No abstract

Teachers in Japan earn tenure on their first day of employment -- not after two years of experience based on evaluations of teaching performance or student test scores. This is almost too good to be true. If tenure is so easy to attain, how do the Japanese make sure their teachers, especially novice teachers hired with little teaching experience, provide effective instruction? How do they embed accountability among teachers? An equally amazing fact about Japan is the high retention rate of beginning teachers. In 2006, merely 1.35% of 1st-year teachers in Japan left the profession, compared to the U.S. where almost half leave teaching sometime during the first five years. Why is there such a difference? Is teaching any easier in Japan than in the U.S.?

A qualitative study conducted in western Japan examined the perceptions of Korean students in Japanese junior high school to identify factors contributing to a consistently low high school advancement rate compared to mainstream Japanese students. Fourteen people were interviewed about their Korean students' experiences in Japan. The findings of this study suggest that factors contributing to the low high school advancement rate among Korean students cluster around three themes: (1) discrimination experienced in society at large and at school, (2) assimilation to become more like the Japanese, and (3) inconsistent cultural and insufficient academic support given by the school and teachers. Findings from this study indicate how the power structure in a social context of schooling influences minority students' learning and also confirmed in part Ogbu and Cummins' theories of how power relations between the subordinated and the dominant affect minority students' schooling experiences and learning.

This study examines best practices in teaching mathematics to minority students through two case studies conducted at high-minority junior high schools in the USA and Japan. Observations, interviews, and conversations with the teachers in both countries focused on the research question: how do teachers successfully teach mathematics to minority students? Moses' Five-step Approach was used as a framework for understanding mathematics teaching. Findings from these case studies reveal that despite many differences in their educational systems, distinct similarities existed between US and Japanese pedagogy when teaching minority populations including: (1) building upon students' prior experiences by using multisensory methods before teaching abstract concepts and rules; (2) using familiar, everyday words before introducing academic language; (3) integrating literacy throughout instruction; (4) guiding students to become critical thinkers through an inquiry process; and finally (5) developing trusting relationships with students and peers within a caring community.

The high performance of Japanese students, as demonstrated on international tests, is well-known, but the professional learning of Japanese teachers has received less attention. Ruth Ahn, Yasuko Shimojima, Hisayoshi Mori, and Shigeru Asanuma describe the professional development requirements for teachers across their careers. Novice teachers are required to engage in at least 300 hours professional learning, with additional learning requirements at the 10-year mark and again for license renewal every 10 years. These learning programs received mixed reviews from teachers. However, teachers consistently praised the more informal learning that took place in shokuin shitsu, or teachers’ room. This space serves as a home base for teachers throughout the day, and as they move in and out of the space, they are able to seek advice and support for pressing problems. This collegial learning benefited not just beginners but also veteran and midcareer teachers.