Mentality & Education Flashcards
Harmony, “Wa”
Emphasis on **maintaining peace & harmony **
Historical Background:
+ agriculture (rice cultivation) required cooperative work
In Workplace:
+ team harmony > individual opinions in corporate culture
+ “Deru kui wa utareru” = “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down”
Feeling of Gratitude, “On”
Spirit of gratitude & reciprocity
+ expected that one cherishes received kindness, never forgetting feeling of gratitude & repaying it
Historical Background:
+ strongly influenced by Buddhism
+ Buddhist scriptures said “to recognize kindness & repay it is the essence of a humane heart”
Examples:
+ student & teacher: student returns to visit teacher, showing gratitude
+ gratitude to parents: child shows support & care in return
+ workplace: employee shows appreciation to supportive boss after succeeding in their job
Obligation; Duty, “Gin”
Emphasizes fulfilling social obligation & responsibilities
Historical Background:
+ rooted in samurai code of conduct, Bushido
+ loyalty, honor, & duty
**Examples: **
+ Weddings or other significant events: customary to send gifts
+ Giri Chocolates: valentines day - women give to collegues & friends
+ Attending farewell party for co-worker or boss - despite how you feel about them
Modesty; Humility, “Kenkyo”
**Being humble & respecting others **
+ not excessively boasting about oneself & valuing humility
Historical Background:
+ Zen Buddhism: self-restraint & respect for others
+ “Kyakkoshouko” = illuminate & observe your own feet
+ Confucianism: modesty = one of the important virtues
+ proud & confident = naturally calm & composed attitude
Examples:
+ Workplace: praise team efforts > praise personal achievements
+ Daily Life: compliments=express gratitude sincerely without overemphasizing own achievements
Diligence, “Kinben”
Emphasizes importance of effort & dilligence - serious & committed attitude towards work & studies
Historical Background:
+ rooted in lives of farmers & townspeople during Edo period - population increased = hard work and ingenuity
+ Meiji Restoration: aimed to enhance national power & catch up with western countries - government encouraged people to embrace diligence
**Examples: **
+ Schools: student studies hard, putting in effort w/ out hesitation
+ Workplace: complete tasks on time & effort for quailty improvement
+ Learning new skills or hobbies: committing to regular practice
e.g. marching band
Manners; Etiquette, “Reigi”
Emphasizes importance of **manners & respect **
+ showing respect through actions & language, & adhering to social norms & expectations in interactions
Historical Background:
+ influenced by ancient court culture & Bushido
+ Edo period: maintain family & social order. Long periods of peace led to etiquette & norms systematically established strict manners became ingrained in daily life (Bushido)
Inside & Outside, “Uchi to Soto”
Distinguishing between internal (family & close friends) & external (people outside immediate circle & society at large) and adjusting attitudes & behaviour accordingly
Examples:
+ Within Family: adopt relaxed attitude & express emotions & opinions openly
+ Workplace: respectful language & sometimes provide honest feedback
+ In Community: events are to be cooperative & friendly towards community members - show courtesy to vistors
+ Honne: true feelings, opinions, & thoughts - usually shared w/ trusted individuals, family, & close friends
+ Tatemae: outward behaviour & statements made in public or formal settings - includes politeness, social niceties & responses that meet social expectations ( often not aligning with home)
- essential in Japanese culture for maintaining social harmony + politeness in relationships
e.g. saying “this is delicious” even if you don’t like it
Education; School Life
Academic Year: April - March
+ 3 Semesters: April-mid July, Sept. - Dec., Jan. -March
+ Preschool & K1 (age 5)
+ Elementary: (age 6-12)
+ Middle School: (age 13-25)
+ High School: (age 16-18)
+ University: (age 18-22)
What they Study:
+ Subjects: about the same as Canada
+ Textbooks: designated by Minestry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, & Technology (MEXT)
Lunch:
+ ~94.3% of (elementary & jr. high) schools provide lunches
**Cleaning: **
+ students responsible for cleaning their classrooms & other areas of the school
+ students learn importance of cleanliness, responsibility, & teamwork
Education; School Events
Entrance (in April) & Graduation (in March) Ceremony
Sports Festival: Spring or Fall
Cultural Festival: Sept, June or July
Summer Holiday: mid July-August
+ homework is assigned suring summer break & many students cram school club activities
Education; Club Activites
~ 75% of students participate in club activites - pure interest, peer influence, better grade
Cultural Clubs: (40%)
+ band, art, tea ceremony, calligraphy, Keion (pop/rock music), etc.
+ 1 or 2 days a week
Sports Clubs: (60%)
+ soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, kyudo, etc.
+ daily after school & weekends
Significance: social bonding, skill, & growth
Overwhelming for both teachers & students:
+ teachers taking on extra roles in the school such as supervising various school clubs
+ can have negative impact on students’ academic performance & rest
Bullying & Harassment:
+ hierarchal relationships & rigid disciplinary practices lead to bullying & harassment
+ both among students & from teachers to students
Education; Examination System & Cram School Culture
Three major entrance exams:
+ Jr. High, High School, & University
+ extremely competitive - examination wars
**Issues: **
+ Excessive competition & stress: decreased motivation to learn & school refusal
+ Mismatched Choices: schools based o marks rather than genuine interest - leads to mismatch between students & schools
+ Education Disparities: gap between those who can and cannot afford school
+ Cramming Education: limits flexible & diverse teaching approcahes - Rote Learning > Thinking-Based Learning
- Kanji, Chinese Characters
- Times Tables
- English Vocabulary
Education; School Rules
Girls:
+ short to medium length hair
+ bangs not going beyond eyebrows
+ black or brown hair ties
+ skirt length: should cover knees
Boys:
+ hair: no longer than ear or collar length
+ no two-block haircut
Both:
+ no dyed or permanent hair
+ no makeup
+ no piercings
+ no suncreen
+ no trimming eyebrows
+ socks (colour, length)
+ indoor & outdoor shoes (designated by school)
Unreasonable School Rules (Black School Rules:
+ change hair colour to balck - if not already - hair not balck=student must submit a credential
+ should not drink water during class
+ wear underwear of colour specified by school - sometimes they will check
Bullying, “Ijime”
of Reported Bullying Incidents (2022 academic year)
An act by student(s) toward another student, inflicts physical and/or psychological consequence - mental and/or physical suffering
Elementary & Jr. High:
1. teasing, insults, threats, or unpleasant remarks (56%)
2. light physical contact, such as being bumped, hit, or kicked in seemingly playful manner (25.7%)
High School:
1. teasing, insultsm or unpleasant remarks (59.4%)
2. online slander or harassment (16.5%)
Ijime prevention methods promotion law (2013)
+ Passed after public outcry on 2011 incident at Jr. high School in Otsu City of Shiga Pref. - Students suicide was neglected
Bullying still far from being resolved
+ 681,948 cases nationwide - highest # ever recorded
+ bullying cases in 2022 school year increased by 10% from previous year
+ Stats from 2018 indicators of School & Crime Safety Report show that only 20% of bullying incidents are reported
