Global Education In Japan: An Interview With Nishimachi International School

In a bid to gain perspective on what education professionals at international schools in Japan are doing to provide global education to their students, Savvy Tokyo reached out to Nishimachi International School — one of the oldest and most renowned schools in Japan. Here is what they had to say.

What does your school specialize in?

Nishimachi is known for its innovative international education in Japan for over sixty years. We are a world class English-based curriculum school with a strong Japanese program. The goal is for all Nishimachi students to become linguistically, culturally, and socially well-rounded citizens of the world.

What parts of the school curriculum and activities include a global perspective? What technologies do you use in and out of the classrooms?

Global perspective is weaved in throughout our entire curriculum. Given our mission, location, and diverse student body, Nishimachi fosters a global perspective in all students. Part of the Nishimachi education is providing students with the necessary tools to understand and evaluate the world they live in — past, present, and future. We use numerous technologies in the classroom from providing access to iPads, laptops and other devices to utilizing apps such as SeeSaw to connect our parents to what is going on in the classroom.

[Our students] should embrace opportunities to display leadership by taking initiative and bringing out the best in others and themselves, and show confidence and determination to move forward when facing challenges.

How do students gain a real-world international perspective while studying at your school? 

Service-based learning opportunities at Nishimachi are one of the main ways our students gain real-world international perspective for our students. In addition to our main focus, supporting the Kirivorn School in rural Cambodia, Nishimachi students promote and support the work of various NPOs/NGOs, including World Wildlife Fund, O.G.A. For Aid, Second Harvest Japan, Room to Read and HandsOn Tokyo.

According to your school’s educational policy, what is the most essential factor for raising competitive and fully international future leaders?

Knowing, caring and taking action. These are the key factors that we want our graduates to take away from a Nishimachi education. We want them to inquire, be innovative thinkers, and value the significance of language, culture, and diversity. We want our students to remain positive, humble and ethical when making decisions, and actively contribute to and transform existing beliefs to ensure the sustainability of the planet. They should embrace opportunities to display leadership by taking initiative and bringing out the best in others and themselves, and show confidence and determination to move forward when facing challenges.

What does your school value most in children’s education?

The balance each student maintains between achievement, approaches and attitude. It is not just about knowing (getting good test scores), it is about ensuring that each student develops into caring, responsible individuals who are able to think critically and creatively in any situation. We are developing leaders who have incredibly bright futures.

To learn more about Nishimachi International School, see here.