Itano Nishi Elementary School

 

Itano Nishi Elementary School is located in Itano cho, the northern part of Tokushima, Japan.

 

Itano cho is surrounded by blessed rich nature, Asan Mountains in the north and Yoshino River in the south.

徳島市北部 阿讃山脈.JPG

 

Tokushima is located on the island of Shikoku, which is famous for eighty-eight pilgrimage site.

Temple 4 Dainichiji and Temple 5 Jizoji are near the school, and students clean the area around both temples every spring.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Kokuganzan-dainichiji-sanmon.JPG/220px-Kokuganzan-dainichiji-sanmon.JPG

 

Founded in 1874, Itano Nishi Elementary School has been proud of its traditional history of education.

The school motto is “Independence, Volunteering, and Friendship.”

Teachers’ goal is to foster each child, with the spiritual foundation of respect for others, to be healthy in both mind and body, and to be intelligent and creative.

ようこそ板野西小学校へ 

 

The school size is quite small, from Primary to Grade 6, 115 students in all.

On a typical day, students assemble in their classroom by 8:15. The first class of the day starts at 8:35 to

9:20; class periods are 45 minutes each. The subjects students study are Japanese, math, science, social

studies, music, PE, home economics, English, and many other topics.

http://www.vortis.jp/site_data/blog/bl_942_img4.jpghttp://www.pref.tokushima.jp/_files/00674553/IMG_2368.jpg

 

Lunch is from 12:20 to 12:50. Students, teachers and school staffs eat school lunch “Kyushoku” every

day. At the classrooms, students serve their own meals and eat together.

After lunch, students clean up their classroom, hallways and even the bathrooms.

The final period usually ends at 15:30.

http://www.vortis.jp/site_data/blog/bl_1880_img4.JPG

Students from different grades form teams, called “Waku Waku Kids.” They make 8 groups and enjoy various activities, for example, assemblies and cleaning the pilgrimage route. Through these activities, older students support younger students and younger students respect and adore the older students. Strengthening friendship with each other, students learn many things that they can’t study at the classroom and can grow up more fully together.

http://wwwa.pikara.ne.jp/itano-nishi/Pikara/iso/IMG_178611.jpghttp://www.netwave.or.jp/~itn1/katudou/CIMG08773.jpg

 

Every morning, from 8:15 to 8:25, they have a reading time. Students bring their favorite books from the library or their home, and enjoy reading. Also, once a month, parents and people in the community come to school to read books as volunteers.

http://blog-imgs-56-origin.fc2.com/s/h/i/shigeruchan/IMG_1730s.jpghttp://www1.e-hon.ne.jp/content/images/asadoku_0237p.jpg

 

Grade 5 and 6 students have English classes every week. At Itano Nishi Elementary School, students from Primary to Grade 4 also have English classes once a month.

Students try to do their school broadcasting both in Japanese and in English every day.

http://www.netwave.or.jp/~itn1/eigo/P10301171.jpg