Junior and Senior High School
Kanagawa University was founded on the principles of "simple and sturdy, forward-thinking, and balanced and steady." The Kanagawa University Junior and Senior High School has faithfully followed these precepts since its inception. While fulfilling its mission as a preparatory school for future university admission, it provides education geared toward individual students that places a high priority on the spirit of autonomy, with the goal of helping students lead strong, fulfilling lives.
The Six Principles of Education
Lifelong Education
The school believes that learning is a lifelong and multifaceted enterprise. Therefore, in addition to providing preparation for university entrance examinations, the curriculum lays the foundation for strong, fulfilling lives by offering a balanced selection of other classes, including health and physical education, music, art, technology and home economics.
Coeducation
The junior and senior high school years are a time of dynamic change in the hearts and bodies of young people, making it important to nurture mutual understanding and respect between the genders. Kanagawa University Junior and Senior High School is completely coeducational, with both girls and boys participating in all courses, including health and physical education and home economics. Student rosters and administration are completely integrated, as well.
Adaptation to the Information Society
Because the computer is considered a global means of self expression, the school has adopted the following three basic policies aimed at fostering technical proficiency and the ability to both select and generate information: 1) nurturing individuals who can successfully adapt to an information society; 2) providing education based on problem-solving; and 3) fostering the ability to communicate.
Uniqueness and Independence
Every student receives attentive support as a valued and respected individual. A wide-ranging curriculum, individualized academic guidance system, faculty-provided tutoring, and other features ensure that students benefit from a personal support system one would not normally expect to find in a large high school setting.
Internationalization
Students learn about their own country by researching Japanese culture as expressed in themes found throughout Japan, and then look outward to the rest of the world through study tours that help them learn about cultural diversity while acquiring true international understanding. Priority is also given to inculcating an ability to communicate effectively in English.
Career Guidance for How to Live Life
Career guidance during the six-year program at Kanagawa University Junior and Senior High School is geared toward helping students discover their own ways of living life. While developing positive occupational attitudes, students are provided with information tailored to their personal stage of development and given other personal support by their guidance counselors. This support is designed to help students discover their own path while thinking about such matters as their attitude toward learning, the significance of work, and the meaning of life.
Curriculum
Taking advantage of the integration of junior and senior high school in a single, six-year institution, the curriculum is divided into three two-year blocks to facilitate the educational process.
Block 1 : Period of Growth (First and Second Years of Junior High School)
Nearly all of the required junior high school content in English and math is covered during these first two years. Students acquire the sound habit of daily study and build up the foundation of academic achievement. The desire to learn and the ability to persevere are developed in the context of warm relationships between students and teachers.
Block 2 : Period of Development (Third Year of Junior High School and First Year of High School)
During this period, students play a central role in school life and activities. Top priority is given to acquiring the study skills necessary for successfully entering college. While studying different subjects, students seek out the paths that best suit their individual needs and, through exposure to various educational experiences, discover their own potential, thereby helping them to develop a vision of their future.
Block 3 : Period of Leaping Forward (Second and Third Years of High School)
Students polish their academic skills with the goal of preparing for university entrance examinations. The extensive curriculum provides freedom of choice so that students can pursue their personal dreams and future paths while developing the fighting spirit and will to win that are essential for passing the exams.
Off-Campus Learning and Overseas Study Tours
Students are given ample opportunity to round out their education in the wider world through such activities as Tokyo Metropolitan Area Studies, the Happo One Ski Program, the Walking Tour of Ancient Yamato Culture, Okinawa Area Studies, the Appreciation Program for Japanese Classical Performance Arts, and the Appreciation Program for Musicals. In addition, students in their first and second years of high school can deepen their international understanding by participating in overseas study tours, of which three are currently available: Great Britain and Italy; Hawaii; and China.
Academic Guidance
Academic guidance is provided in phased steps throughout the six-year program. Students in their first and third years of junior high school attend lectures by "resource teachers" (people in the work force) who help the students develop an accurate picture of different professions. At the same time, they take aptitude tests that help them connect their personal dreams with concrete job possibilities. Students in their third year of junior high school and first year of high school take tours of universities and sit in on university classes, while those in their second and third years of high school receive practical study guidance in preparation for entry into college.
