My Educational Journey

 My educational journey began in Tokyo, Japan where I went through traditional Japanese schooling until the third grade. While my classmates and I were only eight years old, the expectation to succeed and surpass each other was imminent: it manifested itself in weekly "jyuku" (tutoring) sessions and "soroban" (abacus) competitions that I never wanted to participate in. But this toxic mindset of working for the sole purpose of being better than someone else originated in the classroom. Teachers would give instructions and lecture at the black board for a set number of minutes, distribute a test, and wait as students, myself included, realized that it was not enough time for them to process the information to a level of competency. While it seems ridiculous to be frustrated over making mistakes on material we just learned, were we embarrassed nonetheless? Absolutely. After all, the results of the test would then be taped onto the door of the classroom where anyone passing by can take a look. Most teachers disregarded the students who performed poorly, which taught the other students in the class to do the same. My educational experience in Japan continues to inform the way I approach learning.