Unlocking the Secrets of Japanese Children's Education: Lessons in Quality, Independence, Community

I have always felt intrigued about children’s education and why schools prepare certain activities. I wanted to use my H-term independent study time to gain some answers to my questions, so I have decided to specifically focus on Japanese Children’s Education. Japanese Education is something that I have experienced. However, being able to interview teachers this H-term has given me an understanding of how Japanese Children’s education is deeply connected with Japanese cultural values.

In this blog, I'm embarking on an exploration of Japanese Children's Education, delving into its unique connection with cultural values and traditions. My goal is to shed light on the Japanese education system and how it shapes independent and cooperative individuals. As I recount my experiences at Mutsukawadai Elementary School, I aim to highlight the importance of instilling independence and a sense of community in students. Through this journey, I hope to bridge the American and Japanese education systems and contribute to the betterment of children's education and the world. This blog aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to quality education, cultural preservation, and community development, in a quest to foster a brighter future for all.

1. SDG #4 - Quality Education:

The Japanese education system, as observed at Mutsukawadai Elementary School, shapes students into independent and cooperative individuals.

2. SDG #10 - Reduced Inequalities:

From a young age, Japanese students learn to be independent, reflecting the cultural value of self-reliance.

3. SDG #11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities:

Fostering a connection between students and their local community and cultural heritage is of utmost importance.

Japan, an island country located in East Asia, became a country on February 11, 660 BC. Japan’s other name Nippon or Nihon means “the sun”. Japan is about 26 times smaller than the United States, and yet there are 125.7 million people living in this country. It is 13 hours on a plane from John F. Kennedy Airport to Tokyo, Japan. Japan is known for its beautiful Cherry Blossoms also known as “Sakura” as well as Mount Fuji. Car companies such as Nissan and Toyota and anime and manga are very well known globally in the present day.

Mutsukawadai Elementary School, a public elementary school in Yokohama, Japan, is a co-ed school with 30 teachers and 270 students through grades one to six. There are an average of twenty students per class. This elementary school has no uniform, so everyone comes to school in clothes that they feel most comfortable in. The students are assigned to a different homeroom class every year. However, the homeroom teacher teaches all of the subjects so for academic classes the students stay in one classroom with the same classmates throughout the day. I attended this school over the summer as a one-month trial student since I was a first grader. I personally have many great memories at this school and have formed many important friendships that are still present to this day. This elementary school highly values that the students feel comfortable and can have fun at school.

THURSDAY

The Day I Visited Mutsukawasai Elementary School!

Each class is about 45 minutes long. The time breakdown written in the first column is based on the schedule I was given by the assistant headmaster. The course during each period is based on the classes I was able to see and take pictures of. Here is what the schedule looked like:

8:10 - 8:20- Students Arrive to School

All students arrive at school on foot with their Japanese Randoseru backpacks. Kids as young as six years old will walk to school alone or with their friends who live nearby. If a student goes to school that requires transportation, a student will take the train or get to school by bike if the school permits. It is very common to see kids who are very young take the train alone. Independence is a huge part of Japanese culture, but this culture is only able to be maintained because of how safe Japanese people feel in their community.

When Students arrive at school the first thing they do is change into their inside shoes called uwabaki. This is because in Japan people do not wear shoes in their house or at least any form of footwear that was worn outside to maintain cleanliness.

8:25 - 8:40

Monday: Morning Reading

Tuesday: All School Assembly

Wednesday: Storytelling

Thursday: Skill Time:

Friday: Morning Meeting

Every Day right after the students arrive at school there are 15 minutes given to do the assigned activity for each day as shown above.

Period 1- 8:45 - 9:30 ENGLISH

The English teacher switches every year. Some teachers have been from the Philippines, Peru, the U.S. and until a couple of years ago. English classes weren’t made part of the curriculum until around ten years ago. However, it is still hard for students to feel familiar with the English language. Part of this reason could be because the classes mostly focus on singing English songs or learning everyday terms.

I had the opportunity to visit the library during my visit and the librarian kindly explained how the books were categorized on each shelf. We asked if there were any English books in the library, and we were surprised that there were only 4 English books. One reason for this was that the school could not afford to purchase extra English books. Another reason was because the students did not feel intrigued about the English books, and could not understand what the book had written.

Period 2- 9:35 - 10:20- MATH

Break- 10:20 - 10:35

Period 3- 10:40 - 11:25- MUSIC

The students were practising in the gym the day I visited because they were preparing to showcase their songs to the other classes. Since the students had practised many times, each of them knew what order they needed to move to certain locations or sing certain parts. Everyone was in unison and was on key, and I was very impressed by how high-quality their show was.

Period 4- 11:30 - 12:15- ART

Similar to American Schools, Japanese schools have art classes as well. On Thursday when I visited, the students were very focused on their watercolour paintings. As shown in the pictures below there were student paintings being hung from the ceilings as well as sustainable art on the tables in common spaces. Imagination and self-creation are also very important to Japan. This is why the Japanese have been able to create things such as cup noodles, vending machines, bullet trains etc.

