part 13.Learning to Learn from Each Other

Learning to Learn from Each Other
If you wish to understand the difference between the education systems of Japan and America, much can be learned from the layout of a typical primary and secondary school classroom.
The arrangement of desks and chairs suggests the type of education that is taking place.
A traditional Japanese classroom usually has rows of desks facing the blackboard and a raised platform where the teacher stands.
Although the platform is there primarily for practical reasons, since a classroom may have from 30 to 40 students who must all be able to see the teacher, the arrangement reflects an education that is knowledge-based, and implies a hierarchy where information is passed from the teacher above to the students below.
American teachers, on the other hand, like to see themselves more as facilitators in a student-centered learning process where pupils are enabled to make discoveries for themselves.
Averaging 20 to 25 students in a class, desks are more often arranged in a circle or in islands, with students given group tasks to solve while the teacher moves freely from group to group to offer assistance.
One activity that can be found in classrooms of the youngest Americans is “Show’n’Tell.” This is a time given to a single student to talk about an object he or she has brought from home in front of the entire class.
Learning how to speak in front of a large group about a personal interest exemplifies the strong emphasis American schools place on appreciating individual differences and developing self-expression.
There is really no equivalent in Japan.
On the other hand, in American schools there is nothing like the class in “Morals” that is an essential part of Japanese compulsory education.
This class is used to prepare students to function in Japanese society by instilling a moral sense and a set of values.
In recent years the class sometimes takes the from of a debate, where the teacher puts a moral dilemma to the students and asks them to respond.
While this shows a shift in Japanese education towards fostering independent thinking, still the emphasis is placed on the group more than on the individual.
Ways of evaluating achievement also differ greatly between the two countries.
From a young age right up through university, American students are required to write essays and papers that assess individual ways of thinking.
In contrast, in Japan one finds a prevalence of multiple-choice tests, which are seen as the most objective and fair way to judge students in a highly competitive system.
Not surprisingly, many in Japan criticize their education system for placing too much emphasis on rote learning at the expression of critical thinking, creativity, and individual expression.
Conversely, detractors of the American education system admire Japan ( and other Asian countries) for their success in teaching basic cognitive skills such as math and science.
In the effort to strike a good balance, surely there is much the two countries can learn from each other!