Us Vs Japan's Education
Education is the foundation of a strong and productive individual as well as being the foundation for a strong and productive country. Any country that keeps its' people uneducated or does not help to educate them cannot hold them entirely responsible for their actions that result from their lack of education. The United States and Japan both feel very strongly about education and that they need to have well educated people. Both of these countries have educational systems that are similar in some ways and yet very different in other ways. Both the similarities and the differences of these two systems give light to how each of these countries go about educating its' people and how much each of these countries
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In 1903 the government instated the national textbook system which compiled all pre-collegiate textbooks. The history books made during this period were super nationalistic and described the imperial family as direct descendants of God. During the pre-war education period, the curriculums showed how nationalistic one country's schools could become. In addition, the fact that during the pre-war period elementary school (grades 1-6) was the only compulsory and free schooling in Japan. This shows that at the time school was not there for the purpose of enlightenment, but for creating machines. The curriculum for elementary school consisted of citizenship (morals, Japanese language, Japanese history and geography), science (science and arithmetic), physical training (physical education and the martial sports of Judo and Kendo) and the arts (drawing, calligraphy and handicrafts). During the higher levels of elementary school, domestic science was added for girls. After a child goes through this level of education, it was very difficult to move on in school, especially for girls because they were rarely let into male middle schools. Another thing that hindered children making it further in school was that it was no longer free at the middle school level. In fact, only about ten percent of the males that graduated elementary school made it into middle school (grades 7-11) and only eight percent of girls went on. Most of those that did not pass the exam to get
Before addressing the issue of education, we need to understand how the education system works. Children usually start Elementary school at the age of six. After completing five grade levels, students move on to middle school or Junior high, and they complete this stage of schooling in three years. Then, they move on to high school, which will prepare them for college. Students take two tests in high school, a standardized test that they will have to pass in order to graduate and ACT/SAT, which is a college preparation test. Students receive grades according to how well they perform on exams, and those grades determine their GPA (grade
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive” (Mahatma). Our culture identifies who we are and how we behave in social environments and provides us with a foundation in which to live our lives and raise our families. Each individual culture has certain customs and courtesies that are important. Exposure to the cultures of others can be intimidating and can leave a person feeling confused and unsure about how they fit in (Schaefer 60). Culture shock can leave a person feeling out of place in an unfamiliar culture (Schaefer 60). Our diverse societies demand understanding and acceptance of other cultures. Learning and understanding these cultures before being
One reason that Japanese students are better educated than Americans is that the Japanese students are more intelligent than American students. Strong evidence that proves this is true is that Japanese students take “cram schools” to help get better, higher scores for entrance exams that they take. In 1996, it was not uncommon for a Japanese student to commit to studying and doing homework about two hours every weekday.
A few weeks ago, I was walking downtown, when this random came up to me and said “You in school? That’s good, that’s good. Education is important.” From the state of her hair and clothes, and the smell of her breath, I assumed she was homeless. I didn’t really pay much attention to her, because homeless people are so common in downtown Atlanta. I was just hoping that she wasn’t going to ask me for any money! After a while, I started thinking about what the homeless woman had said; “Education is important.” Growing up, I had always been taught that people who lived in the streets had been afforded the same opportunities as I had, but they had simply chosen to ignore them.
The United States of America is one of the world leading economic powers in the world. The question is, how does the Unites States compare to other nation powers.Australia ,Cananda , China and Britain are just a few of the nation powers that can compare to the United states. This report will focus more one of the main rivials to the United States and that is Japan. Here is just a sample of Japans Numbers for 2004 compared to the United States. Unite States GDP growth is 4.30% ,unemployment is 5.60% and Inflation Rate is 1.90%. In Japan the GDP growth is 4.50% , unemployment is 4.60% and Inflation Rate is -.04%. . I think this is an important perspective because we really do live in a global
Education in the United States is a very crucial part of a person’s life. Going to school opens doors and facilitates the pathway for future individual achievement and economic success. Formal education is a conscious effort by human society to convey the skills and modes of thought considered essential for social functioning.
Pocky, Anime, manga, kanji. Have you heard of any of these? If not… where have you been? All around us teenagers, children, and even adults are being drawn into Japanese culture through TV, books, and even food. Japanese comics, called manga, take up more and more space on American bookshelves, and they've infused new life into the publishing industry. Japanese animation, anime, is on more and more movies and TV screens and influencing popular toys and games.
Each country has its own kind of education, and education always plays an important role in affecting students’ life and study on many aspects. Having received ten years of education in China and two years of education in the U.S. I would like to compare and contrast a few significant aspects of these two different kinds of educations. Knowing that no two education systems are the same, the differences between American education and Chinese education allow countries to take the essence and discard the dross through learning from each other so as to improve their own current education systems.
In most middle school they had no elective subjects because of how much money it costs to pay the teachers, and also these subjects
Prior to World War Two Japan had been going through an economic crisis and was having issues with its government. The Japanese society was very militaristic and prideful making it a key power in world affairs. Their people have a strong and deep seated loyalty to their country.
Western Influence on Japan Japan, as a nation, is a continually changing society. Ever since western nations became involved with Japan, its changes over recent times have increased at a substantial rate. Japan now faces cultural, economical and social differences as a result of the western involvement. The involvement was initiated by the Japanese themselves, beginning during the Meiji Period1 through current times.
The educational system differs throughout the world; its viewed and taught differently because of cultural differences. Many cultures view education as a necessity of life therefore family are strict and get more involved in there child’s education. Around the world, education is given to students to prepare them for their future. The American education is considered one of the strongest systems of education therefore many countries the American system. The American education system contains many differences and similarities to the foreign system of education; however, students in the American system are not as successful as those in foreign countries like Japan.
The comparison between Japanese and North American educational systems is often used. The Japanese system, along with other Asian cultures, places importance on the group and the interdependence of its members (Cole & Cole, 2001, p. 541). The North American model, in contrast, focuses on the ideals of individuality and independence (Cole & Cole, 2001, p.541). This contrast is due to a conflicting cultural/social structure and outlook of the world. Japanese look at the development of self as doubled sided: the inner self and the social or public self (Hoffman, 2000, p.307). Within the Japanese education system, the teacher's goal is to develop and cultivate both layers.
I believe that schools have hidden cultural agendas, stemming from their policy makers collective cultural backgrounds, which controls what curricula is used, and how knowledge is taught within the system. I further believe that not all students fit the cultural mold defined by our schools, and that those students that find themselves outside the established "norm" cannot fully benefit from their school experiences.
The article by Herbert J. Walberg, explains that the nation is very productive, yet schools within the same nation are not (“Students in the U.S. Don’t Go to School Enough to Achieve”). He compares the U.S. and Korean students and finds that Korean students spend far more time in school than U.S. students. While U.S. students are