paradigm's who's who in education in japan

Who’sWhoin Education in Japan // 2009

A rite of spring in many schools is the stream of letters a principal receives from concerned

parents seeking consideration for their child’s class assignment for the coming school year. I’ve seen a lot of this correspondence over my 25 years as an elementary principal. With few exceptions, these letters reveal similar hopes with parents consistently voicing a desire for a class setting that upholds high expectations for achievement and behavior, provides a structure, and nurtures each child as a valued and respected member of the community. In this case, parent intuition reflects what research portrays as significant determinants of student learning. Consideration of these factors as institutional commitments should also be prominent in parents’ minds as they choose the starting point for their child’s elementary schooling.

Parents of young children understand the stakes are high. Studies affirm that children leaving third grade as solid readers have an enormous advantage in continuing their academic success. The opposite is also true. A school operating with high expectations for achievement is committed to the goal of early reading success for all primary grade students. Systems are in place to assess students’ progress at key points of development, e.g., in the fall of the kindergarten and first grade years to identify those students who need some reading “vitamins” to boost them to success. This takes the form of best practice instruction in the classroom and extra small group lessons from a qualified learning specialist. Such a proactive safety net approach—known as

early intervention—prevents the development of major achievement gaps that lead to discouragement and lower achievement. Students simply aren’t given the opportunity to fall behind in this kind of school program.

A major part of the structure parents seek comes from a guaranteed and viable curriculum—a school’s map for intended learning. Rich learning experiences and the growth of key skills nourish the natural curiosity of young children and their desire to be competent participants in their school world. Structure in classroom management is also highly correlated to student achievement. This means use of space, time and learning materials has been shaped into efficient routines ensuring that the maximum time is devoted to important learning activities, not in housekeeping. Structure also extends to leadership and communication systems that ensure partnership between school and home, and constant improvement in curriculum and instruction.

Foremost among parents’ priorities is the provision of a nurturing, emotionally safe learning environment for their young children. Students who feel safe and cared for by the adults in their school grow in self-esteem and the ability to take the risks that learning requires. This is the cornerstone of the learning foundation children build on for their future. In a caring school, respect is a core value, and time and focus are given to helping young children learn what it means to be responsible community members.

The professionalism of the teaching staff is a major source of trust that parents weigh in choosing a school

for their young learners. Parents also recognize that other members of a faculty can hold the key to igniting their children’s enthusiasm and growth as self-directed, confident young persons. Often it’s a counselor, music teacher, or swim coach who can hold the mirror before a child and help the student see a capability or interest more clearly—one that eventually becomes a driving force.

Clearly Tokyo families seeking education for their youngest children in an international school setting have a range of options. My advice is to assess the school’s institutional commitments to high expectations, structure and nurturing, and weigh those findings with the factors of proximity, convenience, or even family tradition. Parents who make such careful decisions for the young learners in their lives are more likely to tap the educational power of the early years.

Dan BenderElementary PrincipalThe American School in Japan

Dan Bender has been the elementary

principal at The American School in Japan

since 1988. National Distinguished Principal

of the Year 2000, Dan holds teaching

degrees from the University of Michigan

and Iowa State University.

Elementary Education: Tapping the Power of the Early Years

2 // Who’s Who in Education in Japan 2009

Who’s Who in Education in Japan 2009 // 3

The severity of the recent financial and economic shocks across industries and across geographies hasn’t been seen since the days of the Great

Depression. These interesting times have had important implications for educational institutions, in particular universities and colleges offering both executive education and degree programs.

The past two or three years have seen a very rapid change in the needs of companies and organizations in terms of the skill sets, and, in fact, the mind sets, of their employees, both at the executive level and deeper down into the organization. Companies have also been forced to undertake massive reorganizations and restructurings in the face of vanishing revenues and profits.

Degree programs, in particular Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Management Programs (MM), saw a surge in applicants for admission in the 2009 academic year. This has been driven by two interrelated factors. First, a large number of middle- and junior-level employees found themselves suddenly restructured out of their business, and took the opportunity to upgrade their skills in anticipation of an economic upswing. Second, a much harsher business reality has emerged in which credit markets have tightened or closed completely. This makes organizational success much more dependent on the capability and innovation of the employees and management, rather than on inexpensive credit. Successful managers and employees of the very near future will need to be able to demonstrate their understanding and innovative capability in real business, rather than their acumen in exploiting inexpensive credit.

Management faculties have been responsive to these new demands by making their curricula more integrative in approach. This improvement should help these graduates, as they become business leaders, to frame business challenges and opportunities with the entire organization and its stakeholders in mind.

