Culture and Education
The Japanese have high value for literacy and, have created an environment that promotes formal education which is manifested in the classroom. From Ken’s story, it’s evident that the state pays for daycare services for young children from the age one, which allows them to get to 1st grade already knowledgeable. The children also attend juku schools which to supplement their education (Time for School, 2016). The Japanese push their children to gain the best education that they could. As a result, the culture in Japan allows children to believe in themselves and, develop a passion for learning. The involving Japanese curriculum and, after school programs also increases the children’s engagement in the classroom as well as their focus. Similarly, the Japanese’ value for teamwork is manifest in the classroom through collective class activities during which students play together and, during sports.
Overemphasis on education like in the case of Japan helps students to grow into young adults that are confident about their ambitions and, have the necessary values for success such as passion, compassion, self-sufficiency among others. However, it may limit the student’s creativity and, innovation (Alias, 2012). Cultures that solely focus on education teach children that education is the answer to all problems and, thus limits their chances of coming up with new ideas to solve problems. Contrarily, underemphasis on education kills children’s incentive to education. As a result, children grow up thinking education is a choice and, thus, many students lose interest in education with some viewing it as a burden (Alias, 2012). In such cultures, very few students learn to higher levels and, thus have fewer professionals. When cultures underemphasize education, students grow up content with little things and, are likely to contribute less in society when they become adults.
References
Allais, S. (2012). ‘Economics imperialism’, education policy and educational theory. Journal of Education Policy, 27(2), 253-274.
Time for School. (2016). Ken | PBS. Retrieved July 31, 2020