Inside Japanese Classrooms: The Heart of Education (Reference Books in International Education, 52)

This detailed ethnographic study of fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms offers new insights into Japanese culture, as many aspects of daily social life are embedded in the educational system. Additionally, this book provides new perspectives on educational reform in the U.S., since many current issues and programs focus on notions of community, collaboration, and systemic reform, all of which are central to understanding Japanese teaching-learning processes in schools. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Series Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 1 Introduction......Page 17 Notes......Page 27 2.1 Education—Contemporary Japan......Page 29 Tokyo, Japan, 1987......Page 32 2.2 Education—Contemporary United States......Page 36 2.3a Contemporary Japanese Education......Page 38 2.3b History and Organization of Japanese Schooling......Page 40 2.3c Japanese Cultural Context......Page 42 2.4 Conceptual Framework......Page 44 2.5 Research Methodology—Revelations About Japanese Schooling......Page 50 Notes......Page 54 3.1 Neighborhoods......Page 58 3.2 School Facilities and School Populations......Page 59 3.3 School and Classroom Organization......Page 62 3.4 Educational Materials......Page 70 3.5 Teacher Work Arrangements, Roles, and Responsibilities......Page 72 Notes......Page 79 4.1 Beginning the School Week: Whole-School Ceremony......Page 83 4.2 Understanding “Supervision” as Interpersonal Relations: The Heart of Teaching and Learning Processes......Page 85 4.3 Threads of Significance......Page 87 4.4 School Week Continued: In the Classroom......Page 90 4.5 Subject Matter Studies......Page 91 4.6 Recess, Lunch, and Class Meetings......Page 96 4.7 Grouping Patterns: Roles and Responsibilities......Page 99 4.8 Extracurricular Activities and Responsibilities......Page 103 4.8a Club Activities......Page 104 4.8b Student Council Activities (Iinkai)......Page 105 4.9 The School Calendar......Page 107 4.10a Basis for “The Basics”......Page 114 4.10b Becoming a Connoisseur of Standardization with Standards......Page 117 Notes......Page 123 5.1 Meet the Students......Page 127 5.2a Umi, Mr. Seki’s Classroom: Monday, January 25, 1988......Page 140 5.2b Mori, Mr. Ito’s Classroom: Monday, February 1, 1988......Page 151 5.3 Meet the Teachers......Page 159 5.4 Summary of Classroom Observations......Page 164 5.5 Teaching-Learning as Intersecting Spheres of Instruction: Teachers and Students Together and Apart......Page 175 Notes......Page 179 6.1 Introduction......Page 183 6.2a Underlying Principles for Teaching-Learning......Page 184 6.2b Kinds of Spheres of Instruction......Page 186 6.2c Examples of General Instructional Patterns by Subject Matter......Page 190 6.2d Summary......Page 197 6.3 Feedback and Evaluation Mechanisms......Page 199 6.4a Authority and Control in Action: Self- and Peer Supervision......Page 203 6.4b Analysis: Mechanisms of Authority and Control......Page 205 6.5a Variety in Intellectual and Representational Forms......Page 210 6.5b Communication and Work Patterns......Page 218 6.5c Congruence Between Adult World and Student World......Page 223 6.5e “Sho ga Nai,” the Cultural Adhesive......Page 224 6.6 Summary......Page 227 Notes......Page 228 7.1 Historical and Ideological Base......Page 230 7.2 Equality and Equity in Japanese Elementary Schools......Page 235 7.3 Inequality and Inequity in Japanese Elementary Schools......Page 243 7.4 Genuine Community as Equity: The Art and Craft of Teaching......Page 251 Notes......Page 258 8 Conclusion......Page 260 8.1a Educational Excellence Japanese-style: What Are the Basics?......Page 262 8.1b Challenges for the Japanese......Page 264 8.2a Lessons? New Visions?......Page 267 8.2b Methodology—Future Research......Page 271 8.3a On Community......Page 276 8.3b School as a Social Process: Complexities of Constructing Community......Page 277 Notes......Page 281 A School Calendars......Page 282 1. Student Survey #1: Background Information......Page 284 2. Student Survey #2. Time-Use Chart......Page 286 5. Student Survey #5: Play and Television......Page 288 7. Student Survey #7: “Equality” Survey, School Opinion Survey......Page 289 8. Student Interview......Page 290 9. Teacher Survey......Page 291 10. Parent Survey......Page 292 C Data Map......Page 295 D List of Objectives for Moral Education Program......Page 297 1 Umi, Mr. Seki’s Classroom: Friday, January 29,1988......Page 299 2 Mori, Mr. Ito’s Classroom: Tuesday, February 2, 1988......Page 304 Bibliography......Page 314 Subject Index......Page 338 Author and Education Programs Index......Page 347 Setting The Stage -- School Settings, School Organization, And Teacher Work Arrangements -- A School Week And A Year In The Students' Lives -- Two Classrooms, Two Realities -- Classroom Instruction -- Equality And Equity : The Japanese Case. Nancy E. Sato. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [297]-314) And Indexes.