In the Executive Education field, companies have begun to demand training and education in the specific challenges facing their businesses. In particular, companies are looking to academic institutions and professors for unbiased analyses and insights, rather than providing a general business education. This is an important change in that Executive Education programs are now being asked to improve business performance—drive results—rather like a learning curve for managers.

Unlike business consultants, university faculties are in a better position to provide intelligent and thorough analyses, recommendations and training. Along with this advantage, faculty are clearly delimited in their field of expertise and are not under pressure to constantly expand their mandate, as are business consultancies.

The challenge for faculty is not only to understand the theoretical basis of their field, but also to become deeply familiar with the structure, operation, challenges and possible solutions for client companies. A level of responsiveness is also now demanded from both professors and Executive Education Centers.

Executive education clients, in turn, are much more savvy in their demands on faculty. Clients want to be involved in developing the curriculum and outcomes. They also understand the value of driving the learning down deep into their organizations, not letting it reside only at the executive level. They are also demanding that faculty move away from a lecture-based, to an experienced-based, learning approach.

Executive Education providers who are able to respond to these new demands, while offering the highest level of unbiased advice, should be able to prosper, even in these very difficult economic times.

Philip O’NeillDirector, McGill MBA Japan ProgramDesautels Faculty of Management of McGill University

Changes in the Executive and Advanced Business Education Industry

Education traditionally is digitalized in the sense that the curriculum is fixed according

to each separate subject and each grade level. What results is a grid, with fixed content in each box, and with the different subjects having little or nothing to do with one another. Public and private schools in most countries have approved textbooks for each of the blocks in the grid. Children have to fit into them and they are compared with respect to whether they are on grade level, ahead of grade level, or behind grade level. The second and especially the third categories present special challenges to the teachers and parents. When the children who are “behind” look up at the adult faces, they may see worry, disappointment, frustration, anger, resignation, or any number of other unhappy expressions. Or, an adult may say, “I wasn’t good in math when I was your age either, so don’t worry about it”—and so on. These are natural responses—given the style of education—and the children come to be defined, and to define themselves, according to where they are with respect to timed conformity to fixed standards. The students may be remediated in various ways in the hope of helping them “catch up.” In such a context, cheating becomes “problem solving in a difficult situation.” And, as the children are compared, so they also compare each other—with very negative results. Is all of this going to help them in the world they will live in? Hardly!

To extend the analogy, if the previous style of education was remotely controlled and digitalized to prepare children for a fixed factory or bureaucratic positions and roles to be occupied, today’s children need a collaborative, integrated, site-based, analogical style of education, where their own experience and timing has increased relevancy. There are direct correlations between learning something, wanting to learn it, and being ready to learn it. The right side of the brain is clearly just as important as the left side; social and emotional skills are every bit as important as academic skills. Projections for the future are grim, especially as regards job security. Whereas job instability used to be the burden of the uneducated, now all segments of society are affected. Adults in the future most probably will have to change jobs several times in their lives and with all of the fall out that that implies in terms of residences and relationships. Essentially, as highlighted in the “Do you know?” video available on YouTube, “We are preparing students for jobs that do not exist using technology that has yet to be invented in order to solve problems that we don’t know are problems yet.”

In short, today’s children will have to be strong enough to face and tackle the unknown. They must be inventive, creative, collaborative, independent and resourceful. They had better be bilingual or multilingual, both communicatively and academically,

especially if their native language is not English. And they must be able to see and understand the world of their experience from different cultural, linguistic and academic perspectives. When parents look for a school for their child, I think they need to ask themselves (and the school) if and how any school in which they are interested develops these kinds of skills.

Unfortunately, so long as the world changes exponentially and educational programs change only incrementally, they become increasingly out of sync with one another. International schools are in a position to lead various types of innovation by virtue of their relative freedom from prescriptive educational systems if they are not burdened by inertia of a different kind.

Steven ParrDirector/Head of SchoolNew International School of Japan

What Are We Preparing Our Children For?!



A university’s ability to compete for students, faculty and financial resources depends on the strength of its collaborations with other universities

and with industry. The open flow of ideas, people and financial resources between the business community and universities is necessary to support education, as well as innovative research and development. As non-profit organizations, universities should be leaders for innovation in the creation of public goods, but they cannot do so if isolated from industry. Whether in regards to university-university relationships or university-industry relationships, in neither case should national boundaries form a barrier.

