What are the Handouts from School Like?
Japanese school children receive various handouts at school. There are many different topics and it may be confusing until you get the hang of it. Here are some tips on how to differentiate what is necessary from what is unnecessary, and how to sort the information you receive.
○The Contents of Handouts from Elementary School
Though it may vary depending on the school, there are mainly four different types of content among the handouts from elementary schools.
１．Yearly School Schedule, Class List, and Tablet Device Information
Handouts with important information including the yearly school schedule and a list of your child’s classmates are distributed at the beginning of the school year. In recent years, many schools provide a tablet computer to each student. In that case, a handout with the log-in information for the tablet is also provided at the entrance ceremony or the beginning of the school year. As each of these handouts includes very important information, make sure to put them in a file and keep them in a safe place. It is also a good idea to take a photo of the information and store it as data.
２．Grade News and Class News
Handouts like grade news and class news provide you with some important information such as your child’s schedule and what to bring for classes. Make sure to read through them. Also, keep in mind that information about what to bring may be provided in more than one handout. Japanese schools require students to bring various things to school. Make sure to check out what is needed and make a note on the calendar so you don’t have to panic by realizing the needs later.
３．Documents Required to be Submitted
Parents are often required to respond to questions from the school. This type of handout is expected to be sent back to school with students after the space to enter the response is filled. Important questions relating to group purchases of school supplies and school event attendance may be asked on these handouts. As most of them have a deadline for responses, make sure to submit the response by the deadline.
４．Event Information and Report Documents
Some handouts provide you with service information of local facilities and private enterprises. These can be disposed after being read. Some report documents regarding PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) can be stored if needed, and the rest can be disposed. Some of the PTA reports may include financial information such as account settlement, and shredding them might be a good way to dispose of them.
○How to Organize Handouts
As there are many handouts from elementary school, the best way to organize them is to separate them for each child and store them in folders located in a specific place. It is also important to make a habit of disposing unnecessary documents. For important information that may be useful in the future, it is recommended to either write it down on your calendar or take a photo to store as data.
Certain information such as what to bring may be provided in multiple handouts. Make sure to check the information again when organizing the handouts so as not to miss anything.
The most important thing regarding handouts is to make sure your child brings them home and shows them to you. As a parent, it is important for you to make a habit of asking them if they received any handouts to avoid missing an important one, as your child may not manage them very well.