LUNCH- 12:15 - 1:00

What was most shocking to me was the process of lunch. Every student dressed up in their white lunch gowns and started heading to the pantry where the food was going to be passed out. Even kids as small as six years old were carrying heavy baskets of plates and food to their classrooms. The students then started serving the food in portions to each other. I was amazed by how coordinated the kids were and this showed how a huge aspect of Japanese education is teaching their students how to become independent from a young age and to serve others while doing this.

The nutrient balance of Japanese lunches is amazing. According to a staff member in the lunchroom, “ We consider the nutritional balance of each meal based on the average food consumption of a Japanese person. Additionally, we think about the variety of colour in each meal and whether certain cooking methods can be heavy on the stomach. We think about using the seasonal ingredients and how we can create our menu so that these seasonal ingredients are highlighted.

Clean Up- 1:00 - 1:15

This period of cleaning up is unique to Asian culture specifically Japan.

“Even outside of educational classes, we want to continue to use our time in the school day for students to acquire knowledge that is valuable for their living. Having the ability to maintain the cleanliness of their belongings knowing how to clean their surroundings, and having the power to communicate and collaborate with others through cleaning daily in school will promote growth in the students' independence, and ability to live with others cooperatively. We have all school cleanings two or three times per year as this is also part of Japanese tradition especially before the new year starts.

Recess- 1:15 - 1:30- So short!!

Period 5- 1:35 - 2:20- CALLIGRAPHY

Calligraphy, also known as “Shuji” has been a historical component of Japan. There is an order for each stroke and a certain way to hold the brush. I have tried this at my current Japanese weekend school as well, but it is very challenging to keep a steady hand and to understand how a certain position of the brush creates a certain stroke. The school had students' calligraphy pieces hung up on doors and across long hallway walls.

There are also writing contests where students write the same phrase and the teachers choose the piece with the best handwriting to receive a certificate congratulating them.

Period 6- 2:25 - 3:10- GYM: SWIMMING

Swimming class is present so that the students can learn how to swim. This is very beneficial, especially for a country with many natural disasters such as tsunamis. Swimming also helps students build stamina as most people travel to places on foot and do not own cars.

After school club

There is an afterschool club called Hammako which is where students who have working parents go after school to hang out or do homework. This is because in most households both parents work and students have their own keys to get into their house. There is not a culture of having babysitters and since most kids in Japan are only children a space like Hammako is very comforting for those students.

Emergency drill

“Every year we hold a couple of safety drills. In order to prepare for a maa earthquake we also have the parents practice picking up their kids from school. If there is ever an earthquake or a tsunami that follows, we have extra food and supplies stored in school to support the students. This preparation has become crucial, especially after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. We teach the students about earthquakes and tsunamis in social studies as well.”

In the image below you can see students sitting on cushion-like things. These are actually called “Bokuzukin” which the students wear on their heads when there is an earthquake to protect their heads.

Connection with the community:

“As teachers, we believe that students can learn a lot from interacting with many different types of people. We value that students learn about their communities' traditional events since this plays a huge part in building their identity. By connecting with local people in the Mutsukawa community, we want the students to love and hold pride for their community even more”

In Japan, I had the opportunity to attend a communal event where elderly members taught the students the Mustukawa community historical dance. In the US it is part of the culture for students to volunteer and help the elderly. However, in Japan, the elderly are very active and volunteer to interact with the students.

A List of Yearly Activities:

● Whole school excursions

● Sports day

● Music performance

● Six grade excursions

● Sleepover at school

● Club performances

● Peace speech contest

● All school cleaning (for the new year)

● Safety drill

● Health screening

● Sports test

The educational goal of this school is “Mutsukawadai elementary kids that have the willingness to learn, think with peers, and take action based on this.”. While educating the kids to become proactive learners, we hope for the kids to be collaborative thinkers who can take action with others to solve a variety of problems. I myself have attended school in Japan, and have attended the Mustukawadai Elementary School for two months every summer and have experienced how different the school environment is from the US and how similar it is as well. Overall, after spending a day at Mustukawadai Elementary School, I was very impressed. Every student that I passed by greeted me with a smile saying, “Konnichiwa” and every faculty member that I met held pride and responsibility in their job. The students were all very lively and I felt that this liveliness came from their will to curate a welcoming school environment for all. There were many art pieces and handmade posters on the walls and I strongly felt that this school values self-creation as the school goal mentions I felt that only proactive learners could create something like this.

While sharing my experiences from Mutsukawadai Elementary School, I hope to bridge the gap between the American and Japanese education systems. My aim is to contribute to the global discourse on children's education, seeking to create a better future for all.

Looking forward, I'm inspired to make a lasting impact in the field of education. My vision includes expanding the horizons of schools like Mutsukawadai Elementary. It starts with the humble goal of enriching their library, beginning with a donation system for English books. I want to create an environment where students can explore the world through learning, where the classroom extends beyond its four walls.

In closing, Japanese Children's Education has illuminated the path to fostering independent, cooperative, and compassionate young individuals. It's a testament to the power of people and culture in shaping education. As I stand at the intersection of two educational systems, I'm eager to continue the journey of connecting them and championing the cause of children's education, not just for the betterment of individuals, but for the well-being of our entire world."