c. The Reform of Educational Methods

The notion of setting up schools for the purpose of training teachers was a completely novel one to Japan. Yet it was with this in mind that the American Marion M. Scott, who had arrived in Japan in 1871 and had taught at the Southern College, was appointed to the staff of the Normal School in September, 1872. Scoff was asked to share his knowledge and experience which he had acquired through teaching and administering in the United States. Since, at that time, the Normal School's regulations for the course of study for elementary schools had yet to be issued, Scott's first step in introducing teacher training was to set up a training program based on Western principles of elementary education. In principle, the program was to take into consideration the existing situation in Japan, but in actual fact the program scarcely deviated from the standard practice in American elementary schools. Scott lectured in English with Tsuboi Gendo (1852-1922) acting in the capacity of interpreter. Textbooks, teaching aids and other materials in use in the United States at that time were ordered and for some time classes depended on the original untranslated editions. It was due to the influence of Scott and the American model that most textbooks used during the early Meiji era were translations of American works.

In terms of teaching methods, Scott placed special emphasis on the object lesson method developed by Johann H. Pestalozzi (1746-1827). Texts by Norman A. Catkin (1822-1895) and Edward A. Sheldon (1823-1897) expounding this method were translated, which were then published by the Department of Education, and the method was adopted in the oral lessons subject which the Normal School included in its regulations for the course of study for elementary schools. However, the true principle of the Pestalozzian method was not correctly understood. Questions and answers were prescribed in advance, and teachers and pupils had only to repeat them mechanically. Many other pedagogical books published in this period indicate a similar superficial adoption of new teaching methods.

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