I’m targeting high-school/university teachers mostly with this, as in my experience this isn’t really an issue in elementary/JHS. I’m talking about students who **never** take their mask off in public.
Before Covid-19 this was an issue with at least 1 or 2 students per class per year, mostly girls who had some kind of psychological issue related to their appearance. I recall graduation photo sessions where they were asked to take off their masks for one photo for literally one minute, and they were brought to tears. There was literally nothing wrong with them physically, entirely psychological.
Then Covid happened and we went online, there was no reason to wear a mask inside your own home, so this transformed to those students just turning off their camera, “I don’t have a webcam” they would say, except in a one-on-one situation where the camera would magically work again.
It’s now 2023, most people don’t wear masks in Japan outside, but these “always maskers” seem to remain. In fact in my experience at university they have increased to 5-6 students per class.
I was just wondering about others’ experiences, I no longer teach at high-school so would like to know if the increase has happened there too.
Update: the vote seems to be split between:
A “who cares let them wear masks it doesn’t affect my teaching”
B “it makes it harder to teach and remember their names”
I personally ask the students to remove their masks for presentations and conversation tests, and 100% are happy to comply if it’s in a private room with just the teacher and their test partner, about 90% comply if it’s in front of the whole class too!
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My second and third year junior high students have not taken their masks off once outside of lunchtime this entire year. So It definitely still happens at the junior high school level.
I never notice because It literally has no bearing on my ability to teach. If they want to wear a mask then more power to them 🤷😂
The only problem i have with wearing masks is that if loads of students are wearing them I find it really hard to learn and remember their names.
They should wear masks in public, influenza is high gear over here and the pandemic only ended as a government classification.
My classes are still relatively half and half
In my 12 years in Japan, there have always been some people in a mask, any day, any time, any season.
Currently, it is cold & flu season. Many people wearing masks as they have a cough or sore throat or want to avoid one. Dry air and a mask keeps nose from being painful. Flu cases arrived early.
Spring: loads of people with hayfever. I wear a mask outside and often inside in the high pollen season as my pollen allergy in Tokyo is so bad.
On the plane: some wear masks as the air is dry and recirculated and a mask filters out some and keeps nose and throat from drying and pain.
As the mask shouldn’t affect your teaching, so not worry about it. And feel free to wear a mask yourself as it gets drier and colder.
I teach 3 regular university courses (about 20 students in each) and 2 seminar groups (4-5 in each). I would say about half wear masks in the regular courses, and all of them wear masks in the seminar groups. Many of the female students have told me they wear masks because they don’t want to bother with makeup. I also know there are many who wear masks so that they don’t have to follow the norm of forced smiling when dealing with others. I once watched two students practicing how to make it look like they were smiling by squinting their eyes. One would guess if the other was smiling, and the other would pull down their mask to reveal whether or not they were. Then they would discuss what degree of squinting gave the best depiction of smiling. My guess is that a low number wear masks for the purpose of disease control, although that will be the reason they give.
I literally don’t understand the problem?
Let them wear a mask , it hurts no one and affects nothing.
People in Japan wore masks all the time for decades before COVID was ever a thing.
Being able to just pop on a mask and nobody having an aneurysm is one of this country’s strong points.
Is it hurting you in some way? Let them be…half the kids at my school still wear masks…it’s not hurting me. Even I wear masks at work because this time of year is flu season and I’m going back home for xmas, don’t want to get sick between now and then.
If it’s not affecting anything, just let it be.
I teach at a university and there are a couple kids (boys, actually) who never take their masks off. Doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother them 🤷🏼♀️ of course I would prefer to see their faces, but if wearing a mask makes them more comfortable for whatever reason then that’s fine too 👍
I work in Eikaiwa and it makes my job much easier if no one wears a mask. I can find problems with their pronunciation/mouth/tongue position etc and work with facial gestures to remember flash cards.
However lately I have been getting sick every few weeks. In fact I’m off with the flu for the first time in my life right now, so I’m kind of torn on my position regarding masks.
In a recent elementary school observation day, I counted 4 or 5 masked fourth-year kids in each of the four classes of 20 to 35 I observed.
I don’t have knowledge of junior high school or high school students.
In my university classes, only about 10% of my 400+ students this year have always worn masks, but over the last six weeks or so the number of people wearing a mask in any given session has increased.
I teach at a girls-only high school. The vast majority of students keep their masks on, even in photos. Many of them try to cover their face more than that when it’s a photo – some will just completely duck out of it. Basically only the super confident girls remove their masks.
It’s sad, honestly, that hiding your face has become so normalized now. I’m all for masks when it’s a safety concern, but the majority of students who have talked to me about it say nothing about safety, it’s all about not liking their face and thinking they’re ugly and not wanting to ever have to go out in public without a mask again.
My advice is don’t worry about what other people wear. It’s their business and theirs alone.
I think the issue has become unnecessarily polarizing for no good reason and it’s almost pointless to discuss it. Some people will wear a mask every day until they die and others will never wear one again unless you absolutely force them to do so.
