Teachers and Parents

The role of the teacher and the parent is very different in Japan. The biggest difference for me is blame. In the UK, if a child is misbehaving, we consider that the parents responsibility to correct the situation, in or out of class. Mostly, we believe it to be the parents fault as we should raise the child to have respect for adults and behave well.

Not so in Japan. Here it seems to be the teachers fault if the child is unruly. Teachers are responsible for the children. I was shocked at the festivals we had in my town, as the teachers have to act as chaperones to control and make sure the pupils behave, even though they are on weekends and evenings, its their responsibility. Where are the parents? The problem, I think, that also stems from this is the parents are also medalling. Maybe so in the UK, but the teachers seem very cautious about disciplining the students as if little Johnny goes home and tells his parents and that parent isn't happy, they will levy the PTA to get this teacher removed! I am shocked about how much students get away with in school; getting physical with teachers, talking back, reading books or manga in class and the worst for me, sleeping in class! Why aren't the parents sending these tired kids to bed at night?

So the parents expect the teachers to control their students, but they don't want them to discipline them! Anybody spot whats wrong with this picture?