chitoku

tai

知徳体

©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

Characteristics of Education in Japan

Contents

Education that takes a holistic approach is provided by having teachers actively engage with children

Solid academic ability,richness in mind, healthybody

Solid academic ability

Competency to solidly learn
the basics; take the initiative
to find issues, learn, and think;decide and act independently;
and to better solve problemschi知Richness in mind

Self-discipline, cooperation
with others, kindness toothers, ability to be moved

徳Ranking
1/35
2/72(Points)
540

Japan

Results of 2015 PISA

500tai体 Health and physical fitness
Healthy bodyto live actively0Ranking

Quality Education for All
Elementary andjunior high school

Rate of advancement
to high school

1/35
5/72

Ranking
6/35
8/72

Competencies
for living
toku

High scholastic outcomes in PISA

Japan

P.4
A day in elementary school(example)

Compulsory
education

Japan

OECD
Average

Scientific literacy

OECDAverage

OECD
AverageP.6

n/35: Ranking among OECD countries participating in PISA 2015
n/72: Ranking among all countries and economies participating in PISA 2015

National Curriculum Standards

Textbooks

Based on the School Education Act, Japan’snational government sets the national curriculum
standards for all schools in order to maintaindefinite levels of education and ensure equal
opportunities for quality education for all.

Textbooks are written and edited byprivate publishers based on the National
Curriculum Standards.
They are provided free-of-charge for all
elementary and junior high school students.

Educational contents 1

Reading comprehension Mathematical literacy

Dropout rate ofhigh school students

P.8

Municipal Boards of Education

Educational contents 2

Implementing educational administration that reflects the wishes andactual circumstances of the local residents･Establishment and operation of compulsory education schools.
･Implementation of educational programs.

Prefectural Boards of Education

P.10
Teachers

Implementing educational administration over a broad area
･Establishment of standards for the prefecture.
･Implementation of programs needing broad-area processing and management offacilities and others.
･Support and related measures for municipalities.
･Assignment of the teachers and payment of their remuneration.

National Government
Serving to maintain and enhance national standards of education toensure that equal education can be provided anywhere in the country･Establishment of the basic educational system framework.
･Establishment of national standards, etc. (e.g., setting standards for establishing schools, establishingstandards for obtaining a teaching certificate, establishing standards for class organization and fixed
number of faculty members.).
･Support to local public bodies for preparing educational conditions.
･Sharing a third of teachers’ remuneration paid by the Local Prefectural Government.

P.10
Schools existing
within the community©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-JapanA day in elementary school (example)* The following examples are typical ones. There are some differences between schools regarding weekly scheduling, etc.

There is a recess between classes and lessons, and children can spend their time playing
outside on the playground, reading in the classroom etc.

Almost all of Japan's schools set aside a time when children cooperate to clean the school.
The children are assigned shifts to clean certain areas. They clean not only the classrooms
that they use but also the hallways and lavatories in turns. Cleaning is conducted as a part ofeducation.

13:10-13:40

13:40-13:55

Go to school

Lunch break

Cleaning

8:45-9:30

10:45-11:30

14:55-14:40

1st period: Japanese Language

3rd period: Physical Education

6th period: Foreign Languages

10-minute recess

10-minute recess

10-minute recess

9:40-10:25

11:40-12:25

14:00-14:45

15:40

2nd period: Moral Education

4th period: Science

5th period: Arithmetic

After-school

12:25-13:10

Morning meeting

Lunch
An example of the Nicchoku duties

Duties of the Nicchoku

Roles of school lunches

Open the windows
Lead morning greetings
Shut the windows

Nicchoku is one of the classroom duties (“Toban”) children are assigned.
Because different children are given the duty each day, the name of thechild on duty for that day is clearly written on the blackboard. All of thechildren participate in their class as a member of the group to make theirschool life better.

Menu example
Rice or bread is served with a main
dish of fish or meat, a side dish ofvegetables, soup and milk.
Special considerations are also madesuch as using local ingredients andmaking traditional dishes.

Schools existing
within the community

Japanese schools provide delicious,
nutritionally balanced lunches.
School lunches contribute to the soundphysical and mental development of children
and also have the important role of fosteringin children proper understanding andappropriate decision-making concerning food.

Turn on the lights

Turn off the lights

Teachers

8:20-8:30

Educational contents 2

20-minute recess

Educational contents 1

8:00

A day in elementary
school (example)

When children arrive at school, they put theirChildren go to school via the “school route.”
People of the community watch over the learning tools in their desk drawer andchildren on the school route to ensure that put their school bag in the rack.
children can walk to school safe and sound.

①Everyone prepares.

Food and nutrition
education at lunchtime②Enjoy lunch with friends③Everyone tidies up.

©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

Educational contents 1*The Following examples are typical ones, there are some differences between schools and regions.

Japanese Language

Living Environment Studies Moral Education
Aims to develop in children the competencies
through specific activities and experiences tolive full and independent lives.
I’ve noticed my growth by connecting amorning glory’s growth with my caringactivity.
(Fuzoku Niigata Elementary School attached to Facultyof Education Niigata University)◦5th, 6th grades of elementary school“What are rights and obligations?”
Fulfilling obligations while still having rights.

