How Do Japanese Children Safely Go To School On Their Own?
https://chiku.setagayashakyo.or.jp/member/detail/1136
Japanese kids go to school on their own. Every weekday morning from 7:45 to
8:25, volunteers stand at checkpoints to watch over the kids and
ensure they arrive at school safely. Positioned strategically to control
traffic when kids are crossing, the volunteers warmly greet them by saying,
“Good
morning. Have a safe walk.”
“(Ohayo gozaimasu. Itte rasshai)
As one of these volunteers, I can
share what typically happens when I greet the kids. About 100 students pass by
me, so I say "Good morning. Have a safe walk" around 100 times.
Surprisingly, most of them bow to me with a cheerful "Good morning."
When a kid does this, before I greet
him/her, I intentionally raise my voice so others who follow can hear,
exclaiming,
"Wow, you’re so polite! Amazing. Have a fantastic day!"
In response, several children who
come after that particular kid also bow and say, "Good morning."
January 12, 2022, was an
unforgettable day for me. It was the first school day of the new year. I was
greeting the students as usual when a group of three boys suddenly stopped in
front of me. In addition to "good morning," they deeply bowed to me
in unison and said,
"A happy new year."
What a culture! This would not happen in a year or two. There is a deep-rooted culture that has been handed down through generations. I intend to do my best to pass it on to the next generation. My dream is that eventually, all 100 students will say "Good morning" to me before I have the chance to say it to them.
Another unforgettable day was June 2, 2023. I was enjoying a pleasant evening walk, not volunteering. A boy walking from the other side unexpectedly spoke to me, saying
"Goaisatsu"
(greeting)
by which he meant, "I know you for the Good morning thing." I was surprised because when I volunteer, I wear special clothing and carry a yellow flag (see the figure above) so that the students easily recognize me. But this time, I was wearing my own clothes. I was pleasantly surprised that he remembered me by my face. It felt good.
On another morning, a boy came up to me and said, "I found this, but what should I do with it? At school, they tell us to ask an adult nearby if we find something lost." He showed me what looked like a brooch. I replied, "That's right, you should show it to your homeroom teacher and ask what to do." The boy thanked me and went on to school.
One morning, as usual, I was ensuring the safety of the students and greeting them with a "Good morning" when a young girl, probably in the lower grades of elementary school, approached me and said, "The zipper on my jacket is stuck..." I managed to fix the zipper for her. The girl said "Thank you" and continued on her way to school.I believe these small interactions are crucial for the safety of the community.
It is my understanding that this volunteering work is not unique to my neighborhood. It happens throughout Japan.
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