There is a great deal of discussion about internationalizing Japanese universities because the globalization of higher education is forcing them to compete outside their own national boundaries, but the lack of internationalization in Japanese universities is just one symptom of a more fundamental problem—openness. In order to function properly, universities must have permeable boundaries that allow as much horizontal communication as possible. Most people’s conception of a university, especially Japanese universities, is that of a vertical organization of enclosed structures. However, the best institutions are those whose vertical and parochial natures are ameliorated by horizontal structures that allow the free flow of information from one area to another that supports, in turn, collaboration in teaching, research and administration. This is especially true in developing research in fields such as bio-engineering and nanotechnology. In this age of global, instantaneous, and universally accessible communication, national boundaries may be more permeable, and they may be only one set of barriers to overcome, but they are still formidable.

The relative openness and decentralized nature of American society and its institutions, its competitive nature, and the amount of money available from the national government, non-profit foundations, and private industry targeted to innovation—all combine to support the ability of American universities to compete successfully and insure that their research will be effectively moved from lab bench to workbench. In Japan, however, the horizontal flows that are necessary for effective university-university and university-industry collaborations face the barriers of a centralized government and social institutions, and very compartmentalized universities.

Centralization can have its benefits, but in the case of Japan, it has not increased the amount of government resources applied to science and technology research and development (it remains one of the lowest in the OECD), neither has it been able to promote innovation and competition effectively.

There is a clear understanding in Japan of the need to create greater horizontal flows. The government has been trying to play catch-up by sponsoring Center of Excellence grants that support programs designed to spur more internationalized development of research in science and technology in order to enhance the global competitiveness of both businesses and universities. The government also has launched a supporting scheme to create English-language colleges in 30 top universities. However, the internationalization of Japanese universities and their relations with industry still lag behind their OECD counterparts.

The severity of the problem is demonstrated by the number of Japanese firms that locate branches in the United States in order to take advantage of better business-university collaboration in research and development. Japanese universities are doing the same through organizations such as the Japanese University Network in the Bay Area (JUNBA). Creating branch operations in the United States is a partial solution, but internationalization will only occur when their American counterparts are allowed to operate as freely in Japan. If Japan wants to become a leader in innovative science and technology research and development, then it must create the conditions to support open and free flow of resources within Japan, for Japanese and foreign businesses and universities. Internationalization starts at home.

Bruce StronachDeanTemple University, Japan Campus

Internationalizing Sangakurenkei: University-Industry Relations in Japan


InformationAddress Chofu Campus: 1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi, 182-0031;

Early Learning Center: 6-16-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0032

Tel Chofu: 0422-34-5300; ELC: 03-5771-4344

Fax Chofu: 0422-34-5303; ELC: 03-5771-4341

Email [email protected]

Web site http://community.asij.ac.jp

Number of Students 1,550

Grades N-12

Co-ed Yes

Uniform No

Curriculum/diploma American

Transportation School buses, train

School year August-June

The American School in Japan

OverviewServing students from over 40 countries, The American School in Japan has offered a coeducational, college preparatory program since 1902. Operating on two campuses, ASIJ is an independent, co-educational international day school that enrolls students from three years of age through high school. The school’s curriculum is modeled on the American system of education and the school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Nursery, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes are held at the Roppongi Hills Early Learning Center. This bright modern school was designed specifically to meet the needs of our youngest students, with a library, music room, indoor and outdoor play spaces, and an abundance of stimulating and imaginative materials in each classroom. A dedicated team of early childhood specialists led by Director Judy Beneventi—National Distinguished Principal of the Year 2007—deliver a rich educational experience that draws on our host culture.

ASIJ’s 5.5ha Chofu campus also features excellent facilities that include two athletics fields, three libraries, three gymnasiums and an indoor pool. A state-of-the-art performing-arts wing featuring a 420-seat theater, black box theater and digital video studio opened in 2005, and 2008 saw the addition of a new outdoor learning space for elementary students. Over 150 highly qualified faculty members provide a challenging academic experience

designed to “develop compassionate, inquisitive learners prepared for global responsibility.” Over 60% of the faculty hold an advanced degree and average over 20 years of teaching experience each.

High School Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the challenge to students of all ages to passionately pursue excellence in everything they do, form the basis for a lively educational community. In line with the school’s vision “to take full advantage of our surroundings in Japan,” students at all grade levels have the opportunity to engage in extended campus learning. In high school, the Japan Understanding and Motivational Program (JUMP) sees students embark on diverse adventures exploring the country, its culture, crafts and history. Middle school students engage in exchanges with local schools and visit Hiroshima, the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project (KEEP), Nagano, Lake Sai, and study marine life on the Izu Peninsula. ASIJ offers 50 levels of Japanese, and the high school kyogen performance (a traditional comedic theater) gives high-level Japanese speakers the chance to work with professional actors in a unique program that many students remember decades later.

