close up of stack of texts

First Day for new Ichinensei at Taisha Chu - 13
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Here is the huge stack of BRAND NEW textbooks that EACH 7th grader had waiting on his/her desk as they entered their new homerooms after the opening ceremony.

They don't have hand-me-down text books here, like we did in America. They use their books much more here, writing in many of them, and they are all soft covers, which decreases durability but also makes them less heavy in their backpacks.
You can see the one slim volume for English tucked in the middle of this stack. It's not a bad textbook, and I don't mind teaching it, I just wish we could go "off-book" in our classes more and not adhere so strictly to making sure the kids memorize every detail of the book.