ALT Life- Child Education in Japan, How it Works
#LifeInJapan #ChildEducation #AdventuresOfJapan
In this video, I share how my experience as an ALT in Japan has confirmed a belief I’ve always held: educating a child must be a collaboration between all stakeholders — parents, teachers, schools, and the wider community.
Japan can feel lonely when you first arrive alone, and that’s one of the reasons I brought my wife and daughter. But inside Japanese schools, I’ve seen something powerful: a system where parents and teachers communicate, cooperate, and work together to support the whole child. This approach aligns perfectly with my own philosophy as an educator.
I also touch briefly on my experiences with China and how both countries approach education differently.
If you’d like a full Japan vs China comparison, let me know in the comments and I’ll create a detailed video.
If you’re interested in education, parenting abroad, or understanding how Japan supports children, this video offers a clear and honest perspective.
Hello, welcome back to Adventures of Japan. In this video, I want to discuss education,
I mean child education in Japan. As an ALT, I have seen that it feels lonely
to be a worker here in Japan and so I brought my family over, my wife and my daughter. How I did
that? If you want me to talk about it, kindly comment it under this video and I will talk
about all the processes involved if you are in Japan or if you are planning on coming to Japan
and you are thinking of bringing your family. I will do a video comprehensive about all the
processes, what documents you need and all those stuff. So if you need me to make a video on that,
kindly comment it under this video. Back to my point, as an educationist, I believe that
educating a child is not only about classroom learning, it goes beyond the classroom.
Recently, my daughter, she's just in elementary school, grade one. In Ghana, we say primary one,
primary two, up to primary six but the same primary level that we have in Ghana is the same
thing here which is referred to as elementary school and having grades one, two, three, up to six.
Even junior high, that we have junior high school one, two, three, over here, they are still called
grade seven, grade eight, grade nine. So if you hear about grades, grades, don't be confused,
okay? So my daughter is in grade one. A few months ago, she came home and said that
they were asked to do something at home that they have never done before and in doing that,
their parents would have to supervise them and mark them, give them a mark. The parents have to
guide them, coach them what to do, how to do it, to make them aware of what they are doing.
Do you get the point? So indirectly, the school is extending the learning experience into the home,
guiding the child to learn something new. Why I'm making this video is, I have realized that
ever since my daughter started schooling here in Japan, before the start of the school,
they have a meeting with parents. Not a general meeting, it is a one-on-one. So they have to
schedule, they give a window period, the available dates, the times available. So as a parent, you
need to choose, look at your time schedule, your working schedule, and choose the time that is
convenient for you. And when you go, the school would have to tell you their goals for your child,
the expectations of your child, what you need to do to support your child.
And if you have any questions or you also have an expectation from the school, you let them know,
so that the school and the home work together in developing the child. Developing the child
to become a whole human being. Do you get the point? Yes, that is what happens here.
Today, as I'm making this video, it was such a day. I just came out from a meeting
from the school, and they told me everything that has been going on with my daughter's schooling,
whatever she does in the classroom, how she behaves in the school, whether she's enjoying
or not enjoying. And they said something interesting, which I am aware of that,
that's exactly my daughter. So there's no way I would doubt what they are saying.
So you see, I also told them she does this and that at home. So together, we planned how to help
her to become a better version of who she is today. This is how education works. Do you get
the point? This is how education works. One sector, the teachers, and another sector, the
parents, cannot work separately to produce a whole human being for the community. Are you getting my
point? So I am just being happy that I have been to this meeting, even though this is not the first
time, but I just feel like I need to share this information with you. I have lived in China before,
and having my child here, and with what I know about China, they are not the same.
They are not the same. I know enough about children's school life in China.
And if you want me to talk about China and Japan in terms of family life and co,
comment it under this video, and I will do a comprehensive video about that
to tell you what I know, which is a fact about China. If you want to go to China,
or you want to come to Japan, what you should look for, and you make your decision, okay?
All right, so in this video, I just want to backstress the point that child development,
the totality of education, is not limited to only classrooms. It includes both the school,
the home, and the community. All right, if you agree with me, kindly like this video,
and share with others. Even if you don't agree, kindly subscribe to this channel,
and like. Please comment your dislike or like under this video, and I will appreciate it so
much. Until I bring you the next video, I am always Mr. Don't Give Up, and I will see you
in the next video.