. Sports clubs or physical activity clubs include baseball or The Dance Club. The school club is more important than the local club in a community a lot of the time.
Depending on the club, clubs can be intense3, with some clubs competing in city or national competitions. Students in the more intense clubs might do their club six days a week or more, for two or three hours after school during the week and more at the weekend.
On the plus side students may feel a group bonding – they feel they are working towards a common goal. They also can get confidence and satisfaction from doing things for their school. Students often control things by themselves, without needing the teacher. For example, students are expected to clean up and put away things after their club session is over. This can help students learn responsibilities4. On the negative side doing long clubs and lessons with their schoolmates can cause stress and students often become very tired – too tired for.. school!
Another big thing about the club system in Japan is the 先輩、後輩 (senpai / kōhai) system. This is a seniority5 system. The students with higher seniority, usually the higher grade students, tell the younger grade students how to do things. The younger grade students are expected to show respect to the more senior students.
Again you could say this system has pluses and minuses. On the plus side this can help students learn respect. On the negative side students can use their power too much sometimes, especially if a teacher is not involved much.
Some teachers choose or try to choose schools to work at thinking about the club they want to do. For other teachers the club is a big burden6.
It seems the intense system at some clubs and schools is being relaxed a little due to changes in the working environment. What do you think about the whole club thing?
2. ‘factor’
<Example sentences>
■The new school building was a big factor when she chose her school.
■Think of all the factors and then decide about which college you want to go to.
■Do you think the weather is the most important factor when deciding to climb a mountain?
4. ‘responsibility’
<Example sentences>
■It is the responsibility of parents to give their children food.
■Is answering the telephone part of your responsibilities at work?
■ With more seniority, you have more responsibilities.
5. ‘seniority’ ‘senior’
<Example sentences>
■She is senior to me. I am her junior.
■Can you tell me about the seniority system in that company?
■Is the seniority system based on age or another factor?
■He is older than me but I have been working longer than him in the office, so I have more seniority than him. I am senior to him.
6. ‘burden’
<Example sentences>
■Looking after her old mother is a big burden for her.
■I don’t want to be a burden but can I stay at your house for a week?
■Paying the rent every month is a burden they want to escape from!
■What clubs were / are popular at school?
■Were / are you in a club at school?
■Did / do you do any competitions with other schools? Did you compete against other schools?
■ What type of clubs did / do you have at your school?
■Do you have a seniority system in schools at schools in ～?
■Did / do you get satisfaction from doing your club?
- in this sentence ‘state’ means a school controlled by the government, not a private school. In American English state school is called a public school. In British English a public school means a private school!
- ‘factors’ means the ‘reasons’ for doing something.
- in this meaning ‘intense’ means not casual, not relaxed – serious.
- an important thing that you have to do that affects other people. A duty.
- ‘seniority’ means the level of position in a group, usually because of age or the amount of time you’ve been in that group.
- a duty that makes you have a lot of work and stress.