Junten Junior High School / Senior High School

From November 1st to 8th, Junten Senior High School hosted Global Week. Global Week is a unique and innovative event developed by the Junten SGH program. During Global Week, regular classes finished at 2:00 pm. After class, students attended workshops and lectures provided by university students, graduate school students, university professors, researchers, and corporate executives. Global Week was designed to provide students with interactive learning opportunities that are inventive and borderless. November 6th was the last day of Global Week.

What do you mean by “Global”? : Dr. Malcolm H. Field, Kyorin University 　

Dr.Field encouraged the students to think about what it means to be global. The entire lecture was held in English.

At the beginning of lecture, Dr.Field showed the students how people in ancient times envisioned the future and then asked the students to imagine their own visions for the future. Dr.Field discussed the concept of “thinking differently” as a key part in becoming a global citizen.  

Dr.Field incorporated optical illusions into his powerpoint so that students could see things differently. Also he asked the questions, “What is the difference between mono zukuri and koto zukuri?” to encourage students to think about what is mono and koto. He also used “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave” as an analogy for becoming more globalized.

Throughout the class, students had opportunities to think about what it truly means to be global. The theme of Dr.Field’s class really challenged the questions which lay at the foundation of Global Week.

Globalization in the World and Comparative Culture : Dr.Cho Kyo, Meiji University

It is not easy to compare cultures. Dr.Cho clearly and concisely explained a rather complex topic showing examples. We are never free from bias and prejudice, which work to distort cultural comparisons. Some critics say that it is impossible to find similarities between different cultures. Dr.Cho corrected this idea, stating that, by only pointing out the differences between cultures, we accidentally create harmful hierarchies.  

Dr.Cho has a balanced view of cultures and we hope that a lot of Junten students learned from Dr.Cho.

Study in Hong Kong:　Tertiary Education and Cultures : Dr. Kenneth K.M. Lam, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 　　

Dr.Lam’s class began with an explanation of the educational structure and the higher education institutions available in Hong Kong. Dr.Lam explained about the study abroad program at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, its curriculum, and its research facilities. The most important aspects of the university are: 1. Broad Discipline Admission: Students are required to determine their majors in their 2nd year, 2. Work Integrated Education: The school provides internship opportunities ranging from two weeks to one year in length, 3. Exchange/ Overseas Visit Programme: The school offers a cost-waived program for a semester study abroad program.

In the second half of the class, Dr.Lam talked about the history of Hong Kong and its holidays and festivals. Students learned that there are Chinese events that take place according to the Old Calendar and there are also Christian events held according to New Calendar.

Changing Perspectives in the Edo Period  : Mr.Tetsuji Yui, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Through the haikus of Basho, Buson and Isa, students explored how people’s’ views of Japan changed during the Edo Period. During the Edo Period, citizens respected the Shogun, and believed in a divine societal order with the Shogun at the top. Foreign visitors, such as Dutch and Korean envoys to Japan, were expected to also show extreme deference to the Shogun. Mr.Yui believes that the term hirefushi, to bow down, may have been coined during this period.

Rezanov’s visit to Japan, or the Phaeton Incident, was the first example of a foreign power reaching out to Japan. These historical events greatly influenced waka poetry. Mr.Yui encouraged students to give their opinions in order to promote active conversation.

English Proficiency in Global Society : Ms.Yukiko Saito, Waseda University and Y&S Visionary

The class was divided into small groups. Each group had four students and they shared their thoughts on why they study English. The students were required to think about this question as a pre-class assignment.

Then students watched a TED talk video, “English is a problem solving language” and explored the question, “what kind of language should English be?”   Mr.Ichiro Fujisaki, Mr.Koichiro Tsuji, Ms.Madoka Tatsuno and Ms.Rumiko Seya, who took Ms.Saito’s global lecture, were quoted in the class as examples for “what is necessary in a global society.”  They simultaneously explored what role they, as students, should play in a global society.

The Challenges University and High School Students Face in the Philippines : Mr.Takesih Ishii, Caring for the Future Foundation (CFF)

Mr.Ishii works at CFF in both Japan and the Philippines. Mr.Ishii talked about what volunteering really means.  Students discussed their ideas on volunteering in groups, then listened to university students sharing their own views and experiences with volunteering.

Mr.Ishii showed two pictures, a family photo from a poor country and a picture of an average Japanese family, in order to illustrate the diversity and different values in the world. Students deepened their understanding of the importance of “living together.” The students who went to the Philippines for SHG fieldwork also gave a talk. The class was a great opportunity for the students to explore what “happiness” means in different cultures.

Everything Begins with Cells : Dr. Satoshi Goto, Rikkyo University

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2016 was awarded to Dr.Yoshinori Ohsumi “for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy”. In response to this, Dr.Goto broke down a advanced science, molecular biology in a nutshell. All creature, except viruses, are made of cells and every cell in your body contains organelles, which are structures that have specific functions. But the functions or about organelles have not been yet understood.  Dr.Osumi studied the biological recycling system breaks down old proteins and turns them into amino acid and today Dr.Goto explained one process called “ubiquitin” in the recycling system.

Dr.Goto says that science is the search for truth and the value of the human universality. Anyone can understand science and the results are consistent thus it will not be influenced by politics of the country.