I decided to go to Okishou (沖小) Okigo Elementary School, considering I had spent one (long and tiring) week at the school, very unusual for me, as I normally just make one or two day visits at a time to each school. They were obviously very interested and enthusiastic about English, with some teachers who had good English ability, so it was quite an easy choice to make!
Basically the event was in a similiar format to the Junior High School graduation ceremony, only with more cuteness and perhaps a little more energy injected into it! The thing that really shook me up about the event was that I had no idea I would be considered a guest of honour at the ceremony. The children all sit in the main area of the hall, the teachers always sit at right hand side of the hall in rows arranged vertically to the stage, and the guests of the school sit on the other, left-hand side of the stage, in rows vertically arranged. So the teachers face the guests and the guests face the teachers.
I dressed up smart for the occaision (luckily!), but just thought I would be able to slip in amongst the parents and see what happens at an Elementary graduation. I arrived at the school, was ticked off the list and then upon trying to go into the hall, was promptly told to go into the principal's room. Inside this room was the mayor, principal of the junior school, PTA leaders, various important figures from local businesses, and me, the ALT! This shook me up just a little bit because it meant that I would be noticed more and I stood out more, and also during the ceremony the vice principal introduces the guests to the audience and children, after which they all stand up and give a quick 'Congratulations' to the graduation children and their parents. Altogether there might have been 20 guests and I was maybe 18th in the line, but as the introductions began, I had time to think - what should I say?!
As a result of not being prepared for where I was going to be and what I would have to do in this ceremony, I was a little nervous and shakey, so I could sense that my Japanese would be a little bit tongue-tied, but, considering I was the City's native English language teacher, would the parents want, or expect me to use my native language, and encourage their children to familiarise themselves with a language they might understand very little at that moment, but that they would very soon have to learn!
It seems like a minor dilemma, but in time I came up with a quick Japanese 'omodeto gozaimsu' (the usual phrase of best wishes, or congratulations) and then a quick English 'congratulations' (in hindsight I might have been better with a more simple 'Well Done'!) but all in all I think I handled the situation quite well!
What was most provoking and interesting about the Elementary graduation ceremony was that the graduating 6th graders were all wearing their new Junior High School uniforms. I wondered how they would look smart, because in Elementary school they don't wear any uniform. When they started to walk in, it was a bold marker of the transition they were about to make from their first school which they started at the age of 6/7 years old, to the new second school they were about to enter at the age of 13 years old.
It was still a very long ceremony though, with a lot of decorum and protocol, and the other young students from 1st grade to 5th grade did an impressive job of keeping (fairly) well-mannered and looking not too bored!
My view from the "guests" section of the hall!
All the graduating students in their shiny brand new uniforms. It won't be long before they look scuffered and a little bit worn!
Similar to the Junior High School ceremony, the students leave the hall through an archway of lovely...tissue paper flowers!
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