Example of 2nd graders

to do or to request other people to do certain
things based on the person’s will at the person’sdiscretion.

The things that a person has to do or cannot dodepending on the person’s status.

What will happen if someone only claims his/herright unilaterally and does not assume his/her
obligations, or if someone is forced to assume
only the obligation?
Would our life and society function well?
Write down what you thought or learned about the rights and the obligations.

MorningStudy

8:10-8:20

Morning Morning Morning Morning
Reading Study
ReadingStudy
We all have the right to live in a better society.

Morning Meeting1

9:40-10:25

2

LivingJapanese Physical Japanese Environment
Japanese
Language Education Language Studies Language
LivingJapanese Arithmetic Japanese Arithmetic
Environment
Language
Language
Studies

10:45-11:30

3

11:40-12:25

4Music

Art and PhysicalHandicraft Education Music
Japanese Arithmetic Art and Japanese JapaneseLanguage
Handicraft Language Language

Arithmetic

Music

Lunch / Lunch break / Cleaning

12:25-13:55
5

14:55-15:40

6

Moral
Education

LivingJapanese Arithmetic PhysicalEnvironment
Language
Education
StudiesClassroom
Activities

Closing Meeting(Saijo Elementary School, Higashihiroshima City)

We are playing recorders inensemble with emotion andintention, while listening toothers and the accompaniment.

Teachers

14:00-14:45

Aims to develop in children thecompetencies for expressing andappreciating creatively, throughsinging, playing instruments, creatingmusical pieces and listening to music.
Also, aims to encourage children toenjoy music.

Educational contents 2

8:45-9:30

We all have the obligation to make a better society.

RecessWith ICT devices, we discusseach other's movements
and try to improve ourperformance.

The qualification or abilities that allow a person

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday(Nishime Elementary School, Yurihonjo City)

Physical Education

Each of us has our right and the obligation to live together in oursociety.

Educational contents 1

Class Schedule

Aims to develop in children the competencies to properly
express and accurately comprehend the Japanese language,through speaking, listening, writing and reading.

Aims to develop in children the competencies tomaintain and improve their mental and physicalhealth for life, and to realize a rich lifelong sporting
life. Specifically, to learn health and various activities
such as physical fitness, apparatus gymnastics, trackand field, swimming, ball games and expressive
activities.

Moral education is implemented throughout
all educational activities, with the moral
education class is the primary period.
To develop students’ attitude for thinking about
moral problems by sincerely addressing
values, including when diverse values are inconflict, in a way that is appropriate for thestudents’ stage of development and without
pushing any particular set of values.

A day in elementaryschool (example)

To explain how I felt
about the story I have
read, I’m describing
the scenes and writing
down my impressionsof them.

(Kouyama Elementary School, Nerima Ward)

Arithmetic

Aims to develop in children the competencies for expressing and appreciating
creatively, through creating something on the basis of what has occurred tothem when looking at and touching materials, expressing what they have feltor imagined in the form of drawings, paintings, three-dimensional artifacts
or other kinds of handicraft, and looking at their own work and works of art.
Also, aims to encourage children to enjoy creating something.

Aims to help children acquire basic and fundamental
knowledge and skills regarding numbers, quantities
and geometrical figures, and to develop in children thecompetencies to think and express matters of
everyday life with good perspectives and logic.

We are making a large picture in collaboration with friends, while looking at and discussing
each other’s paintings.

By using ICT devices, I can quickly compare myanswer or idea with others’.

(Narihira Elementary School, Sumida Ward)

Schools existing
within the community

Art and Handicraft(Kasuga Gakuen Compulsory Education School City)©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

Educational contents 2*The following examples are typical ones. There are some differences between schools and regions.

Example 1
Learning about their relationshipwith society and the local community

Example 2Creating a disaster preparedness map

A day in elementaryschool (example)

Prepare a map by filling in theinformation that was found

Survey the site

Example 3
Thinking about the importanceof peace and human rights

Present the map

Through experiences gained with the cooperation of the community,children learn about their relationship with society and the localcommunity, such as the Nebuta tradition and culture.
(Example at Uramachi Elementary School, Aomori City)

The Period for Integrated Studies
Integrated studies are cross-curricular studies in which they develop problem-solving activities.
Children can learn to identify and explore problems of society and life by themselves.
Each school decides what subject to be explored.

2. Deepen understanding on current issues facing students such as lifestyle habits and theconcerns of adolescence, discuss how they can be solved and solutions to put into practice.
3. Discuss ways for self-realization, such as the importance of learning andworking, and what future course should be taken, and make decisions.

To enrich and improve children’s school lives, all the students participate
in the various student council activities.

In clubs for children with similar intereststhat go beyond the school grade, classroom
or subject, children can deepen interaction
in a mixed-age group and pursue commoninterests and pastimes.

ExamplesExamplesIn order to improve and develop school activities, student councils divide and lead activities within the school, such as beautifying theschool environment, broadcasting school life programs, and managing the library work, as well as partially managing school events.