An inclusive program of over 100 K-12 co-curricular activities complements classroom learning. Over 40 sporting activities that range from tae kwon do to American Football and wrestling to volleyball offer extensive oportunities for interschool and intramural competition. A wide variety of performance opportunities offer students from the elementary to high school the chance to shine in music, theater and speech. Leadership and service clubs at all levels also support the school’s mission while offering students the opportunity to learn about global issues and support external organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF and Amnesty International.

Over the past three years, 42% of ASIJ’s graduates have attended Barron’s most competitive colleges, with another 28% attending Barron’s highly competitive colleges. In 2009, graduates were accepted by universities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan including the following top-tier schools: Princeton University, Yale University, Harvard University, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Stanford University, Duke University, MIT, UCLA, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, Georgetown University, Oberlin College, Vassar College, University of Warwick, University College London, University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Parsons School of Design (Paris), Central St Martin’s School of Art and Design, and Sophia University.


InformationAddress 1-2-14 Shinkawa-cho, Higashi Kurume-shi,

Tokyo 203-0013

Tel 042-471-0022

Fax 042-476-2200


Web site caj.or.jp

Number of Students 477

Grades K-12

Co-ed Yes

Uniform No


Transportation No


OverviewChristian Academy in Japan (CAJ), located in northwest Tokyo, offers an accredited, college preparatory, American-style program in English. Students at all levels take core academics and electives (art, choral and instrumental music, computer, etc.), explore the riches of Japanese culture on field trips, and apply their learning through service projects. AP and ESL classes are available, as is assistance for children with special needs.

CAJ’s curriculum is designed to prepare students for a life of obedi-ent response to God and responsibility for His creation. Over 90% of CAJ graduates enroll in colleges and universities throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Students use a well-equipped, four-acre campus that includes a 400-seat auditorium, a gymnasium, and academic buildings housing a 25,000-volume library, science laboratories, computer laboratories, and classrooms.

CAJ is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International and the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools.

Christian Academy

InformationAddress Suginami Campus: 2-10-7 Miyamae, Suginami-

ku, Tokyo 168-0081; Meguro Campus: 2-10-34 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0042

Tel Suginami 03-3335-6620; Meguro 03-3461-1442

Fax Suginami 03-3332-6865; Meguro 03-3463-9873


Web site aobajapan.jp

Number of Students Suginami: 330; Meguro: 70

Grades Suginami K3-9; Meguro K1-K4

Co-ed Yes

Uniform Yes

Curriculum/diploma International Curriculum

Transportation School buses, public transportation

School year Sep-June

OverviewA-JIS is designed to meet the specific needs of students who come from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds, with over 30 nationalities represented. Multilingual education is emphasized through our mainstream curriculum provided entirely in English, in addition to Japanese and other language studies. Students with limited or no English-ability are accepted and supported through our homeroom-based Intensive English Program. Students are grouped by ability in the Mathematics program from Grades 5 to 9, challenging students to excel at their highest level. The Middle School provides a unique independent study program, and a school-wide values education program is integrated into Language Arts. We also provide a welcoming band program from the Elementary School level, including complete beginners. We welcome this opportunity to give our children an education suited for the global community, and to allow them to gather and build the feeling necessary for international friendships.

Aoba-Japan International School


InformationAddress 1-5-15 Shirakawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0021

Tel 03-3642-9993 (English); 03-3642-9992 (Japanese)

Fax 03-3642-9994


Web site www.kist.ed.jp


Grades Pre-K – 12

Co-ed Yes

Uniform Yes

Curriculum/diploma IB PYP, MYP, DP

Transportation School buses, train


Overview

KIST was founded with the vision of providing a quality, holistic inter-national education for children from diverse backgrounds and abilities to study together in a safe and secure environment without prejudice or injustice. Authorized as an IB World School by the International Baccalaureate, KIST is currently the only school in Tokyo to offer all three IB programs: PYP, MYP and DP. Based on an inquiry approach that provides students with opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning, these programs aim to guide students in developing problem-solving and research skills that will allow them to not only cope with a rapidly changing world, but help them to become lifelong learners and productive members of our global community. Commencing with our first graduate class in 2006, KIST graduates have enjoyed great success in gaining acceptance to scholarship programs at major universities around the world including those in the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia.

