I like that Japanese schools really incorporate meals into the kids' broader educations. (She still doesn't finish on days when there's paprika or kabocha in the lunch... 🫠)

I recently got to sit in on a doutoku lesson in my 2nd grader's class. They talked about honoring life in various ways, one of which was trying not to let kyuushoku go to waste (thereby wasting the life of the fish, or wasting the veggies which could have been consumed by another animal, etc.).

isn't meant to replace ALT's. There should be native English teachers overseeing the lessons still.

As much potential for good there is, I really hope the plan comes with ample training for teachers and administrators. Unleashing generative AI on a population of users that isn't very well versed in the pitfalls is unfair to them and the students. I also hope the idea of using it for English

It really helps foster this sense of community, which is such a big part of Japanese culture. It also exposes the kids to a variety of future life paths, and teaches them to see the value in everything from a teacher to a shop clerk to a priest.

about what each one does, their history, who they serve, and what it's like to work there. Many of them are designated "safe spots" for kids in danger, so the kids learn to look for which establishments have that badge in case of emergency.

I love the idea of schools partnering with local establishments, like hospitals. What a great way to get the students a bit of interaction and even real world experience with what lies beyond graduation.

Haha, same!

saying the normal pronunciation of three, “san,” you make it “sabu!” Usually two is “ni” but on occasion it’s “nin!”

I have no idea if this is a mnemonic device that helps somehow, or just tradition carried over.

Oh I know! It’s one of those that I would never be able to guess without context since it’s so different from English.

I also had a hard time with シチュー. I mean, I understand why it’s pronounced that way but it took me so long to figure out it was stew 🤦🏻‍♀️

reverse engineer the English version mid-sentence. My two favorites were my daughter asking at breakfast for more "Bay corn" (bacon -> bēkon) and my son asking me to hand him his "...shabedder??" (shovel -> shaberu).

Tim Duncan with the "Almost!" and "Nice try!"

Yeah, I feel the same. For decades Kerri Strugg's iconic vault was one of my favorite sports moments ever, but now I feel so conflicted. Not to take anything from her or the other athletes, I just wish they hadn't had to endure what they did.