you are so ridiculous....
it is a common way in everywhere...
I think you need a critical thinking based on more knowledges about Japanese education at first
did you investigate it? if you didnt it is just your masturbation how you got superiority education.
of course, there is a ploblem in Japanese education
Considering your rude, insulting, and accusatory behavior, I'm not sure why I, or other posters, continue to respond. Maybe it is just too late for me to rationally decide not to.
Have I investigated it? Yes, I believe I have stated that to some degree numerous times and I simply don't believe you are reading the thread. I've been in classes in Japan, China, and South Korea. These include classes from Elementary School, Junior High, High School, and University level where I was a volunteer, visitor, and student. I've had an interest in education and teaching for a long time as it is my career goal to be a college professor. I've paid very close attention to not just the content, but how it is taught, perceived and studied. Am I running a doctoral research project on Japanese education? No, I'm talking about a subject on JRef's internet forums. However, I have done previous research projects regarding Japanese education, mostly focused on education of the atomic bombings of Japan and university students.
This post isn't some joyful activity of masturbation as you are insultingly stating it to be. If that was the case, JRef wouldn't be a site I'd be looking up.
With that, I'm through with being insulted by you caster and your attempts to derail this thread. I was a fool for responding yet again and probably now as well.
NOW on to the actual topic at hand! The actual purpose of this thread.
In regards to rote memory and critical thinking, I do think there may be an issue of balance. By no means does rote memory not exist in American schooling and education. It's simply required sometimes. However, I do want to state that rote memory is often the first step to a deeper understanding of a subject, not the end. You may memorize math formulas, but those are based on a deeper theory that must be understood. You may memorize the first version of history and historical dates, but that is only the beginning and one often limited version of "so-called" history that must be analyzed and considered afterwards.
For a oversimplified example, of which I'm not expecting much of myself tonight, let me talk about bread.
When you first learn to cook pretty much you look in a cook book, grab the ingredients, and follow the instructions. If you want to become better, you have to start thinking about WHY you use certain ingredients, and compare and contrast to other bread recipes. Later you may find that one tastes better than another type of bread, part of it can be your opinion, but if you truly want to make good bread, to become a master of bread bake'n, then you must dig deep and question each aspect and every ingredient and the effect, even if the previous recipe was created by Wolfgang Puck and he is telling you he'd be insulted if you even CONSIDERED questioning his super bread.
^ It's late, and that is the sort of stuff that comes out. If anyone considers that crazy example masturbation as well, I don't recommend eating the bread.