InformationAddress 4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0012

Tel 03-3400-3951

Fax 03-3400-3496


Web site www.issh.ac.jp


Grades K-12

Co-ed Kindergarten only

Uniform Yes (smock only for K)

Curriculum/diploma International, U.S., UK, IPC for K3-G4, AP for G11-12

Transportation Hibiya Line, Hiroo Station, Exit #3

School year Aug-June

Overview

Since 1908, the International School of the Sacred Heart has provided students of many cultures with the necessary skills to enable them to become critical thinkers and effective leaders. We are an English-speaking Catholic school that warmly welcomes families from many faiths. Our student population represents over 45 countries. Students benefit from libraries, computer labs, science labs, food labs, playgrounds, tennis courts, art rooms, music rooms, a pottery studio, drama studio, gymnasiums, open grassed areas and a dining room that offers a hot lunch program. We offer a core curriculum that provides the basis of a sound liberal education designed to develop the whole person. We teach to an International Curriculum that includes programs from IPC in the K/JS, Advanced Placement in the High School and ESL from K4 onwards. An abundance of extra-curricular options are available to the students such as art clubs, choral festivals, speech competitions, and sporting activities.

K. International School Tokyo

International School of the Sacred Heart


Maria’s Babies Society

InformationAddress 3-36-20 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-001

Tel 03-3404-3468

Fax 03-3404-3625


Web site www.mariasbabies.co.jp


Grades babies class - preparatory class (1-8 years)

Co-ed Yes

Uniform Yes

Curriculum/diploma British National

Transportation Train, car

School year Sep-July

OverviewMaria’s Babies Society is Japan’s first bilingual and bicultural institution for mothers and babies. We offer a variety of programs that are designed to cater to the special needs and individual stages of growth and development of each child.

All Maria’s Babies Society programs, while incorporating a variety of teaching goals and methods, are unified by a common theme: our respect for the humanity of each individual. While beliefs may vary between cultures and generations, we feel that a concern for the value and dignity of all human beings is a unchanging element in any successful educational endeavor. Therefore, we attempt to incorporate all the components of a widely based curriculum into our larger aim: to equip our pupils to form loving and meaningful relationships with one another, their families and communities, and an increasingly impersonal world.

Accordingly, an essential element of all our programs is the encouragement of healthy lifestyle choices, as well as considerate behavior and speech, in all pupils. This is accomplished through an emphasis on a structured daily routine and good manners. It must be pointed out, however, that our true aim in doing this is to develop the inner caring, both for one’s self and others, that is later reflected in outward acts.

The Morning Program can be considered the core of the school, as it offers the chance for three age groups to learn, interact and play with each other. Eligibility for the group is not based so much on birthdays, but more so on emotional and developmental readiness. It is the diversity of the program, both in ages and in nationalities, that offers pupils concrete experiences in problem solving and reacting to differences in a positive way. With these new situations occurring daily, we are extremely proud of our Big Brothers/Big Sisters concept, and how much it has to offer the pupils in building peer respect and group harmony.

The educational program is based on an extended and augmented Montessori method. Children progress from the introductory Happy Nappies level (baby not yet progressed to speech), to the Little Learners level (from first speech through to confident use of the mother tongue), and finally to the Busy Thinkers (formal introduction to reading and writing in English).

Pupils will progress through a series of structured program levels, guided by the child’s readiness, rather than just by age, as in conventional school systems.

The Afternoon Program is an introduction to the Morning Program. Children in this relaxed, intimate program build relationships with teachers and one another as they adjust to the school environment, and prepare for attendance in the busier morning program.

The Afternoon Extension Program is designed for those children who are ready to attend for a full day and is open to children who attend the Morning Program on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The Little Diplomats Program offers a unique opportunity to the older and/or rapidly advancing child.

For students who have graduated from our school and enrolled at a Japanese elementary school, the Preparatory Class offers a chance for them to continue their education in English at Maria’s Babies Society. The class is open to students in the first through fourth grade of elementary school (ages 6 through 9, until the beginning of preparation for junior high entrance exams).

Our goal in organizing the Year One Program was to ensure the Society’s pupils’ access to quality education beyond the Busy Thinkers group level. While maintaining the small class size and pupil-to-teacher ratio that is characteristic of all the Society’s programs, the course has been designed to follow the yearly learning objectives of the British National Curriculum.


InformationAddress c/o Sophia University, Building 4, Room 182, 7-1

Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554Overview

McGill MBA Japan ProgramRe-invent yourself on weekends with McGill University’s innovative MBA

Japan program.

