Parent Study Group] Minerva University Experience (with Ryoga)

Hello, this is Kaburaki, GLI representative.

Sunday, May 22 was GLI's annual parent study meeting. Guests were.Ryoga Umezawa is currently in his third year at Minerva University, the first student from a Japanese public high school to be accepted into the world's most prestigious university, Minerva University.The Zoom chat section did not stop with questions from parents.

What is GLI's Parent Study Group?I understand that things aren't what they used to be."This is a study group for parents that is held regularly under the theme of "The Future of Education". The purpose of this workshop is to update parents on the educational changes of the times in order to avoid leading their children in the wrong direction by educating them according to the values of the parents' generation.

University to learn how to solve problems while touring 7 cities around the world

The first part of the presentation was given by Ryoga-san, who explained about Minerva University. I am sure many of you already know this area, so I will skip the basic information, but the points areIt is a university where students learn the practical knowledge they need in the real world and in the real world.That is to say.

Most ordinary universities are mostly learning theoretical knowledge. But can that knowledge be applied to solve actual problems? This is the part where even the raison d'être of the university is questioned. I thought this was a part that was difficult to convey to the parents, so I focused on it a little during the study session.

In Japan, the purpose of education is to "enter" the school, so the significance of existence is very different,The purpose and goals of education are completely different.I wanted him to understand that.

I work in two zones, education and management, and have long been an advocate of practical knowledge education, so I can say that I have a great deal of sympathy with the correspondence high school I manage, where I teach students how to solve problems.

Part 2 - Ryoga - Kaburaki Dialogue

From an ordinary elementary school student who loves soccer to Minerva

I'll leave the details to blogs and youtube, but here's a concluding commentary,

1)I learned to strive through what I love.In an experience in the second grade of elementary school, he was disappointed not to be selected for the soccer team. From there, he practiced hard and became a member of the team.

2)My self-esteem (spirit of challenge) was raised by concentrating on what I love and making efforts. My self-confidence increased as I worked hard and was selected as a member.

3)Once I learned how to work hard, I was able to apply it to other things (such as studying). Once they learned how to work hard and gained self-confidence, they became more enthusiastic about their studies. Therefore, studying is a matter of motivation, not ability. In this sense, education is a matter of whether or not that motivation can be nurtured.

4)It is good to recognize what makes your child a little different from the people around him or her and to develop his or her personality. If you recognize and develop these differences with the awareness that it is natural for children to be different from others, they will achieve growth that is unique to that child. When the child's unique growth accelerates, the gears will turn at a high rate of rotation. There is no need to put them in the same ring.

5)The Minerva University entrance exam is a pillar of the thinking skills test and cannot be effectively prepared for. It is necessary to have the habit of thinking on a daily basis from a young age. In short, they are testing abilities that can only be acquired through on-the-job training to cultivate human skills.

6)What is the best thing about Minerva University? The question "What is the best thing about Minerva University? Staying in one place or doing only theory is not for me. It was a good fit for me to travel around the world and learn and experience what I wanted to do. Minerva is a university where I can do that.

7)I have not decided on the future, although I have a vague idea. I believe that by enjoying what I can do now and leading a fulfilling life, a path will open up for me.

Educational Significance and Major Differences from Today's Education

Japanese education concentrates on study! There is little awareness of recognizing and developing individuality. Japan is still stuck in the Showa era model of success that says studying will open the door to a better future. The reality is that Galapagos Japan, where one spends one's entire life only with Japanese people and only in Japan, is no longer possible.

Japan's economic growth has been stagnant for the past 30 years, and the country is falling further and further behind other countries. But Japan has become a boiling frog, unable to recognize this fact. The education based on score-oriented education, entrance examinations, and academic background cannot keep pace with the rest of the world.

Unless Japan moves toward an education system that increases what people can do in the growth-mindset from a global perspective and prepares them to compete in an intellectual labor market of solutions and creativity, the country will continue to decline, as data shows.

In this sense, his growth process and educational environment make a lot of sense in terms of educational theory and time period. Focusing on and achieving one's own interests and concerns, and a heightened sense of self-esteem fosters a mindset that will take on anything.

Forced study, and study that is not useful for the future, but rather rote memorization and pattern practice for exam techniques that are done alone in a room only, will only make children suffer and will not expand their future. Even if they are successful in getting into domestic schools, their value will not be global or sustainable.

He chose, (Minerva) The power needed to get through college is not a score, but the ability to practice. He is interested in what he wants to do, sets a goal, thinks about the logic of achieving it, practices it, looks back, learns again, thinks about it, and practices it. The more you do this PDCA cycle, the more you will grow and acquire skills that will be useful in the future, and the more likely you are to be accepted into the university called Minerva.

The world that is coming will not serve the cases of the past. It is even said that the next five years will be equivalent to the past 100 years. In order for our children to lead rich and happy lives in such an era, I hope that they will stop and think once again about what kind of education they should be given. No, the reality is that we understand this, but we cannot and will not change. Neither adults nor schools.

One word from Ryoga, who travels to 7 countries and lives a hard but rewarding life with friends from all over the world. It is fulfilling!
Parents should want to hear these words from their own children! Wouldn't you?

GLI Representative Kaburaki

P.S.

You can understand him better by watching the official Youtube of our guest Ryoga. This content is recommended for your children to get to know the world.

↓↓↓↓

https://www.youtube.com/c/ryogabroad