Advocacy for Formal Language Instruction

[Silver Cross]

Bravo, madgirl! You've pretty much summed up what I knew about the Japanese education system. You also pointed out some stuff that I wasn't clear on...

+1 for that.

I also like that you inserted some tidbits on Japanese concepts. As for 'Senpai', isn't 'senior' a better transliteration? I mean, it's not like they worship their Senpai...or do they? 

[renzphotography]

Hi Silver Cross,

If I am not mistaken I believe you mentioned that you are based in China. Perhaps you may want to share your insights on the attitudes of school kids and the general state of education in the East Asian countries that you have been to.

Thanks.

[madgirl09]

Hi Silver Cross,
Any senior could be called boss or immediate superior, but the "senpai" could be just your "senior trainor", person assigned to train you, therefore your "master"; the understudy or trainee somewhat feels indebted to this trainor because of his "transfer of expertise" to his understudy. You're right. They somewhat "worship" their mentor (who could even slap them when they make mistakes, hehehe  ).
There is a big problem here in Japan about the seniors' mentoring of the younger generation. Old people want, as much as possible, to transfer their ability or skills to their children but young people have other interests and direction now. I think, knowledge , if they are good, should be handed to the young, but if no longer applicable and bad (like exploitation of workers) be discontinued or buried  . Japan has to change, but that would not be possible until the nation is governed by better generations.

Renz, just post your questions or topics so I'd have leads for my next sharing. Thanks for enjoying reading my observation.

[Silver Cross]

Hi Silver Cross,

If I am not mistaken I believe you mentioned that you are based in China. Perhaps you may want to share your insights on the attitudes of school kids and the general state of education in the East Asian countries that you have been to.

Thanks.

I don't think I ever said that. 

I'm just a regular Filipino living in the good ol' Philippines. 

[Joe Carillo]

Renzphotography must have meant Reagan, who as of his last post was based in China as an exchange student. We have not heard from him for quite sometime now.

[hill roberts]

Hi Madgirl and Renz,
Just finished  reading your Q&A and a good dose of the comparison between the Japanese and Filipino students. I also think that the Japanese think and work collectively, unlike the Filipinos who are more individualistic and independent-minded. With the Japanese, they seem to get "lost" when left to their own devices such as the lack of rigidity and and a strict working environment. I believe that if you put one Japanese and one Filipino in a tight corner for two days and give them something to prove how creative he is, the Filipino would come out the more creative. Just my 1€€.

[renzphotography]

Hi Hill,

Thank you for your observation. After recently viewing the movie Ninja Assassin I was reminded of how rigid discipline is (or used to be) in Japan, depending on whether we take the observation of Madirl09 into account or not.

The question that rings to mind is this: is there a positive (or a negative) correlation between discipline and conformity to group or social norms? Is the reward and punishment system that is well reinforced when imposing discipline the same force that keeps people from straying off the group/social norm?

This sounds like a sociology thesis but think about it. In the past, when Filipinos were more disciplined and conservative were we also less individualistic and more collectivist? On the other hand, now that the Japanese youth are more rebellious and liberal does this mean they are less collectivist and more individualist?  Or perhaps, discipline is not directly correlated to conformist/non-conformist tendencies?

Perhaps the answer to these questions could then be linked to Maxsim's narration of the Australian method of teaching English--that is, less rigid rules (on grammar and language education) could drive more people to become creative (or at least this is how the Australian government sees it).

[maxsims]

Is that what I said?   I don't think so!

[renzphotography]

Not exactly in those words Maxsims but my basis is your post on August 25 when you explained the way Australian kids are taught spelling.

In any case, have you observed any attempt to "soften" education standards in order to promote creativity or perhaps another venerable ideal? 

[renzphotography]

I always believed that discipline is important; but so is creativity. So, how do we strike a balance as far as education is concerned?

After days of scouring the internet for an answer finally I have this to say. Discipline and creativity are actually off shoots of conformity and individualism.

There is actually plenty of material online on the topic. What is clear about conformity is that it exists when there is an implicit or explicit "social contract" as the French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau would put it. In this social contract, people who conform with the accepted behavioral norms are bound to gain rewards or a reciprocal benefit from the "system" whether it be promoted by a government, an organization, a religion, or simply a collection of people who share the same belief.

Individualism, on the other hand, is a more self aware belief that addresses the innate uniqueness of the human being. It acknowledges unique needs, aspirations, desires, and others.

Taken to extremes, an extreme individualist would be an anarchist who mindlessly rejects any form  of social order and the institutions that promote these. An extreme conformist on the other hand, would be a fanatic who listens to no reason and follows the dictates of the organization that promotes the social contract. These two extreme types are no better than the other.