With crisis comes opportunity, and the McGill MBA Japan program is the ideal way to position yourself for the explosion of entrepreneurial activity, and new business development that is sure to come.

McGill’s two-year program, taught by professors flown in from the Desautels Faculty of Management of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, is among the top weekend programs for working professionals anywhere in the world. Studying while you work lets you bring new outlooks, skills and mindsets that you can apply to the challenges you face and work, while allowing you to prepare for the future.

The McGill MBA Japan program brings together students from over 18 different countries who work in industries ranging from manufacturing to finance, through to consulting, government, and IT and Entrepreneurship. McGill brings this truly diverse, global learning environment right to the center of Tokyo.

With the same admission and performance standards of the main campus, the McGill MBA Japan program leads to a degree from McGill University, ranked among the world’s top universities. The turbulent global business environment demands knowledge, strength of character, and flexibility, along with a real understanding of the issues organizations face today and in the future. Find out how the McGill MBA Japan program can help you invest in your world, your ideas and your future.

Find out how McGill also can help you re-invent your career and your future by attending an Open House session on campus in Tokyo, or by contacting McGill for an individual consultation. Tel: 03-5215-1383, e-mail [email protected]

Visit: www.mcgillmbajapan.com

Tel 03-5215-1383

Fax 03-5215-1383


Web site www.mcgillmbajapan.com


Curriculum/diploma Master of Business Administration (MBA), Post MBA Certificate

Level of Degrees(s) Master

School year June-May

Prerequisites Bachelors Degree, TOEFL, GMAT, 5-years work experience

Part-time/Full-time participation

Weekend

Campus location(s) Sophia University, Tokyo; Montreal Quebec, Canada

Program length 18 Months

Tuition 4.8 million yen

McGill MBA Japan Program


InformationAddress 3-18-32 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

171-0022

Tel 03-3980-1057

Fax 03-3980-1154


Web site http://newinternationalschool.com


Grades Pre-K age 3 to Grade 9

Co-ed Yes

Uniform Yes

Curriculum/diploma Multiage, Dual Language

Transportation One school bus

School year end Aug - mid-June

Overview

New International School is a dual-language school in English and Japanese, and also multiage by design. The children spend three years in the same class with two team-teachers. They experience from being among the younger to being among the older students in the class, and with no ceiling on their development, whatever their age. This makes it possible to be extremely innovative, provided that one has the resources, which we do, with over 23,000 books in our library, SmartBoards and computers in spacious classrooms, and an abundance of materials for active learning in music and art as well. The children approach topics from different points of view, including those generated by the various academic disciplines and from different personal, cultural and linguistic perspectives. We believe that the social, academic and creative skills gained will make it possible for the children to navigate their future lives with a positive spirit. Visitors are welcome by appointment.

New International School of Japan

InformationAddress 2686 Minamihara, Nakashidami, Moriyama-ku,

Nagoya 463-0002

Tel 052-736-2025

Fax 052-736-3883


Web site www.nis.ac.jp


Grades preschool-high school

Co-ed Yes

Uniform No

Curriculum/diploma IB/WASC

Transportation bus transportation available

School year late-August to mid-June

Overview

Nagoya International School (NIS) provides experiences that build critical thinking skills, opportunities to tackle new challenges and forums to seek answers to hard questions. Students representing 26 nationalities from preschool through high school receive a solid foundation from which to grow and mature. NIS is fully accredited by WASC and is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Graduates earn a standard U.S. diploma and, additionally, have the option to obtain the IB Diploma.

Nagoya International School


InformationAddress 1-12-15 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097

Tel 03-3704-2661

Fax 03-3701-1033


Web site www.seisen.com

Number of Students approximately 700

Grades KG-Grade 12

Co-ed KG, Grades 1-12 girls only

Uniform Required

Curriculum/diploma Montessori, PYP, IB Diploma & selected IGCSEs

Transportation School buses available


Overview

Seisen International School in Tokyo, Setagaya Ward is a Catholic, college-preparatory, girls’ day school with a co-educational kindergarten. Students of all races, nationalities and faiths are challenged in moral, physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional development.

The three-year Montessori kindergarten is designed to take full advantage of the self-motivation and sensitivity of each child. The materials, unique to Montessori education, are carefully designed to enhance individual progress.

The elementary school offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization. Students are encouraged to be thinkers and inquirers. The teachers serve as facilitators and provide the necessary coaching, information and strategies to promote quality learning.

