To think kids should clean schools as in Japan?

[brasty]

In Japan, kids clean up after themselves in schools. It is to teach them respect for their surroundings and to take responsibility for caring about those surroundings. AIBU to think this would be a good idea to introduce into British schools?

I can just imagine the AIBU if UK schools adopted this policy 😆!

DD did a project comparing UK and Japanese children's lives and the children cleaning the schools was in one of the books she used for research so it must be at least partly true.

The kids at our school do litter pick up in the playground/recycle their juice cartons etc from packed lunches and help tidy the classroom. I think that's enough tbh, mine have chores to do at home as well so would not be best pleased at being told told clean toilets covered in others kids urine. And yes the chemicals being used would a massive issue for me as DS is allergic to parabens and we only use natural cleaning products at home.

Tidy up after themselves yes, clean no.

I think plenty of people work in jobs where they have to clean up after themselves.

Our shop doesn't employ a cleaner. Everyone chips in and cleans - and yes, that includes mopping, vacuuming and cleaning the toilet.

There are things you can do within schools to teach kids resoect like putting thank you to the cleaner up outside the classroom or asking the cleaner to award stars for 5he state of the ckassroom.

I have worked in eight Japanese schools now; it is definitely true!

Kids tidy up their tables and under the tables after each session. If they spill something,they grab paper towels and clean it up. If they play with something it gets put away by them,same with the role play,golden time etc. It's more than enough. They wouldn't be able to use chemicals/bleach etc for a proper clean,and trust me you do want surfaces cleaned proper. Some kids can be absolutely icky.

They DO clean up after themselves.

Oh you mean the actual cleaning?

No of course they shouldn't be doing that.

Yes I have worked in places where we take turns cleaning toilets and the floors.
I have worked in nurseries as well with no cleaners and cleaned up after kids mess as well, which was much more disgusting than cleaning up after other adults. But then I don't see cleaning as a job beneath me, which I suspect some here do.

It's not beneath me or my kids. But school is for learning. Not cleaning.

I never said it was beneath me Bratsy. I was simply going to ask if you still manages to respect your work space if you didn't.

In every catering job I did cleaning down the kitchen was part and parcel so sweep, mop etc. in my office jobs it was cleaning up your own mess so desk, wipe over sides if use kitchen. When we hire a venue for volunteering job its everything . I don't think I respected either one place or the other more. I want more inclined to drop crumbs on the floor knowing I wouldn't have to mop up.

The way the budget cuts are going it might soon be a viable cost cutting idea though...

Tidying is ok but not cleaning as there are chemicals used, I wouldn't clean my office (I tidy though) and it would be doing all of the cleaners out of a job.

Doesn't happen to my knowledge in Japan and parents would be furious if it did. Kids in Japan have some of the longest days in the world - many leave the house at 6am and don't return home until 8-9pm or later. They don't have time for anything except sleep and study!

This is a FB meme that's been doing the rounds for some while - and it's not new . Article from New York Ties 1995 www.nytimes.com/1995/07/18/world/japan-s-schools-safe-clean-not-much-fun.html?pagewanted=all

^But I do think respect for your own environment is important as is learning to take responsibility.
When I was at school we used to do litter pick up.^

OTOH, the kids who were dropping litter in the first place were not taking any responsibilty for their environment.

Kids should be expected to tidy up after themselves. This may include sweeping the floor if mess has been made during an activity, wiping up spills, putting things away or in the bin. Actual cleaning should be done by cleaners as it is in most workplaces. And anything involving body fluids should be done by an adult with correct training and equipment.

I have seen it on documentaries and films about / from Japan. I certainly got the impression that it is very much part of the school day.

Japanese society is very equal, unlike British society. In some schools children also dish out the school meals to their peers - then they tidy up. Saying thank you is part of the ritual. They take turns so everyone has a go. Things like this sit uncomfortably with British people, the social connotations are just too negative: serving food, clearing up after others, mopping floors, cleaning toilets are all seen as demeaning and humiliating rather than part of life.

I've worked in a shop where we swept and mopped floors at the end of every day and if it needed doing during the day, plus cleaned shelves on an ad hoc basic deli staff were responsible for cleaning all equipment, ovens and sinks. We still had cleaners come in weekly.

I now work in an office which has cleaners but if we have a desk move everyone cleans their own desk and the one they're moved to cause some people are dirty bastards with household cleaning spray and anti bac wipes

Cleaning isn't beneath me but it's not what I'm paid to do. My employer pays me to do my job and the cleaners to do a different job.

In my experience of teaching a Japanese school, the children did do some light cleaning and they helped serve the lunches.

Except the cleaning was pretty slapdash, and only with water as others have mentioned (it was a Junior High School, so some young-ish kids). And the baseball team were exempt, and certain other children who were considered special/more important for reasons I never managed to fathom.

So not the great example of equality some might expect.

And yes, much falling asleep in class (baseball team again seemed to get in less trouble).

at least I didn't teach in the senior high school like my friend, where some of the students would regularly tie up other students with their school ties and put them in a cupboard. It was considered "just a bit of fun" by the teachers

I think it's a great idea, and common in a few countries, not just Japan.

The main thought behind it is that if a child knows that they'll be cleaning up, they won't make ridiculous mess.

Look under any British high school desk and you'll find gum. There's writing on the toilet walls, dirt and muck on the floors because no one wipes their feet, and rubbish on lunch tables and scattered around the school grounds. Children make the mess freely, because they know that cleaning it up is not their problem.

If a child knows that they will have to clean the mess, they'll try their best not to create it in the first place. As a result, cleaning up is quick and easy.

I don't believe that toilet cleaning is involved, just classrooms and communal hallways/areas. Feel free to correct me, however.

I wouldn't have faith in my children's ability to clean thoroughly! I'd much rather they just tidied up after themselves.

I like how the New York Times article says that Japanese schools only have six weeks of summer holiday - most UK parents seem to think that is far too long.

Maybe it would be better to get kids to clean up, and cleaners do a proper clean with chemicals? So kids can tidy up and sweep up, but cleaners clean toilets and mop floors.

DD cleans the floors at home. Wonder if i can get her a job yet 😬

@brasty but kids already do that. For example when they're sharpening pencils and they make a mess they'll pick it up and put it in the bin. Same with paper,pencils,glue etc.
If we're painting in art,they wipe the tables down after. The classroom HAS to be tidy for the cleaners to be able to clean. Sweeping /mopping is not really needed as most areas are carpeted,but like i said they clear up any spills.