Masks have always been more common whenever flu season is in high gear. Students, especially those who are facing entrance exams, are probably more likely to wear masks in order to protect themselves/those around them.
> There was literally nothing wrong with them physically, entirely psychological.
This is so telling. One I have no idea how you are making this judgement. Two, there are so many cultural issues/expectations around appearance and make-up, etc., it is not surprising that some people are insecure, and that some people take the “easy” route of just wearing a mask.
there was also a slight increase in my anecdotal experience.
Anyway, it’s pretty much a non-issue!
I’m pro-choice on masks.
It’s normal. We are just getting out of a COVID wave and getting into flu season. Students wearing masks right now is totally normal.
Also, while yes, I can see ways they might impact daily class routines, I don’t see why a competent teacher can’t work around them – the impact isn’t *that* significant. Can’t hear students? Ask them to speak up. It’s only a couple mm of fabric and they need to speak up generally when wearing a mask anyway. Can’t memorize their face? Why not? We all learned students’ names during mandatory masking, and now you have fewer masked students to tell apart. Can’t tell how they’re feeling? Ask them. Can’t see how they’re shaping their mouth for pronunciation? Show your unmasked pronunciation, draw diagrams, and infer from their sound what they should do.
It’s such a minor inconvenience to work around.
Let me add to the “why is this an issue?” pile.
Doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I make a big deal of holding my hand in front of their face to recognize them in public as a joke.
Most of the faculty at the school I teach at, including me, are wearing masks today.
Everyone was stuck inside with nothing to do but watch TikTok reels (more than they already were). With all the IG Models who have teams to do their make-up and and design filters to make them as beautiful as possible, of course more students came back with self-esteem issues about their appearance.
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P.S. As a man, I sometimes prefer to just keep my mask on all week so I don’t have to worry about a perfect shave. Especially in the winter when my mirror is always fogged up and it’s hard to get all the spots evenly.
There’s always one or two kids who don’t take off their masks. I have a boy with hives who prefers to keep it hidden and some shy girls. It’s not gonna go away because it’s been part of Japanese culture for a long while.
It happened before Covid too. Social anxiety is one reason. Not having make-up on is another reason for girls.
I don’t mind too much, but it does make it hard to recognize and remember them, it’s true.
Leave them be.
I work primarily in elementary school, and let me just say… I *wish* this was my problem. The flu, and covid to a lesser extent, is running rampant through my classes, and I’ve been sick twice this fall because of it. I started wearing my mask again *because* kids are so germy.
Not a response to you specifically (sorry), but after reading this thread and facepalming so many times I have to say something.
“It hurts no one and affects nothing.”
Absolutely ridiculous statement. It affects the teacher’s ability to teach (can’t learn students’ names, can’t accurately read their expressions to know if they understand or not, can’t pinpoint what pronunciation mistake they’re making, etc.), it affects the students ability to learn (can’t see the pronunciation of their peers, can’t express themselves as strongly in class, etc.) and it affects society broadly, particularly in how it normalizes non-direct interactions and generates anxiety in people. I have so many students who, even prior to masking, struggled with social anxiety. Now, with all the anxiety around people’s faces, they’re in an even tougher situation.
Masking should be a personal choice. No one should be forced to remove their masks against their will and, though the data is mixed on exactly how useful masks are at protecting against disease, there are some people with pre-existing conditions or immune-compromised family members for whom the decision to wear a mask is understandable. However, for the overwhelming majority of people, wearing masks is both pointless and harmful. Dealing with people face to face, and learning social cues from such interactions is an essential part of growing up, as well as of living in a free and open society.
Does it really matter tho??
Never a bad idea to ask people, as individuals, why they do the things that they do.
When I started college (very much prior to Covid), I noticed many people on trains and some of my classmates would wear them. I didn’t know why, so I asked. All of my classmates who wore masks were all from Asian countries. Their reasons ranged from pollution (which, can get pretty bad in the eastern hemisphere) to flu transmission to seasonal allergies.
I had one person tell me they wore a mask because they didn’t have make-up on. I didn’t see it as an insecurity as much as a sign that their skin might feel more sensitive than usual. Today’s make-up is often made with SPF and i know how it feels to leave the house with your skin feeling unprotected. Sometimes people with sensitive skin benefit from an extra layer. Didn’t feel any need to chastise them for this.
In 2018, there were fires in the Bay Area that blocked out the sun miles away from the source. It wasn’t just woodlands this time, though. It was from burning homes. Everyone was advised to wear masks to reduce the risk of breathing in particulates. (Side note: I wish they advised this after 9/11! I know a lot of people who lived nearby that developed respiratory issues shortly after, so maybe it could’ve helped?)
I think I’m less concerned about other people’s comfort levels when it comes to mask wearing because of my past experiences. I definitely don’t mind wearing a mask in industrial environments because I value my lungs.
