Throughout Term 4, our Year 7 Japanese students learned about Japanese sport and the language needed to talk about the sports they enjoy.
Students also learned about end of year carnivals in Japan and endeavoured to emulate some of the sports for their own sports challenge.
Students had fun with ‘Hurricane’, so called because, as the rows of students jump over a pole carried by their peers and then crouch down quickly, it looks like a strong wind has blown through the area. A whole class multi-legged race called ‘Our Hearts Are Not Separated’ is particularly challenging with students needing to be aware of each other and care for each other while being joined closely together. The third event is ‘Monkey’, so called because the monkey, a volunteer student preferably lightweight, runs across the backs of the other students who keep running to join the end of the row until the ‘monkey’ crosses the finish line. While participating the students were required to use the Japanese language to encourage one another’s efforts.
Success in these sports depends on cooperation rather than individual prowess. This reflects the corporate nature of the Japanese society which values the advancement of the group rather than the individual. From the Christian perspective, students are fulfilling Ephesians 4:32: being kind, forgiving, tender-hearted.
This was a points competition with points given for best times and for language being used. This year was outstanding with a record time for the multilegged race.
This year’s winning class was 7-3! Congratulations!