The Japanese Educational Challenge: A Commitment to Children

by Merry White

From Simon & Schuster, The Japanese Educational Challenge is Merry White's fascinating exploration in the educational system of Japan.

With this outstanding analysis of child-rearing, one of the most influential books on education in the 1980s, White has received major attention from federal policy makers, education experts, and the national media.

Genres: Japan, Education, Sociology

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

coming from Taiwan, a culture that bears many similarities to Japanese, & much more similarities in the educational system than I had hitherto realized - I can say I am impressed how many insights White gleaned about the Japanese educational system from her interviews & observations, even as a long time resident of the country. It is possible that the pathos here appear dull, & the shallow brief mention of the youth materialistic counter culture (which Inunderstand she explores in a separate volume)… but from my own experience in an east asian collectivistic free market culture there is real effect of social harmony mores on the human framing of happiness & contentment. Such a constrained reality promotes small, private, nondemonstrative pleasures. The narrow path that Japan treads to attain their goals (egalitarian pursuit of excellence & invariably competition) puts the system at a constant tension where few revolutions are likely.

[Abdelkader Hawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about Japanese culture and schools...Thanks

[Shasta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I would enjoy a book like this, but I was thrilled the whole way through. My love of Japan appears to be boundless.

Reading this gave me some incredible insight to the Japanese educational system, and a glimpse into the way Japanese children are raised and how they think. The history of Japan's education was fascinating to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it. While the 'current' information in this book is now a little bit outdated, the history and ideas that brought Japan's education to where it is today is still worth reading about.

I would love to read a more current version of this, should it ever be written by anyone.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

White seems to belong to that unfortunate cadre of sociologists whose deification of Japan is almost wholly anecdotal, generalized, and self-destructive. Not without merits, the text is nonetheless not nearly deep enough an analysis.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

GReat Book, explains a lot about the structure of education in Japan, however, the book is a bit dated now, so it is not as accurate as up-to-date books

[Thierry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about Japanese education! I learned so many things about Japanese society from this book.