The high school’s rigorous academic program prepares students for col-lege entrance worldwide with the IB Diploma Programme. Many extracur-ricular activities in sports and fine arts are available at all levels.

Seisen is accredited by CIS and NEASC.

Seisen International School

InformationAddress Yebisu Garden Place Nibankan 1F, 4-20-2 Ebisu,

Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013

Tel 03-5791-2105

Fax 03-5791-2106


Web site www.poppins.co.jp/pips/


Grades 12 months - 47 months (3 years old)

Co-ed Yes

Uniform No

Curriculum/diploma British-based

Transportation Train

School year Sep-June (Summer program July & Aug)

Overview

At Poppins International Pre-School we are proud to provide a safe, loving and educational English-language environment where students explore early learning through a multitude of different stimuli and make the basis of development socially and linguistically. Our beautifully designed, pur-pose-built facility in the heart of Yebisu Garden Place in Ebisu is bright and spacious, offering children a calm and aesthetically pleasing place to learn.We strongly believe that young children need to be exposed to a variety of different learning experiences to grow and develop at their own pace. Our truly holistic education is based on the British Early Years Programme and Foundation Stage Curriculum. Our team of skilled teachers and Early Years practitioners possess a true passion for teaching. We at PIPS believe in a strong sense of communication and community with our students’ families. This approach, coupled with our high teacher-to-student ratio, means that all our students receive ample support and attention to ensure that they can get the most out of their experience.

Poppins International Pre-School


InformationAddress 1-6-19, Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8668

Tel 03-3709-3411

Fax 03-3707-1950


Web site www.smis.ac.jp


Grades RP (Pre 1st) – Gr. 12

Co-ed N/A

Uniform Yes

Curriculum/diploma American College-Preparatory Curriculum International Baccalaureate

Transportation School bus, public transportation

School year Aug-June

OverviewSt. Mary’s International School has served Tokyo’s international community since 1954; accepting boys aged 5 to 18. The school has close to 950 boys from approximately 55 different countries. This international student body, rich in cultural and religious diversity, contributes greatly to the unique educational experience offered. St. Mary’s follows a U.S. curriculum and provides a college-preparatory program including International Baccalaureate for the 11th and 12th grades. The school also has an English as a Second Language program. In addition to the core programs, specialist teachers and facilities are available for art, physical education, aquatics, vocal and instrumental music, and information technology, as well as Japanese and several other languages. St. Mary’s sport teams and fine arts programs are first rate, winning local and international honors. Our academic and activity programs are specifically designed to meet the educational and developmental needs of boys.

St. Mary’s International School

InformationAddress 2-8-12 Minami-azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel 0120-86-1026


Web site www.tuj.ac.jp

Number of Students 2,300 (including non-degree programs, but excluding corporate education program)


Level of Degrees(s) BA, BS, MBA, LLM, MEd, EdD

School year Jan-Apr, May-Aug, late Aug-Dec. Rolling admissions

Prerequisites SAT or ACT, GMAT, years of experience and other requirements (see Web site)

PParticipation Full-time/Part-time

Campus location(s) Minami-azabu and Mita

Program length 2-4 years (for degree-programs)

Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), is the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan. Founded in 1982, TUJ is now a nationally recognized institution offering an extensive range of educational programs. In addition to its core undergraduate program, TUJ offers graduate programs in law, business, and education; Academic English Program; continuing education courses; and corporate education classes.

TUJ takes pride in its top-quality, English-language education and in providing a unique opportunity for students to obtain American degrees without leaving Japan. Students come from over 60 countries, and this diverse student body helps make TUJ a rich, dynamic, and stimulating institution.

TUJ is the first in Japan to be recognized as a Foreign University, Japan Campus by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This status allows TUJ to sponsor student visas, enabling international students to study at TUJ on either a short-term (one or two semesters) or a long-term (a full four-year program) basis.

Temple University, Japan Campus


• American School in Japan •• Aoba-Japan International School •

• British School in Tokyo • • The Canadian Academy •

• Christian Academy in Japan •• Fukuoka International School •

• Hiroshima International School •• Hokkaido International School •

• International School of the Sacred Heart •• Kyoto International School •

• Marist Brothers International School •• Montessori School of Tokyo •• Nagoya International School •

• New International School •• Nishimachi International School •

• Osaka International School •• Seisen International School •

• St. Mary’s International School •• St. Maur International School •

• St. Michael’s International School •• Tohoku International School •• Tokyo International School •

• Tokyo Union Church Preschool-Kindergarten •• Tsukuba International School •

• Yokohama International School •

Links to the members schools may be found at www.jcis.jp

Japan Council of International Schools

Mission: To promote, support and improve English-medium member schools serving the international community in Japan.