Volleyball club, Cooking club, Computer club, Brass band club,Basketball club, Science clubStudent council activities

Using the entire school or grade as a unit, hands-on activities are conducted to order andchange school life, and to help enhance and develop it.

Examples
1. Ceremonies
Entrance ceremony
Graduation ceremony, etc.

Summer

2. Cultural events
Culture festival
Music festival, etc.

Autumnand safety and3. Healthphysical education events
Evacuation drills
Athletic meets, etc.

4. Outings and overnight trips

5. Work and volunteer events

School trips
Group overnight trips, etc.

Volunteer activities, etc.

WinterSpringCulturalPerformances

Opening
Ceremony
Summer Vacation

Athletic Meet

Graduation
Ceremony

Winter Vacation

Ski lessons

Schools existing
within the community

School events (annual schedule)

Teachers

1. Make the classroom's organization and decide on the division of duties. Discuss ways tosolve issues that arise when implementing the respective duties and put them into practice.

Club activities

Educational contents 2Examples

Entrance
Ceremony(Example at Aimi Elementary School, Nanbu Town)

The period of Special Activities (“Tokkatsu”) provides educational activities in which the school
and classrooms are considered as “societies”.
Through group activities conducted there, independent and practical attitudes are cultivated inchildren to enable them to build better group life and make better personal selves.

With the classroom forming a unit, children undertake
activities that improve and enhance their lives inclass and school and help address the various
challenges that exist for them.

SpringBy researching their school
trip destination, children think
about war and peace, shareviews through discussions
and other activities on what
they can do in the future, andthink about the importanceof peace and human rights.

Special Activities (“Tokkatsu”)

Classroom activities

Educational contents 1

By interconnecting the knowledge, skills and so on gained in each subject, the children create adisaster preparedness map based on their own surveys and ideas, and make a presentation ofthe map. They can learn deeply through such exploratory activities.
(Example at Kochi Prefecture)

Closing
Ceremony
Spring Vacation(Example at Sakai Elementary School, Chikuhoku Village)©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

Schools existing
within the community

Teachers

Schools, families and local communities work together on a broad range of activities so that the entire society canwork to develop the children.
For example, local residents support schools, including providing after-school and Saturday learning/experiential
programs, by having parents and local residents help to run schools and by having community coordinators set up
networks connecting schools and their local communities.

A day in elementary
school (example)

Teachers play a significant role in the well-rounded educationin Japan. A notable feature of teachers in Japan is thatthey take care of students in an overall fashion. They teachsubjects, provide student guidance, supervise club activities
and support various school events. To assure the quality andability of teachers, training and development are provided
throughout their careers.

In general, prospective teachers must complete teacher training courses atuniversities or colleges to acquire the relevant teaching certificates.

Employment

Boards of education assess teacher candidates through a selection process
consisting of exams, interviews and demonstration lessons, to employ eligible
teachers.

Training anddevelopment

Boards of education provide training and development courses to teachers
according to their career stage and experience. Also, teachers should renew
their certificates every 10 years by taking courses at universities or colleges.

Diverse programs bylocal residents

Partnering with sports
organizations

Learning support
from local residents

Kodaira City runs programs of Shinagawa Ward has local
interaction with local residents
residents providing after-school
after-school and during recesses. learning support programs.

Nishio City implements Saturday
programs at local community
centers such as sado (chado) tea
ceremony, with local residents
serving as instructors at Kodomo
Daigaku (Child University).

Schooleducation

Sidebar: Lesson Study
Lesson Study is a key method of Japanese educational culture to enhance teachers' teaching skills.
Teachers observe each other's classes, analyzing the lesson plans and outcomes. After the observation,
they discuss the effects and issues of the lesson. Throughout the lesson study, teachers can improve theirlessons and build productive relationships with each other.

Socialeducation

Teachers observe eachother's classes, and thengive feedback.

Teachers

Flow of Lesson Study

Children

Educational contents 2

Hamakawa Elementary
School, Shinagawa Ward,
has a partnership agreementwith organizations in theJapan Professional Football
League to teach children thejoy of sports.

Saturday experiential
activities

Educational contents 1

Initial teacher
education

Home
education

Study of educational materials

Discussion after the lesson

Partnerships between
teachers, and local residents

Utilizing Community School“School Management CouncilSystem”
Aiming for social inclusion
Mitsuke Special Needs School,
Mitsuke City, has organizations
involved with children withdisabilities and schools holdcareful deliberations andcollaborations, with a focus on
discussing how to run schools
with the aim of realizing a societyof inclusion. The school alsobuilds visible networks.

Guest teacher classes
Higashi Elementary School, HadanoCity, invites local residents to teachthe history of the area in which thestudents live.

Joetsu City has permanentcommunity coordinators toconnect schools with thelocal communities and even a
community partnership room inside
the schools. The coordinators
give advice to teachers on school
educational activities in partnershipwith local communities.

Schools existing
within the community

Demonstration lesson©Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

EDU-Port Japan