9 life skills Japanese students master from elementary school

Kumiko Makihara (Japanese origin), author of "Dear Diary Boy", adopted fromKazakhstan and sent her son to elementary school in Tokyo. When he grew up and became an American university student, she realized the importance of the skills that the Japanese education system equips students with early. Below is what she shared with the Washington Post on July 23.

When my son was in elementary school in Tokyo, he used to mow the schoolyard, cook a full meal, and swim for more than an hour at a jellyfish-filled beach.

I was born in Japan and attended elementary school there, but I lived abroad for many years. Now, when I hear American parents express concern about their children entering college, I realize how well the early education system in Japan prepared my son for this important milestone.

As the mother of a freshman, I share the concerns of those parents, like whether my son will keep up with his studies or make the soccer team. But there are plenty of things I don’t need to worry about. Making friends, living independently, and bouncing back from setbacks are just a few.

The reason is that in elementary school, my son spent as much time as he did studying to cultivate life skills, calledseikatsuryoku. The Land of the Rising Sun has a holistic approach to educating young children, providing them with knowledge while also helping them become responsible members of society. Think of football fans staying behind to clean up the stadium after a World Cup match.

Here's how a Tokyo elementary school prepared my child for the challenges of college in America.

1. Become part of the community

One of the key words at his school is "rentai," which means solidarity. Students are identified as members of a group, such as a grade, class, or homework group.

"Aisatsu" is a greeting used when introducing new relationships. Emphasizing team spirit helps children learn to accept each other and integrate into the group. Thanks to that, the boy can get used to the university environment smoothly.

2. Wander around a new city

All Japanese children go to school by themselves. My son attends a private school 90 minutes away from home. By the time he was 6, he had taken two trains and a bus, navigating the world’s largest train station.

Parents didn’t accompany him after the first three weeks of first grade. Sometimes he fell asleep and missed his stop, and sometimes the train was delayed. Each time became an adventure, giving him the chance to find a tour guide or try out a public phone. As a result, he now easily finds his way around the university area and beyond.

3. Time organization and management

Japanese children keep track of their learning by copying homework lists from the board into notebooks, keeping priorities in mind.

Students also need to be aware of what they need to bring to school. Many of the school supplies are placed on the table at home, next to their textbooks and gym uniform. Every night, my son will select items from these and put them in his school bag, ready for the next day. If he forgets something, his teacher will ask him to think about how his carelessness can cause inconvenience to others. This skill helps children plan better in the future.

4. Troubleshooting

Japanese schools design an “integrated study” phase to improve students’ problem-solving skills. My son’s school organizes classes on growing radishes, morning glory, or rice.Students must visit local stores and calculate a budget.

In 6th grade, students choose their own year-long project. My son researched World War II and I got to take him to an old military base to do some fieldwork.

In college, kids who are exposed to this skill early will find creative solutions when faced with difficulties.

5. Clean up

Japanese students clean their own classrooms. One of the first things I prepared for my child when he went to school was a rag, a small cloth with X-shaped stitches for durability, hung next to the desk in the classroom for daily cleaning.

When returning to school after the holidays, children bring gloves to pull weeds and towels to wipe sweat from their foreheads.Therefore, keeping the dorm room tidy is not a difficult task for my son.

6. Eating and drinking

Every child in Japanese school is expected to eat everything served for lunch, unless they have allergies. Leaving food uneaten is considered wasteful and disrespectful to the person who prepared it.

My kids learned how to cook at school, slicing and stewing their own turnips, and practicing peeling apples so that the skin is in one long, unbroken strip.In sixth grade, he could cook a full meal while wearing a self-made apron in class.

This skill is very important when entering college.

7. Conflict Resolution

When he started first grade, my son used to run from place to place, looking for a place to hide from a big boy who was a bully. He also got into a fight with another boy, rolling around on the classroom floor.

Teachers do not intervene unless they see physical or psychological harm coming. The school's philosophy is to let children work out their own problems. This helps them deal with their dormitory roommates when they go to college.

8. Patience

Very few colleges test their students' swimming skills these days. But if my child gets into a school that requires it, he or she will be well prepared.

His elementary school in Tokyo required students to complete a 1-2 km swim before graduating. That was a feat for city kids, given theSwimming breaststroke in water that may contain many jellyfish is not easy. Children are trained to persevere through such challenges.

9. Rise from failure

None of this has been easy for my son, except for eating a variety of foods. He has had his fair share of disappointments in school. When he first started, he was teased for being a foreigner (he was adopted from Kazakhstan). Bad grades were posted on the wall, while no notes were given to praise effort.

He learns that the only choice is to live with his shortcomings or aim higher. He accepts reality and is able to bounce back from failures.

When he came to the US, entering a more diverse environment with students from all over the world, my son faced many unpredictable challenges. However, thanks to the skills he learned in Japanese elementary school, he was ready to take on anything.

Thuy Linh