The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS) was established in 1972 to bring together the Heads of the English-medium schools in Japan to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern. Currently, JCIS includes 25 international schools in Japan including the oldest and the largest. Each of these schools is independent of the others, but they have much in common in terms of the educational and organizational challenges they face in serving their diverse populations. JCIS, therefore, provides an invaluable forum for the exchange of information, expertise and advice. It also serves as a link between government ministries and the international school community. The Heads of schools meet at least twice a year, normally once in Tokyo or Yokohama, and once at another location hosted by a member school elsewhere in Japan.

Member schools are required to meet a set of criteria relating to governance, financial stability, accreditation, curriculum and internationalism. Membership of JCIS may, therefore, be taken as an assurance of quality. Further information, a list of member schools, and contact details are to be found on the JCIS Web site at www.jcis.jp

InformationAddress 258 Yamate-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0862

Tel 045-622-0084

Fax 045-621-0379


Web site www.yis.ac.jp


Grades pre-K - 12

Co-ed Yes

Uniform No

Curriculum/diploma International Baccalaureate

Transportation convenient public transportation

School year late August - mid-June

Overview

Yokohama International School is an independent, not-for-profit, co-educational day school for children ages 3–18. Established in 1924 as a pioneer in international education, the school offers a rich cultural mix, exciting learning environment, and excellent academic program. At the same time, we emphasize the social and emotional development of our students and offer an extensive range of co- and extra-curricular activities. We have great students, dedicated faculty and staff, and supportive parents and alumni. A genuinely friendly atmosphere and sense of community are YIS hallmarks. An IB World School, YIS is accredited by the Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Yokohama International School


The Tokyo Association of International Preschools (TAIP)http://tokyopreschools.org

The Tokyo Association of International Preschools (TAIP) was established in March 2005 to facilitate networking, professional development and publicity among the member schools. The organization sponsors several workshops and an annual conference for preschool educators in the Tokyo area, which are open to individual members, as well as institutional members and non-members. This year’s annual conference headlined ECE Expert Pam Mundy, speaking on “Global Teacher, Global Children – a Matter of Early Childhood.” In March 2010, TAIP will host author Diane Frankenstein at events for both parents and educators, with “Reading Together – Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child that Loves to Read.” Information will be available on the TAIP Web site.

Parents looking for a preschool for their child(ren) are invited to go to the Web site for links to member schools, and to visit by appointment any school in which they may be interested.

The motto of the organization is “Preschools for Preschoolers,” a reminder to us all of what we are about. TAIP is committed to excellence on behalf of the preschool community in Tokyo. Individual and Associate Institutional Membership are also available. Current Associate members include Scholastic Japan, Aqia, RBR Inc. and RIC Publications.

102.5mm x 136mm

92.5 x 136 mm

Acronym AppendixInternational education is defined by global standards that students and teachers alike come to know by their acronyms.

Whether in regards to academics or extra-curricular activities (athletics and fine arts), the international schools oper-ating in Japan and the region value stay-ing in touch with each other. The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS), for example, represents more than 25 international schools operating in Japan. Many international schools here also are a part of the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS), an organiza-tion of 110 member schools in East Asia, with enrollment of more than 72,000 students from pre-K to 12th grade.

Some of the major accrediting associa-tions handling international schools in Japan include the Council of International Schools (CIS), the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the European Council of International Schools (ECIS). In the case of NEASC, for example, an international school undertakes a

self-study process of 12-18 months in regular review cycles. Member institu-tions undergo a comprehensive evalua-tion process at least once every 10 years.

There are international programs well established in Japan and include the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for 14-16 y.o. (9th-10th grades) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) for the last two years of high school. On the elementary school level, there is the International Primary Curriculum (IPC)—an international curriculum providing a cross-curricular, thematic, rigorous teaching structure designed to engage children of all abilities in today’s world. The Montessori system of educa-tion is designed to take full advantage of the self-motivation of the child and the unique sensitivity of young children to absorb everything about them.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a world-class

education system offered by over 150 CBSE schools in 23 countries, in addi-tion to more than 8,500 schools in India and including those in Japan.

Enabling international school students to earn global recognition in the perform-ing fine arts, distinguished institutions such as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London, for example, arrange for their standard music assessments (practicum and theory) to be admin-istered in Japan, by their appointed local and/or visiting examiners.

David UmedaSenior Editor at Paradigm

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