Full English Translation
Introduction
Greetings. This is TobiraAI, writing from this small corner of the world.
Thank you, as always, for reading. Please make yourself comfortable.
Today’s quiz:
In Japanese schools, students clean their classrooms themselves.
This custom originated from _______.
You’ll find the answer below.
The Purpose of Education: Acquiring a Way of Being
I believe that the goal of education is not the acquisition of knowledge, but the cultivation of one’s way of being. Knowledge quickly becomes outdated. What truly matters is who we become as human beings.
Also, I’m not very fond of the phrase “Have a dream.”
When we talk about “dreams,” they usually refer to professions — a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, a hairdresser. You rarely hear someone say, “I want to be a salaryman.” Strange, isn’t it?
But whether you become a doctor or a salaryman, what matters most is: What will you do after that?
That’s why I prefer the word “志 (kokorozashi)” — aspiration or purpose — rather than “dream.”
Growth Mindset and Positive Psychology
So what kind of human being should we aim to nurture?
One useful concept is the Growth Mindset, proposed by Stanford University’s Carol S. Dweck.
If you don’t know about it — that’s a big problem! That means you haven’t studied enough.
Another essential reference is the work of Barbara Fredrickson, the pioneer of Positive Psychology, who introduced the “3-to-1 ratio” of positive to negative emotions that leads to thriving.
Reading books like these is important, but gathering information through social media is also valuable.
Learning through LinkedIn
Personally, I recommend LinkedIn. It’s free to join and not a flashy or casual platform — rather, it’s filled with global experts worth following.
Here are some education-related accounts I follow:
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- American Psychological Association
- International Coaching Federation
- UCL Institute of Education
- TED Conferences / TED-Ed
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
- Coursera
- Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)
- Growth Mindset / Mental Health 🙂
There are so many. And through LinkedIn, I’ve even connected (like Facebook friends) with people such as Dr. Fredrickson herself and scholars from India.
Although most of the content is in English (and one account in Finnish), the translation feature works well.
I also register their posts into NotebookLM — an AI reading assistant — so I can always keep up with the latest research. It’s incredibly educational.
Eastern Thought: The Roots of Japanese Education
Now, when we talk about what kind of human beings we want to nurture, I believe it’s important to cherish Eastern philosophy.
Our philosophy of life should not come solely from Western ideas but from Japan’s own traditions. However, Japan’s philosophical foundations trace back to Chinese classics.
For instance, Japanese schools have a custom where students clean their classrooms. This is not common in the West.
Why is that? Because it was influenced by Zen Buddhism.
In Zen, cleaning (samu) is considered a form of spiritual training.
At Zen temples, monks engage not only in meditation but also in cleaning, cooking, and tending to gardens — all to polish the heart.
Texts such as “Tenzo Kyōkun” (Instructions for the Cook) and “Eihei Shingi” (The Monastic Rules of Eiheiji) teach that “cleaning purifies the mind and is itself the Way.”
The saying “He who does not work shall not eat” (by Zen Master Baizhang) expresses how labor and practice are inseparable.
This spirit influenced Edo-period education and samurai ethics — simplicity, cleanliness, diligence — and continued into modern times.
Even after the Meiji Restoration, though the curriculum imported Western subjects, the moral foundation remained rooted in Zen.
In short, traditional Japanese education was built upon Chinese Confucian and Zen classics, emphasizing moral self-cultivation.
This was later formalized in the Imperial Rescript on Education, which, despite its wartime misuse, contained fundamental human virtues — respect for parents, gratitude, compassion, and integrity.
After the war, these values were largely erased under the label of “militarism.” Unfortunately, everything was deleted, even the good parts.
As a result, postwar moral education in Japan lost its direction.
According to Tanaka (2024), many countries still base moral education on religious traditions — something Japan largely abandoned.
And that is why, today, the Japanese lack a clear moral core.
The Recommendation of “Shiji” (Records of the Grand Historian)
This is why, when I started this Note four months ago, my first series was “Teaching the Spring and Autumn Annals to Elementary Students.”
I wrote up to Part 10 and paused halfway, but I plan to resume soon.
In that series, I discussed historical figures such as Duke Wen of Jin and Duke Xiang of Song — famous personalities from ancient China.
Philosophical texts, whether Eastern or Western, can be difficult to read.
So, as a more accessible option, I highly recommend keeping the manga edition of “Shiji (The Records of the Grand Historian)” on your shelf.
“Shiji” is filled with fascinating people — wise rulers, eccentric thinkers, honorable statesmen, and tragic figures punished by their own strict laws.
When I was a student, I often read Chinese classics — yes, I was that kind of odd student — but they truly shaped my thinking.
Among them, I deeply admire Lord Xinling (信陵君, ?–244 BC) of Wei. (I haven’t yet written about him, but I will.)
Building One’s Core as a Teacher
“Having an inner core” is not something that appears overnight.
But as teachers, we must start forming it now — and help our students do the same.
If you can use the INSPIRE framework to reflect on your teaching philosophy, that’s even better.
Please strive to become a teacher who can clearly and confidently declare:
“I am a teacher who raises students to be ___.”
Let’s continue next time — remember, last time we were discussing how to start meaningful teacher-parent conferences.
And by the way, the answer to today’s quiz was Zen Buddhism.
Closing
Finally, if you haven’t yet read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, please do.
That one book alone can transform your view of education.
Thank you very much for reading.
If you enjoyed this article, I’d be happy if you clicked “Like.”
I also look forward to exchanging opinions in the comments.
Your follow means a lot to me — truly encouraging.
With deep gratitude,
Warm Regards,
TobiraAI
TobiraAI_ A specialist in Education, AI, and History 