Mariko Miyamoto at 21st Century Education Research Institute, a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization, spoke with Washington Times reporter Takehiko Kambayashi about how American schools can influence Japanese education.
Question: More Japanese families and educators seem to be interested in charter schools. Any idea why?
Answer: More parents are dissatisfied with existing school systems and curriculums. And by knowing that U.S. charter schools have been successful — not every one of them, though — more people would like to create their own school and provide their child an improved curriculum with which they and the child can be satisfied. When they do create a school and its curriculum, they want to discuss it with other parents, children, teachers and their community.
Q: So you consider these good moves?
A: Certainly. Instead of relying on teachers and schools, parents want to be involved in creating a school. I think we can expect to see more such activities.
Q: Do you expect Japanese will learn anything from American school experiments?
A: I believe we can learn from each other. Certainly, in an area where we need further efforts, we’d like to learn more from U.S. examples.
Q: You visited public and charter schools in Minnesota last October. What was your impression?
A: I was impressed to see parents and teachers enthusiastically taking care of children, and to know that communities and parents were involved in school activities. I also liked the small classes and finely textured curriculums.
Q: What do you expect to see in Japan’s education from now on?
A: As we get education examples and information from overseas, I think we will have more mechanisms to meet a child’s individual needs. But existing education systems go on while we take the merits of foreign school practices into account.
Q: Political and economic reforms in Japan seem to take forever. Can the same be said about altering Japan’s education system?
A: It seems to take time. But, in education today, I see more citizens, educators, parents and experts willing to deal with reforms. If their activities attain recognition, the education system will gradually change.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.