The Planetary Society of Japan : Column

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YM COLUMN ARCHIVE

December 10, 2008

What a schedule of mine!

Entering December I have felt exhausted myself to become much busier than before, and so I checked my schedule. I found my itinerary of the first half December as follows:

Kanazawa-Tokyo-Sendai-Tokyo-Hamamatsu-Tokyo-Ogaki-Tokyo-Fukuoka-Tokyo-Sendai-Tokyo

Every morning I wake up, I say to myself “Where am I?” Honestly I feel anxious myself for my busying around like a bee without taking enough time to think what to do at the next event because I know that many people at each locality are having high expectations toward space education and they are earnestly wishing to participate in the events. However, it is also true that I find something really refreshing every time I visit new places.

As basic pattern of “Space School” is being created as a new type of education, I think it is ensured that new fresh wind will blow in families and communities along with strengthening of this trend of new education. I think “Space School” is going to change depending on each local situation, but this type of educational system contains essential elements to cheer up Japanese children, because it is not just one time event but continuity in daily lives are promised so that family learning together with parents and children is deepened by bridging compulsory and space schoolings.

The most typical lesson I have learned from local reactions all over Japan is that there has been aroused criticism against the educational effect of one time event under the circumstances of emphasizing importance of education. As viewed not from hosting events but from individual child joining events, taking a part in one time event in a year or in several months is just like joining fireworks show to end up in only having an “enjoyable time” not to stimulate children so much and will never habituate their thought or action to continuous daily life custom, which will not be efficient enough to improve themselves or their lives to higher level.

I mean to say what’s wrong is not event itself, but how it will be carried out will be important so as to make event continuously enriching daily experiences. If the event is positioned as a firm milestone on a way to further development, and then it has some meaning. If it is one time isolated event without vision to future, it’s not worth to be called “education” but rather a kind of “public relations”.

I sincerely wish to hope that families and communities will take on atmosphere to be looking forward to new Japan by having “Space School” at every corner of this country. I’ll be leaving for Fukuoka tomorrow.

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp

(Translated by The Planetary Society of Japan)