The pedagogies applied in the lessons focused more on developing the
thinking processes of students rather than on ensuring students knew the
correct answers. Such methods encourage students to explain and share their
opinions with other students in class, and thus make students reflect on how
they reached a conclusion.
Written exercises are also used by teachers, but in new ways. In a science lesson
in Akita, the teacher asked students to write down their hypotheses on the
experiment in individual notebooks. Keeping records of their own opinions
and thoughts, and regularly reviewing what they learned, was observed to
enable students to engage in reflective learning. Summarizing the learning
content in the notebook at the end of each lesson assisted students to review
their lessons and prepare for the next class.
Using group work effectively
Teachers employed group work in various subjects. In a career development
lesson in the secondary school, for instance, classes were divided into groups
and the students in each group participated in summarizing the similarities
and differences of their individual work experiences in the local community.
Through this group activity, they reached a consensus on the values of working
in society. In such exercises, local community members also participated, by
introducing their particular work experiences and relating school lessons to
the real-life environment.
In a Grade 2 mathematics lesson observed at Otemachi Primary School, the
teacher asked the students to explain to each other their ways of solving
a multiplication problem, working in small groups. Then, several students
were asked to make individual presentations in front of the class. Following
these activities, the teacher encouraged students to discuss different ways
of explaining the solution of the problem set with other students. The
combination of individual work with interactive activities assisted students
to develop skills in how to effectively explain their thoughts as well as how
to listen carefully to others’ opinions.
Creating lessons with students’ participation and using positive
reinforcement
The research team found that the 45-minute lessons they observed were
well-prepared and organized. The blackboard was used effectively both by
teachers and students. In a science class, the teacher first laid out the steps of