Essay#3

Chika Obata
600A
2/17/09
Draft#3
Students Should Study History or Not
　
In recently days, some students think they don’t have to study history because it is just past. They also think they should focus on present or future. Many students have to learn by their heart a lot of things for their exam, therefore, they complain about that. For instance, Japanese students say that English and mathematic are useful but they can live without studying history. The question arises. Why do students study history?

First, they can learn a lot of things from the past. According Robert, History belongs among the main subjects needing to be understood by any human being who aspires to take a full part in the world. (Robert) For example, World War II, killed many people, teach them we shouldn’t repeat this history. In Japan, there is a memory ceremony performed every year on the day of the end of the war in August not to forget this history. Not repeating failure, Students should know these. Remembering misery of the war, they think that the war may be evaded. They learn the past history and can avoid the worst choice by thinking about why it caused an unhappy situation. That's why students must learn the history.

Second, students can know how their society made by studying history. History is most relevant to the understanding and appreciation of the culture of this country. (Robert) In other words, history helps people understand society. (Peter) Some people noticed themselves who lived in the history. For instance, old people appear things, and now their children are taught these things in history class. History represents real life. (Robert) In addition, history helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be. (Peter)

Third, studying history is a good chance for students to understand other cultures and those backgrounds. Nowadays, Students in the world study their own countries and world history. They understand people living in other countries by studying their history because history is so related to their cultures. It’s important for them to understand their cultures because there are a lot of chances to communicate with foreigners more than before. For example, Japan occupied Korea in the past. Japanese students learn this history in the class, and they should think this history. It is negative history for Japanese and it is not their generation’s faults, but they should admit this history. Some Korean told them what Japanese think of this history. They don’t have to apologize to them. However, Japanese should show Korean to understand about that. It makes our relationships smoothly.

In conclusion, students should study history because it made our societies History helps people live this society, and studying history is useful to understand a lot of things such as cultures, societies, and people. People know now by knowing a past and think of the future by knowing now.

Work Cited:
Robert F. Patterson. “WESTCHESTER OPINION; Why Study History? And Whose History?” The New York Times. 25 March. 1990. 20 February. 2009

Peter N. Stearns. “Why Study History?” American Historical Association. 1998. 20 February. 2009

Timed Writing#2

Chika Obata
600A
2/10/09
Timed Writing#2


Role of the World or a Particular Country
Nowadays, there is an economy crisis in the world. International cooperation is stronger than before, and some people say that people need to understand that their role as citizens of the world is more important than their role as citizens of a particular country. However, I disagree with them.
First, Japanese economy is also going down because of an economy crisis in the world. Many people lost their jobs. Professional economists discuss about this situation and problems. However, there is no answer because other countries’ economies caused Japanese economy crisis. Nowadays, some countries have big power on global economy such as the U.S. and oil countries. However, Japan doesn’t. Therefore, they couldn’t do anything for the world economy crisis. All Japanese government can do is to support people who lost their jobs.
Second, because there is a good economy in Japan, the Japanese government can support other countries. In fact, Japan has supported other countries such as technology and money. However, when Japanese government doesn’t have enough money for these support, they cut them. Therefore, a good economy in Japan helps other countries develop.
In conclusion, I disagree that people need to understand that their role as citizens of the world is more important than their role as citizens of a particular country. It doesn’t make sense to compare the role of the world to role of a particular country.

