Though the present Japanese educational system is similar to that of the U.S. (six years of elementary school followed by three years of junior high school then three years of high school, and four years of college) the actual school culture will be different than its counterpart found in the U.S.

For many students school is their complete life. Many students even attend juku or "cram school" after regular school hours. Entrance exams are given only once a year in February or March. If a student fails these exams then he or she has to wait an entire year to retake them. Therefore studying is an important part of their daily life. Some students even attend school on Saturday a nd Sunday to participate in their club activities. Club activities occur almost everyday after school and usually won't end until you have already left for the day. Club activities vary from school to school but are generally sports such as basketball, baseball, soccer, or for some can be art or music. These are very important to the students as they provide a social interaction as well as a few moments of entertainment.

•Moka Chu
•Higashi Chu
•Nakamura Chu
•Nishi Chu
•Ouchi Chu
•Yamazaki Chu

As an AET you will be required to work Monday through Friday, from eight in the morning until four forty-five with an hour for lunch. Sometimes school events will require you to work on a Saturday or a Sunday but you will usually be compensated with a day off later in the week. Depending on the amount of students in the school you will have around 15 to 20 classes a week. You will be the only AET at your particular school and you will teach every student in the school including the special education students. You will be expected to teach English with a Japanese teacher. This is considered "team teaching". As each individual person has a unique personality so does each Japanese Teacher. Hence just as in everyday life there are some teachers that you may enjoy more than others. You must learn to adapt to each situation if you are to succeed as an AET.

There are times when you will attend an elementary school to teach for a day or half a day. In the Nakamura area for example, there are four elementary schools. Each one is visited at least twice a year for an English lesson ranging from 11 students to 33 at a time, depending on the size of the school.

Notable differences:
You will find that the students will remain in the same class and it is the teachers who will change from period to period. Before each class you will be in the teachers room and one or two students will approach you and request your presence. Once the bell rings you will follow your co-worker to the classroom. Once you are in class the students in unison will stand and greet you and then take their seats.

Janitors - There are no school janitors. Students and school staff are responsible for the general upkeep and cleanliness of the school. It's not an uncommon sight to walk by an unattended classroom and witness a group of students climbing a carefully stacked mound of desks and chairs to change a light bulb.

There are no showers at the school. Bring a towel if you happen to ride your bike on a particularly hot summer day and try to freshen up as much as possible.

Most japanese teachers tend to dress business casual. Wearing a t-shirt and ripped jeans would not be acceptable. A tie is not always necessary but most male japanese teachers do wear one everyday. There are numerous school ceremonies (i.e. graduation) when a suit and tie would be required. You are given a locker and it is advised that you keep a spare suit as well as a tie or two for those occasions when someone forgets to inform you that it was picture day or some other event. Since all students are required to wear uniforms it's probably a good idea to always try to look professional.

Shoes: As in most japanese buildings you are not allowed to wear your outdoor shoes inside. There is an area in most buildings where you slip off your shoes and change into your "indoor" shoes. These indoor shoes are used in all the rooms of the school with a few exceptions. If you want to enter the gym you must change into your "gym-shoes".

Note:This is based upon an average day in the 300 student school of Nakamura chu.

7:45 - 8:00am	Arrive with about fifteen minutes until work begins. Change clothes in the locker room and be at the desk by eight.
8:00 - 8:45am	The morning meeting begins promptly at eight. After the meeting this is the time to ask your sensei what if any events are scheduled for the day. The meeting is followed by preparation for the days classes.
8:45 - 12:35pm	Periods one through four take place. Depending on your schedule you could teach only two classes or all four. You will have a schedule that you can refer to.
12:35 - 1:30pm	Lunch is served. If you choose to pay the monthly fee of ¥5,000 then your lunch will be served in the teachers room.
1:35 - 3:25pm	Periods five and six
3:30 - 3:45pm	Cleaning time. You along with everyone else will begin to clean the school. The students are all assigned an area to clean. Bathrooms, classrooms as well as raking leaves outside are all done by the staff and students.
3:45 - 4:05pm	Students homeroom meeting
summer: 4:10-6:15pm winter: 4:10 - 5:00pm	Club activities. Leave school at 4:45pm