Education System
As a student, I studied from an elementary school to a university in Japan for sixteen years. So I just follwed the Japanese education system; however, I have had an experienece to study in the United States for several months and feel differences in the education system between Japan and the U.S.. In Japan, I must not call teachers by their first or last names. I have to say, "Suzuki-sensei" Suzuki is the last name and sensei is Sir, Miss or Mrs. It shows that students' respectable minds for teachers. It is an ordinary rule for me as a stutdent. On the other hand, every student in the U.S. call the only first or last name instructors. I know, of corse, about calling each other by the first name in th U.S., but I have hesitated to call only his first name my instructor for a while since I went to a college in teh U.S. It seems to be impolite behavior; however, it has been more like to be friendly and openly the space between instruators and students since I took classes in college. My teachers in Japan were very nice and helpful for me, but I remember rarely that I talked friendly with my instructor because I felt the gap like a high wall between I and some of my teachers in Japan when I was a student. When I was a junior high school student, my teacher had given me correct answer after I gave him incorrect answer in the math class. I remember that I wanted him to explain how to solve the question because I didn't know about the answer and know the steps of the solution for the question. Therefore, in many way, Japanese education system leads students to be memorable thinngs. For example, one of them is English. When I was a junior high school, I beguan to study English: students learn about English grammar mostly. They are improving English rammar and getting some vocabularies: theses things are to be memorable, but students are not able to elevate English conversation skills, such as speaking and listening. I remember that teacher demonstrared English conversation with a textbook, butit is very formal and traditinal. I wanted to use or listen more natural and real conversation what the American are speaking.
My children have gone to the both school in Japan and the U.S. for several years. They also have felt the same as mine. My son said, when he was tenth grade in the U.S., "My teacher always waits for me and listens to me even if I have something different opinions," one day, after he came back from school, "I didn't debate or agument with someone, but I'm getting to be able to say my opinion in my class." I'm glad to hear that and angree with him because there is something good mood which students can debate lively with their opinions in the class.
As a student, I studied from an elementary school to a university in Japan for sixteen years. So I just follwed the Japanese education system; however, I have had an experienece to study in the United States for several months and feel differences in the education system between Japan and the U.S.. In Japan, I must not call teachers by their first or last names. I have to say, "Suzuki-sensei" Suzuki is the last name and sensei is Sir, Miss or Mrs. It shows that students' respectable minds for teachers. It is an ordinary rule for me as a stutdent. On the other hand, every student in the U.S. call the only first or last name instructors. I know, of corse, about calling each other by the first name in th U.S., but I have hesitated to call only his first name my instructor for a while since I went to a college in teh U.S. It seems to be impolite behavior; however, it has been more like to be friendly and openly the space between instruators and students since I took classes in college. My teachers in Japan were very nice and helpful for me, but I remember rarely that I talked friendly with my instructor because I felt the gap like a high wall between I and some of my teachers in Japan when I was a student. When I was a junior high school student, my teacher had given me correct answer after I gave him incorrect answer in the math class. I remember that I wanted him to explain how to solve the question because I didn't know about the answer and know the steps of the solution for the question. Therefore, in many way, Japanese education system leads students to be memorable thinngs. For example, one of them is English. When I was a junior high school, I beguan to study English: students learn about English grammar mostly. They are improving English rammar and getting some vocabularies: theses things are to be memorable, but students are not able to elevate English conversation skills, such as speaking and listening. I remember that teacher demonstrared English conversation with a textbook, butit is very formal and traditinal. I wanted to use or listen more natural and real conversation what the American are speaking.
Every educational system is different, but I think we need to look at how babies learn to understand how adults learn. Babies learn by exploration and experimentation -- and the support of their parents :-) Teachers, in my opinion, should be like helpful parents who guide their children.
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