Also, if I know I will be in close range of a lot of other people, I will wear a mask sometimes because you can smell everyone’s cologne/perfume or strong body odor. Sometimes my stomach just ain’t having it and I don’t feel like being nauseous.
Why does this matter? What’s ok for you might not be ok for them. And vice Versa. I wouldn’t even think twice about it.
Leave the students alone if they want to continue wearing their masks. It’s none of your God damn business what other people are wearing.
Nobody has the time to get sick in this society, especially students… hence mask. COVID could potentially screw them for weeks if its bad and the flu will guarentee at least a week off. Bad feels all around so be sympathetic, its not going to stop here for a long long time.
I can tell you that those who went through their high school years during covid, years which are really formative for learning social interactions, have arrived in university behaving like middle schoolers.
And yes, plenty of universities have had to boost their hiring of psychologists since not until the return from covid you had so many students with psychological issues related to “social distance”: having panic attack just being in a classroom with others, not mentioning speaking in front others. Hell, they think showing their face is a chore… good luck having a life.
Such behaviors should not be normalized. The always masked up students are most often in the antechamber of being hikikomori.
>It’s now 2023, most people don’t wear masks in
Am writing this from a train right now. The seven people in the seats front of me are all wearing masks.
My JHS students are still wearing masks, same as half the teachers . I did take mine off for a few months but now influenza breaking out I’ve decided to put it back on.
I do not have an answer for you, but want to say your question is quite important, so no wonder you’re getting downvoted here. This issue goes way beyond simple choice, and there’s a lot of info out there about the various detrimental effects of prolonged mask use, not only physical but also psychological.
Since the beginning of the pandemic I’ve noticed that women and girls (and westerners in general) have been way more anal about mask use than (Japanese) men and boys. It’s been quite interesting to observe.
I mean… I’m not taking my mask off because the amount of students who are sick is crazy. I’m not going to make anyone else take theirs off.
EDIT: Also as a face blind person, is it not easy for other people to remember people’s names from their non-facial features? I have no problem remembering people’s names and I can’t recognise any faces.
I don’t remove my mask when teaching. It’s a personal decision.
A lot of my coworkers and kids wear masks. I wear my mask every day, even out to shops etc. I’m just used to it. Also now that it’s cold it warms my face.
I have a girl that I’ve been teaching for the past 3 years. She started to wear her mask consistently throughout the pandemic and hasn’t taken it off since. You know what I found out literally a few weeks ago? *She has no damn teeth.* They’ve all been pulled for whatever reason. She’s 8. Of course she doesn’t want to take it off!
My point is, leave them alone. You have no idea why people are still wearing masks. Mind your own business. You don’t need to know.
In my experience, in the Japanese elementary school environment, more than 90% of 6th grade students wear masks constantly and never take them off. And it never stops amazing me how many people in Japan are wearing masks everyday throughout their daily lives. Just beyond depressing. A symptom of a weak, broken world?
I’m sorry, asking your students to remove their masks seems wildly unprofessional.
I want you to really, really stop and consider whether your very slight inconvenience is worth this.
You want to know why they comply? It’s not because they agree with your beliefs, it is because a teacher asking a student to do something isn’t “asking” it is “telling”.
in this society which focuses so heavily on looks, and anime, et, it’s a lot easier to look cute with a mask on. I think at this point most people feel ugly or human without it.
As someone who mainly teaches 7th graders: the vast majority of my.., oh, about 200 kids, + another 120 who are in high school (I have 5 classes out of the 7 in the middle part of my school and 3 classes worth of high school) I can say with confidence that almost every single female student I have has a mask and about 50% of the boys.
While I don’t teach the 8th grade, I do know quite a few of that grade level and it’s about the same. This isn’t strictly a phenomenon (nor a problem if you ask me) with high school.
…I do find it funny though that when we have assignments like making a video of one’s daily activities, the girls I teach keep their masks on but like it’s not a bad thing I wear a mask half the time too and always on public transport because of kidney things. Everyone has a reason, even if they may not want to enunciate it.
Covid isn’t over just because politicians decide that they don’t want to pay for prevention anymore. Have you not seen how many [school closures have happened in the past few months because of COVID outbreaks](https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000314734.html)?
Or [how many kids suffer from long covid thanks to repeated COVID infections in other countries](https://www.itv.com/news/2023-01-20/i-really-miss-school-71000-children-in-uk-suffering-from-long-covid)?
Kids SHOULD be keeping masks on. Removing protections like mandatory masking in public spaces when COVID is still disabling and killing people across the world is asinine.
yeah, it’s definitely a tricky situation. i think it’s important to find a balance between respecting their choice to wear a mask and ensuring effective communication and engagement in the classroom.
A and B aren’t mutually exclusive.
It’s their own personal choice. If they want to wear a mask, why fret over it? And the “I can’t remember their names” argument? Really?? Wander by during lunchtime. That’ll sort you out.
I started wearing a mask all the time since covid. Haven’t been sick since.