Education Essay

Chika Obata
600A
2/5/09
Draft#3
Risk of Changing Education Systems
In several countries, people try to change education systems. For example, 10 years ago, the Japanese government changed education systems because many students felt pressure, and juvenile delinquencies had been increasing. This new education policy is called “Yutori education” whose purpose is free from pressure. However, this is a controversy issue in Japan because it has not worked well. In addition, there are more problems than ever before. Therefore, the Japanese government is likely to change from this policy to an old policy that was used before. It is dangerous to change education systems, and there are some reasons.
Japanese old education systems have three weak points. First, learning is separate from living (Holts2). Second, learning is passive process (2). Third, learning is so strict. “Yutori education” challenges these points. According Holts, children need chances to study outside school (8). While having to go to school six times a week in the past, they go to school five times a week now. It means that they have chances to study what they want having enough time more than before. However, their grade is going down, so many students go to another private school to study hard to get better score.
Holts also recommend abolishing required curriculums (14). The Japanese government reduced contents in curriculums, and they made some choices that students study. At that time, the number of students who felt pressure committed murder was increasing. They bore a grudge against teachers and parents to death. Some professionals thought that they need experiences and relationship, and they need to be free from pressure because of Japanese strict education systems. However, their grades were going down and problems of juvenile delinquency didn’t be solved. At last, The Japanese government decided to increase curriculum contents.
After the Japanese government changed an education policy, some students were confused. For example, my friend who was university student, she wanted to study something which is different from her major. However, the Japanese government changed curriculums, so she had to study new things that she hadn’t studied in high school. Even if contents in curriculums are reduced, there are still competitions of entering university. Therefore, many students feel pressure and study hard.
In conclusion, people should not change education system because it is so risky, and it is so difficult to change what they were. Actually, “Yutori education” is failing and confusing students. It couldn’t solve three weak points in Japanese education. In short, people should think that changing something is not always good for them.
Works Cited:
John, Holt. “School is Bad for Children”. New Directions: Reading, Writing, and
Critical Thinking. Ed. Peter S. Gardner. New York: Cambridge University
Press. May 3, 2005

How to Choose a Career

Nowadays, many people think their career by financial gain. Of course, money is important because it gives us a lot of things. However, there are some factors to choose a career instead of financial gain.
First, the most important thing is whether you can enjoy your job or not. Some people quit their job because they can’t enjoy their job anymore. Therefore, you should think you can continue to work even if it’s so hard. If you like your job so deeply, you can endure in hard time.
For example, my mother is a teacher in elementary school. I know that her job is so hard because she often returns to home after nine o’clock. However, she loves her job because she likes children and it’s so exciting for her to spend time with her children. When I was child, I couldn’t understand why she works so hard. Now I can understand and I respect to her.
Second, sometimes high salary means that this job is so hard. Even if your financial gain is good, you can’t keep your time. For woman who works outside bringing up their children after marriage, it’s so hard to keep their balance. Although their husbands help them, they should do housework. Therefore, they need time more than money; they should think keeping the balance between a job and home.
For these reasons, I disagree with “Financial gain should be the most important factor in choosing career.” Although financial gain is important, there are more important things than money such as time, balance and enjoyment. It depends on people whether financial gain should be the most important factor or not. When you choose your career, you should think what you want and what most important thing is.

People can know their own country and culture deeper than before by knowing other cultures.

There are a lot of cultures and customs that people do not know in the world. Many Japanese are surprised when they visit other country such as the United States. Because Japan and the United States are different cultures and origins, there’re some different notions which look like opposite positions.
The most obvious difference between Japan and the United States is whether individualism or not. In general, Japanese focus on a group because it is the most respectful thing for Japanese to keep a harmony among people. In the past, Japan based on societies of agrarian and Samurai. By 17th century, Japan had many wars and there were many Samurai that had to battle with enemy. The most important thing in the war is cooperation and trusts each other. In the village, people shared farms and many things. Therefore, a group is more important than personality in Japan. It is said that Japanese are weak in discussion because they aren’t accustomed to insisting their own ideas. Sometimes it can be rude in Japan. On the other hand, Americans focus on personality. Because Americans think they have rights to decide something on their own life, they are educated that they consider themselves as individual since they are children (Althen.3). While Japanese tend to treat individualism as negative meanings, Americans treat as positive meanings.
The other difference of behavior is formal or informal. Basically, Japanese think that older people are as valuable as they respect, so they express respect such as bowing, averting eyes from eyes of older person, or using respectful expression. In particular, their behavior is formal in public. On the other hand, American behavior is informal. The Unites States is the symbol of freedom. Originally, they think that they are equal, so they feel uncomfortable when someone shows obvious respect (Althen.19). Therefore, Japanese respectful expression doesn’t make sense for Americans who don’t know about Japanese custom. Their concept of equality leads their informal behavior. For example, Americans say to anyone, “How are you?” It reflects on the friendliness of America (Althen.21.25). It is so strange for Japanese, and anyone doesn’t do that in Japan.
Even though it’s the same action, it can be both rude and polite depends on cultures because they have different environment, society, and origins. It’s important to know other cultures for understanding each other. Egoism is the most dangerous to misunderstand. In other words, there’re so many culture in the world, which is so interesting. When people go to foreign country, they can feel other cultures. In addition, people can know your own country and culture deeper than before by knowing other cultures.
Works Cited
Althen. American Ways. 2003