Hello everyone,

This year, our school motto is 和 (wa). It is a small kanji, but it has a big meaning.

First, 和 means “harmony.” Harmony is when people work well together. There are no big fights, and everyone tries to help each other. In a school, harmony means a good class atmosphere. Students listen, teachers support, and everyone can learn comfortably.

But 和 is not only about “no problems.” It is also about making a good environment. For example, you can help a classmate who doesn’t understan, listen when someone is speaking, or be kind, even on a bad day. These small actions build harmony.

In English, we don’t use one word exactly like 和, but we have similar ideas. One word is “teamwork.” Teamwork means working together to reach a goal. In sports, a team wins because players support each other. In the classroom, we also need teamwork to succeed.

Another word is “respect.” Respect means thinking about other people’s feelings and opinions. When we show respect, we create harmony naturally. We also use the phrase “get along.” If you “get along” with someone, you have a good relationship.

That’s 和, so keep it in mind this year!