What struck me is that individualism and conformity could actually co-exist within the belief system of a human being. You see it is human nature to resist discipline or standards of conformity when forced from external sources. However, if a person exercises his free will and then chooses to accept a set of beliefs then the discipline comes from within that person as an act of individual choice.

Therefore, the most disciplined people are free thinking individuals who believe that they are serving their best interest by conforming to a set of norms or beliefs. Creativity and discipline can co-exist after all, just look at the people in advertising agencies who are creative and yet very keen on details and deadlines.

In short, the most effective way to discipline kids is not to enforce harsh external discipline but to convince them that performing certain behaviors will help them become better persons.

Looking back, the best way I was disciplined was when my dad told me how some people turned out to be losers not because they lacked money but because they didn't value education when their parents sent them to school. I knew I had to get my act together because I didn't want to be like them and so the force of discipline came from within.

Perhaps the reason behind the surge in individualism among younger Japanese can be traced in the shattered social contract of a lifetime of fulfilling employment, where people work to death for dwindling benefits and unbearable stress.

In contrast, Filipinos value education because we know it is the key to a better work or life, if not in the country then abroad.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[madgirl09]

Wow! I learned a lot, renz. There were some things you mentioned, I fully agree with, their importance I was not really aware of till you discussed about them: creativity and discipline. Indeed, they are present in every individual, no matter in what degree. There is just one more important thing I would like you to include especially when analyzing the psyche of the Japanese. Religion! This may not be easily seen working now, but during WW II, it became a driving tool to move the people into one direction without so much question. The results of WW II made these people lose trust and belief in this religion and the leaders who took advantage of its power on the citizenry. Unconsciously, the spirit connected to this belief still controls the behavioral patterns of the Japanese (IMHO).

Hmm...Talking about WW II..You just motivated me to keep researching about WW II, Renz. I'd better stop here before you find out what aspects of WW II I have been researching about  .

[renzphotography]

Hi Madirl09,

Thanks, I will see what I can do about religiosity and the modern Japanese. According to my Japan-based journalist friend the Japanese are advanced in the study of philosophy to the point that the society is basically atheist.

He said the Japanese perform religious festivities only to attract tourists or to preserve their identity, otherwise they do not practice religion at all.

Unfortunately, the lack of spiritual belief leave the Japanese with little alternative perspective in troubled times so they easily fall into depression and then commit suicide.

But who knows, I could be wrong. In any case, happy holidays to you and your family 

[renzphotography]

Happy New Year to all!

This year is quite notable to me because of two major events that could deeply impact the lives of Filipinos: the coming elections and the pending bill to set expiration dates to marriage contracts.

Aside from the obvious, what I find interesting in these two events is that these involve social contracts--the topic of my post last December 11.

French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau described "social contract" as any social system that promises some form of benefit to those who subscribe to it and some form of penalty or disciplinary measure to those who violate its rules.

A social contract could mean anything from a marriage contract; the pact among thieves; rules of sport; the contract that defines the responsibilities of a government to its people and vice versa; or, as simple as who gets to bring out the trash on which day of the week.

So, be it a contract that binds a man and a woman in marriage, or the promise of a better future if elected to a government position, the question that comes to mind right now is how do we encourage people to enter a social contract.

This may sound absurd, but if we really think about it there is a common ground to all this--a repetitive process--the mastery of which could help us turn our kids into self-motivated learners and perhaps even convince the people around us to become self-disciplined good citizens.

While politicians use persuasive speaking to get a vote, and suitors use their romantic appeal to get the girl of their dreams these are but a few pieces found in the tool box called "salesmanship".

In saying this, I will try to share with you in the next few posts what I know about the art of selling and perhaps this could help us enrich our lives.

[renzphotography]

Perhaps we should all be aware that most purchasing decisions are emotional.

Although we go to supermarkets and try to be as financially prudent in our decisions as possible we cannot deny the fact that we prefer (in many cases) branded items even if there are cheaper alternatives because "we feel better" using these products. We simply consider the emotional appeal of the product/brand when we make purchase decisions.

The same goes when we decide on accepting a social contract. The emotion involved in selecting a suitor is obvious but what about the emotions involved when we decide to join an organization, when we select a candidate in an election, or when we buy a plane ticket and expect to land in the destination safely?

Any sales pitch by a salesman, persuasive speech by a politician, or whisper by a suitor revolves around an emotion and we should familiarize ourselves with a handful of these:

(1) Love
This involves the things we could do to make our loved ones happy.

