Japanese Education Case Study

I have always had an interest in Japan and its culture. Because I would like to teach English in Japan as a career, I decided to learn about their educational system is like, and how it’s different from ours. I got really intrigued by the differences and polices they have.

List the essential questions or research questions that drove your investigation.

What are the similarities and differences of the Japanese and American education systems?

Do cultural differences have an effect on education?

What are some ways we can influence Japanese education and how can they influence us?

What do the Japanese think of our educational system and what do we think of theirs?

What aspect of the Japanese/American education system is the

Are your sources of information valid? Explain how you validated your sources.

Craig C. Wieczorek, the author of Comparative Analysis of Educational Systems of American and Japanese Schools: Views and Visions, graduated from the University of Colorado Denver, is a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program specialist. David C. Miller, one of the authors of Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2009, graduated from the University of Maryland.

Write a concise summary of your investigation. Describe your most important findings and explain why they are important or relevant.

Besides many similarities, there many differences between American and Japanese views and visions of education, and they point to quite different directions of reform in the two countries. There are some similarities that the Japanese have in common with America. For one, both focus on education. Both countries remain strongly committed to educational pursuits. Both fund academic achievement liberally and provide additional resources. Another is compulsory education. Both America and Japan address education as a responsibility of the nation. What is also the same is student attendance. Since

In addition, a narrower curricular focus fosters a deeper understanding for students. Whole-class instruction helps Japanese schools motivate their students by emphasizing effort over ability, engaging students, building strong classroom relationships, and unifying students under a common goal. Parental involvement is crucial. In fact, parents usually start their children in pre-school activities leading to formal instruction on piano or other musical instruments, swimming or soccer, abacus, or a combination of activities that develop motor skills during the elementary years. Children are also encouraged to start English-language training as early as five or six years old in private schools, even though they are not required to begin formal training until the lower-secondary schools (grades 7–9). Because Japanese adolescents participate in school-related activities such as school clubs or supplemental juku classes after school, they develop an attachment to school values and build support through strong school-based friendships in these activities. Collegial management of student and teacher interactions in Japanese schools helps to create a positive environment that builds motivation. Thus, it is apparent that Japanese educators have “sought to create a