What is the difference between japanese schools and american

Although these two systems seem very opposite, the formulation of the illegal standards of Common Core in America is quickly leaving American school children behind.

At this point although the Japanese system is a bit odd to us westerns, Japan is ranked 2 in schools in education in the world from just under South Korea, whereas America was ranked So either way you want to look at it, Japanese students and the way they teach seem to be working much better then the American standards.

No matter what the cultural shock may be, this remains to be a fact. But I often wonder with so much freedom overall given to American students if it creates a different kind of education, more of an opinionated one that could very well be the American spirit of freedom to do what one wishes. I've been interested in Japanese as a language and as a culture since I was about 15 years old. In April my wife and I moved to Fukuoka, Japan to go to school for 2 years.

We've since returned to America and now are looking to expand Nihon Scope further for future visitors of Japan to get in touch with the best school they can. The basic school system in Japan is composed of elementary school lasting six years , middle school three years , high school three years , and university four years.

Education is compulsory only for the nine years of elementary and middle school, but Tokyo, Tochigi, Saitama, Kanagawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Saga and Kumamoto prefectures all have schools which expect pupils to attend classes on six days during the week. The majority of educational establishments in these districts conform to a five day week however. Children who have their 6th birthday on or before April 1 enter the first grade of elementary school of that year.

School year starts in April and ends in March. For Japanese nationals, six years at elementary school and three years at junior high school total nine years are compulsory. The age of consent refers to the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of giving consent to sexual acts. The Age of Consent in Japan is 13 years old.

Besides regulating clothing, shoes, and backpacks, many Japanese secondary schools impose strict bans on makeup, nail polish, hairstyles, and even eyebrow grooming that would make the average American teen wince. Instead, industrious students and teachers roll up their sleeves and spend a few minutes every day mopping the floors, clapping erasers, and even scrubbing the toilets.

Japanese secondary schools rarely use substitutes; instead, students are trusted to study quietly and independently. Even in a country as safe as Japan, schools have to prepare themselves for the possibility of a violent intruder.

Enter the sasumata : an aluminum pole with two curved prongs at one end which is adapted from an ancient samurai weapon—and found today hanging in schools all across Japan. The idea is to use the tool to immobilize the trespasser who is hopefully not carrying a gun, which would be highly unlikely in Japan anyway.

Students and teachers forgo cafeterias, instead eating all together at their desks in the classroom.