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Education in Japan
Robert Moore
St Mary’s,
Maitland
Outcomes
H3 accounts for cultural diversity
and commonality within societies and cultures
H7 applies appropriate language and
concepts associated with society and culture
Focus: This is a detailed study
of education in Japan, illustrating aspects of both continuity and change in
Japan with people, society and culture over time.
Cram schools (juku) in Japan
Cram schools are much more common in
Japan than in Australia. There are thousands of juku offering assistance
to students of all ages. It is estimated that more than 70% of students in Tokyo
attend one sort or another. Their popularity is due in part to the
competitiveness of the Japanese education system. However, juku also have
a broader social and cultural purpose.
To understand the role of juku,
it will be useful to look at four characteristics of the nature of traditional
society and culture in Japan.
Preschools
Many young children attend preschool.
Numbers are increasing with greater acceptance of mothers being in the
workforce. Parents can choose to send their children to different types of
preschools, including yoochien, where there is an academic focus.
"Graduates" of the most exclusive yoochien are often accepted into the
"best" elementary schools, then the "best" high schools and then the "'best"
universities. Graduates of Tokyo University and a few other exclusive tertiary
institutions dominate politics, the bureaucracy and business.
Clearly, in Japanese society where
schooling has a big impact on social mobility, there are incentives to have
extra tutoring. There is evidence, too, that parents (particularly mothers)
appear to achieve higher status in their social groups when their children
attend prestigious schools.
Examinations
To gain acceptance to these prestigious
schools students must pass challenging examinations. To pass these examinations
requires the memorisation of vast quantities of material. Student's opinions
and creativity are discouraged. Consequently, students learn passively, content
to repeat what their teachers tell them. Continual examination practice, and
rote learning are the favoured methods of learning.
Juku specialise in different
types of examinations. Teachers at these cram schools become specialists in how
to increase marks for specific examinations. In a competitive environment, juku become attractive to those wishing to improve their examination
results.
Clubs
In Australia we usually participate in
sporting and leisure activities outside the school environment. In Japan,
however, different types of clubs (the Japanese use the word "circle") e.g.
baseball clubs, dancing clubs, and English clubs are organised by schools.
Schools, then, are a centre of social activity.
Similarly, juku serve as places
to socialise. Few Australians would be excited by the prospect of studying
another three or four hours after school, but many Japanese appear to enjoy
attending juku. They have opportunities to spend more time with friends,
independent of parents and away from what are usually small homes with limited
privacy.
Peer acceptance
Australian students generally place
greater emphasis on individuality than do most Japanese students. While the
diversity of Japanese subcultures needs to be remembered, most Japanese accept
the notion that "'the nail that sticks up will get hammered down", i.e. if you
stand out you will get knocked down. As a result Japanese students are generally
proud of their uniform, young girls are content to have only red backpacks (boys
have black), and teenage boys are generally happy to accept military-style
haircuts.
Many students go to juku because
their friends do, or because it is socially accepted. For adolescents, peer
acceptance can be especially important. Refusing to attend juku could
lead to social sanctions.
Case study: TOFL Seminar
It is quite common for juku to
specialise in the teaching of English, preparing students for tests that will
enable them to study in English-speaking countries. For example, the TOFL
Seminar has branches throughout Japan. This writer taught at Tokyo branches of
the TOFL Seminar between 1992–1997. In this time social and cultural
continuity and change were clearly evident.
Continuity
The above features persisted throughout
the six years.
- Students were clearly interested in improving their test scores, with the hope of gaining entrance into a high-status university.
- Generally, they were much more passive than my Australian students, happy to write down most of what I said, preferring the same type of lesson every day, and expecting special tips that would improve their score.
- In relation to clubs and peer acceptance, there were often group enrolments, with friends choosing to do the same courses at the same times. The schools benefited from being far from residential areas, meaning that students could share a long train ride home in the evening.
Change
As you read the following, develop
hypotheses to explain the changes. The concepts globalisation, westernisation, modernisation, identity, beliefs,
and heritage may be useful.
- The clientele of the school changed over time. Increasing numbers of returnees from overseas began to enrol. They required different material and teaching methods. Their western values, communication styles and expectations began to change social interactions in the school. Further, their better English and friendliness with western teachers also alienated some students.
- A small but growing number of individuals began to question teachers and disrupt lessons. This was also becoming more common within the school system.
- The school started to provide a greater diversity of courses. Cultural awareness and creative writing courses became more popular.
- Computer-assisted learning was introduced.
- Students became more willing to complain to administrators about teachers and resources.
- The school became aware that a smaller proportion of students sitting for the tests were attending juku. More students were studying privately.
- More students wanted to speak English rather than just read English. Many told me they felt more comfortable offering opinions in English than in Japanese.
Exercises
- How has your school life been different to a Japanese student's? List four or five differences.
- Briefly describe some examples of growing diversity and growing individualism in Japanese education.
- Speculate on how the crowded physical environment in Japan has affected individuals and groups in the Japanese education system.
- Choose one theory of social change you have studied in class. How can this theory help to explain some of the above changes?
- “Increasing westernisation will mean that in the near future the Japanese school system will be almost identical to our school system”. Consider two arguments for this view and two arguments against this view. Which arguments are more persuasive?
- You have been asked to interview a group of seventeen-year-old Japanese students to find out their attitudes to juku. List six appropriate questions. What other methodologies would be useful? Justify your choices. What special problems might you face in doing this cross-cultural research?
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