(2) Prestige
We feel good whenever we are treated exceptionally and to pay a premium is justified.

(3) Fear of Loss
When people are made aware of the deep sense of loss as they are presented the possibility that the things they value could go away/could be taken away.

(4) Greed
When people realize that they stand to gain more than what they could normally derive for the same amount of resources, like money or time.

(5) Guilt
The feeling of guilt is terrible so anything that could remove this feeling could drive people to action.

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Mass media advertisements are inundated with messages that revolve around these emotions, consider these:

After work you bring home fast food and find your kids jumping and screaming happy;

A man gives his sweetheart a diamond ring and then she loves him even more;

A man is so ordinary but once he sprayed on a perfume suddenly beautiful girls find him interesting;

A boy does not have confidence to approach his crush until he started using a toothpaste that whitened his teeth and gave him good breath;

A girl was largely ignored due to her dark skin but after taking a skin whitening product suddenly boys fall head over heels for her;

Men who drink this brand of alcohol look cool and are approached by hot girls in a bar scene;

and, people turn their heads at the man who stepped out of a luxury car/ girls find a man attractive after seeing him drive a shiny new car.

                              -----------------------------------------------------


In political campaigns, it is common to see politicians portray themselves in scenes where they embraced kids and elderly people, or as they handed-out relief goods during disasters.

Obviously, these are emotional appeals that say the politician loves the poor and lends a helping hand to tragedy victims. Other common themes revolve around job generation, better health care, and food on every table.

In any case, try to see which of the five emotions these messages are revolving on and maybe this way we could wade through the superficiality of the message and focus more on things that truly matter such as the intrinsic benefits of a product, or the stand on certain issues by the politician, or the track record of the product/politician.

[renzphotography]

Now, if the act of accepting social contracts is driven by emotions, and if we imagine emotions as buttons, then how would we know which button to push?

Experienced sales people possess one vital skill, the ability to size-up a prospective client. This simply means perceiving the personality of the prospect. This is critical because the sales presentation will depend on the sales person's perception of the prospect.

A sales person has many tricks in his tool box that could help him size-up a prospect like survey forms, reading body language, small talk, humor, and others. However, the one tool that I am going to discuss here is familiarity of personality types.

Psychologists refer to this as the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). While Psychologists study this framework for categorizing  personalities in its true form, sales people are made aware of this framework in a watered-down version designed for laymen.

The watered down version indicates that there are four major personality types:


Dominant Driver
These people are highly opinionated and very demonstrative of their feelings. They think highly of themselves and they like giving orders. They like to be in control and they like making decisions. Usually impatient and demanding, they do not like their ideas to be challenged and they will vigorously argue with anyone who does. They tend to be brash and unmindful if they hurt the feelings of the people around them. They get furious just as easily as they forgive and forget quarrels. They are quick to speak their mind and they act on impulse even if they tend to regret their actions later. They value family relationships.


Researcher
These people are the detail oriented type and they like to see proof to believe. They do not believe things very easily and they will question and study the source of the information carefully. They are very cautious, they delay or take time as far as decision making, and they do not like to be rushed. These people value recognition for their hard work and they will take any form of reprimand seriously and personally. They are not very sociable and they often keep few friends. These people are not demonstrative of their feelings very much and they find people who are emotional as unstable.


Sociable
These are the people who like to be lavished with attention. They like being the center of the conversation or even the party. They love talking about themselves and what they have experienced. They are fond of playing with ideas and are quite creative although they tend to be short on details. They are poor at work that is repetitive and requires much attention and they prefer tasks that are exciting or creative in nature. These people like trying out new things and are driven by being the first and the best in anything they fancy. Needless to say, they enjoy mingling with a lot of people.

 
Caring
These people are very nurturing. They tend to find happiness and fulfillment in helping others. They could easily give grieving people a shoulder to cry on. They like pleasant surprises. They easily get disappointed and are quite timid. They would also be the last to try something new. They prefer things that are tried and tested and they would rather work with things that they are familiar with. They are willing to sacrifice if it means helping others. They also want emotional reassurance.


Considering the description above we could already think of certain occupations that would best fit people with these personalities. However, to make things more interesting there are the cross-over personalities.

These cross-over personalities are mixtures of these four major ones. Although we could all be any of these personalities at one point or the other it is understood that it is possible to have personalities that are, say, predominantly sociable but partly caring; predominantly dominant driver and partly researcher; and so on.

This is why the MBTI framework is consisted of 16 personalities in all. The link below will provide a more clinical description of the 16 personalities:

http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html

Next, we will discuss how the personality type relate to the emotional drives.