Good Morning Flag Ceremony

You may remember that when I came back from National Holiday one of the changes at school was a flag pole. Now that there's a flag pole, there's also a weekly flag raising ceremony on Monday mornings.

The flag is walked through the courtyard, taken up the stairs to the second floor, and raised on the flag pole while first the marching band--composed of bugles, drums, and cymbals--plays, and then the national anthem is played over the speakers. The other students stand quietly, saluting as the flag is raised.

The ceremony is also a time to honor the classes and dormitory rooms which have been the best over the last week (I'm really not sure how this is decided)--one per grade and one per floor of the dormitory. This is also an opportunity for the head duty teacher to tell the students what they need to do better in the dorms. This week it involved putting their shoes away neatly. From my own week on duty I think this involves placing their shoes all in a row with the toes facing the bed, not the heels.

Lastly, we English teachers are supposed to teach an English phrase. It's hard to think of appropriate phrases for first through sixth grade that are actually useful on their own. If they never have the opportunity to use it they won't remember it. This week I simply taught them "Good morning!" As it is, I say hello to many of the students when I pass them in the courtyard or halls. Now I can also say good morning.