Discussion with parents

We started the day talking with parents from Katori City. The schools we are visiting are all part of the consolidated city of Katori. The key parts of the discussion were that education reform is in progress and they are working toward smaller class sizes.

The parents felt there has been in increase in discipline problems, especially with bullying. The biggest problem they have is with "cyber bullying". The parents asked if the United States was experiencing similar problems and how were we handling it. We confirmed that internet and cell phones are used for bullying and we too have a difficult time with this problem.

The parents felt that Japanese parents have become too lenient, parents want their children to love them so parents do not scold or punish. They have the impression that American parents are very strict. We discuss this topic at great lengths.

They have similar situations in schools such as budgets being cut and the need for PTA to help fund many programs, such as after school clubs. They also talk about children coming to school without homework done because some parents work long hours and cannot check on whether homework has been completed. We agree this is also a problem in the United States.

We found that our children are very much the same. After school they like to play video games, surf the internet, talk on cell phones, and participate in sports or clubs. The big difference between countries is that Jr. High students attend "cram school" after school. The purpose of this extra tutoring session is to prepare them for the examination they must take to determine which high school they can attend.

The parents talked about the stress of the entrance exam. They feel this is harming their children, but they do not know what to do about it. Students are so over worked and tired during Jr. High. Parents think this makes their children very sad. I would think the pressure would be huge on students ages 12 through 15.

The last thing we talked about was how important it is to keep art, music, and other traditional teachings in the schools. The parents believed it is important for students to not forget about Japan and the unique traditions of the country. The other important thing is for communication between teachers and parents to be improved for the benefit of the student.

Again I am amazed at how the United States and Japan are so similar. We have similar concerns as parents and have the same hopes and dreams for our children.