DOUGLAS COLLECE

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Arts and Humanities Education Undergirds Japanese Success

 

TM. bukushima, education ariiché at the
Japanese Embassy in Washington, says that
Japanese schools would never reduce the
Hime spent on art, music, ancl physical
education, which includes dance. “The arts
are very imporkint to help people learn to
cooperite and become good fapanese”
aavs Fukushima, Informed Western
observers agree. John Erskine, in
Independent scholir studying Japanese and
American schools, says that in Japan, “the
aris aire foo raueh a part of the fabric of
sacicty to be climinated.”

‘It is cusy to document their outstanding
achievements in the arts, both in
traditional Japanese irts and Western
forms. sive Herbert Walberg, a professor
ab the University of Mlinois specializing in
cdueational productivity, “Some Americans
think the Japanese have purely techiical

 

Figure 1
Standard Number of Yearly School Hours(") in Elementary School

expertise, and that Americans are more
creative, but that is simply not 80," says
Walberg. “Some people think that if you
have wild fantasies, like those celebrated in
the 60s drug culture, that is creativity. But
the Jupanese idea of creativity is long weurs
of patient study under a mentor.” Says
Walberg, “They invest in people, because
for so long they had neither natural
resources nor capital.”

To some observers, such as Martin
Engel, a senior associate at NIE, the mental
stimulation provided by Japanese urts and
humanities education might be just as
Important to Japanese success its
mathematics and science cducation. “|
would hire a good flower arranger to be a
middle manager because he would
understand the relationships of the parts to
the whole,” savs Engel. “Much of our

SN a ee al TI ar

Figure 3

 

thinking is not just verbal or nttmerical
thinking. but American education focuses
narrowly on just those two svimbolic tracks.
The mind looks for patterns. ancl ereates
designs and shapes. 1 is constanth
composing, whether in words, imitwes, or
sounds.” “Because the Japanese routinely
learn many symbol systems,” says Engel,
“they have the mental capacity and
flexibility to create patterns, anel to
IMagine organizational structures. svstems
designs. or computer soliware

Engel’s views ure echoed by Elliot
Eisner, professor of education and art at
Stanford University. “The Iupanese have the
capicity to grasp relationships essential in
any kind of work. whether it is
mathematics or organizational design.”
Says Eisner, “the human mind is capable of
doing a wide range of things. Whether we

Required Subjects in
Upper Secondary Schools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ist 2nd 3rd 4th sth 6th Required subjects
Subject yeat year year | year year | year according to the revised
Subject Area | Course of Stud
Japanese Language 272 280 280 280 210 210 (effective from a3 1982
Social Studies 68 70 105 105 105 105 school
: year)
Arithmetic 136 Wes 175 175 175 175
Science 68 70 105 105 105 105 Japanese Japanese Language |
Music 68 70 70 70 70 70 Language (4)
Art and Handicrafts 68 70 70 70 70 70 :
Home-making — = — 70 70
Physical Education 102 105 105 105 105 105 Social Studies} Modern Society (4)
Moral Education'@) 34 35 35 35 35 35
Special Activities) 34 35 35 70 70 70 Mathematics |Mathematics | (4)
rotal 850 910 980 |1,015 | 1,015 | 1,015 Science Science | (4)
L Physical Education (7-9)
Figure 2 J Health & (male students tn full-
Standard Number of Yearly School Hours!) in Lower Secondary Schools Physical time courses have to
‘eS ‘ Education acquire 11 credits)
acts 1 2nd year | 3rd ve
SUDIPESS st year y. vear Health (2)
Japanese Language 175 140 140 =
Social Studies 140 140 105 One subject from Music
Malhematies 105 1410 140 1 (2), Fine Arts | (2).
Sserence 1Ob 105 140 Handicraft | (2),
Music 70 70 35 Arts Calligraphy | (2) (ull
Fine Arts 70 10 35 lime course students
Health and Physical Education 105 105 105 have lo acquire 3
Industrial Arts and Home-making 70 40 105 credils.)
Moral Education') 35 35 35
een piace ia ci 70 70 Home General Horne
Elective Subjects 105 105 104 Economics | Economics (4) (lor
female students anty)
Total 1,050 1,050 1.050

 

 

 

 

‘From National Institute from Educational Research, Tokyo, Japan