{"id":89,"date":"2024-06-13T19:18:58","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T10:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/?page_id=89"},"modified":"2025-02-13T06:59:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T21:59:50","slug":"philosophy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/philosophy\/","title":{"rendered":"CHILDCARE PHILOSOPHY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Vision for Fouondation and Education<\/h2>\n

Hello! I\u2019m Keisuke Machi, the founder and director of HAPPY HORIZONS. Today, I\u2019d like to share with you the story behind the founding of our daycare and the philosophy that drives us.<\/p>\n

Philosophy of Our Daycare<\/h3>\n

\u201cWe want children to grow into adults who can do everything on their own.\u201d\u2028Having interacted with over 2,000 parents from the local community, many have shared that they want their children to pursue what they truly want to do when they become adults. At HAPPY HORIZONS, our hope is that children grow into adults who create and shape their own lives, using their own strength.<\/p>\n

Our Educational Philosophy<\/h3>\n

“By spending every day filled with excitement and happiness, we foster the ability in children to create on their own.”<\/p>\n

Our Thoughts on Education<\/h3>\n

Can you imagine what the world will be like when our children become adults, in 20 to 30 years? One of the definitions of education is \u201cdoing something meaningful when entering society.\u201d This means we, as educators, must consider the world of 20 to 30 years from now.<\/p>\n

Solving Global Challenges<\/h2>\n

We are entering an era where solving the problems in front of us will require us to collaborate with people from all over the world.\u2028In today\u2019s information society, globalized world, and AI-driven era, English has become the universal language over the past century. However, we are now moving towards a multilingual world, where communicating with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds will be essential to solving societal challenges.<\/p>\n

The Arrival of the AI Era<\/h2>\n

Specifically, the rise of AI.\u2028Twenty to thirty years ago, could anyone have imagined a world where most people carry around a small device like a smartphone, exchanging information over the internet? Of course, I certainly couldn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

Since the proposal of Moore\u2019s Law 60 years ago, the growth of semiconductors has followed exactly as predicted. Technological progress is accelerating at the same\u2014or even faster\u2014pace, especially with the advent of AI.<\/p>\n

Predictions of the Singularity<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve heard predictions of the \u201csingularity\u201d\u2014the moment when AI-equipped robots surpass the collective intelligence of all humanity. This moment is predicted to happen around 2045.
\n\"\"Just a few years ago, experts said that AI technologies, like ChatGPT, would appear about 2-3 years later than they actually did. Now, we live in a world where even university theses can be completed by ChatGPT in a matter of minutes.<\/p>\n

This means that technological progress will continue to accelerate exponentially. We are currently in the midst of what may be called the \u201cTechnological Revolution,\u201d comparable to the agricultural and industrial revolutions, but far more rapid and transformative.<\/p>\n

For the Future of Our Children<\/h3>\n

By the time our current children become adults, it\u2019s said that half of all existing jobs will be replaced by AI and robots. In such a world, what should we be teaching our children?<\/p>\n

I believe we should emphasize the importance of \u201ccreating on their own.\u201d\u2028No matter the situation or era, they must learn to think for themselves, make their own decisions, and create, rather than waiting to be told what to do.<\/p>\n

Balancing Knowledge and Experience<\/h3>\n

It is important to memorize things, to accumulate knowledge. But when combined with experience, knowledge becomes wisdom that nurtures the power to live. Yet, don\u2019t you feel that Japanese education currently places too much emphasis on storing knowledge, and not enough on gaining experience\u2014learning from failure and emotional growth?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t you think we should create an environment where children can express themselves freely, where being different from others is accepted, and where they can experience a wide range of things?<\/p>\n

The Importance of Self-Expression in Early Childhood<\/h3>\n

During early childhood, I am convinced that \u201dart\u201d plays a crucial role in self-expression. It\u2019s not about drawing a perfect picture, but about expressing what they think through drawing, crafting, dancing, or music.\u2028In an environment where children can freely debate with friends of different nationalities, ages, genders, and ideas, they will naturally come to understand that it\u2019s okay to be different.<\/p>\n

Early Childhood Education in the Age of Technological Revolution<\/h3>\n

In this age of technological revolution, it\u2019s vital that children experience \u201ccreating on their own\u201d at a young age. Early childhood is the most critical period for brain development, and this is when such experiences become invaluable.<\/p>\n

Adapting to Environmental Changes and Future Challenges<\/h2>\n

The world is now grappling with how to mitigate environmental destruction, which will be one of the key challenges moving forward. In Japan, we are already seeing the effects. For example, we used to associate autumn with eating \u201csanma\u201d (mackerel pike), but many of us no longer have the opportunity to eat it regularly due to rising sea temperatures and poor fishing yields.<\/p>\n

The impact of an aging population and declining birth rates<\/h3>\n
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\nWith fewer workers and more elderly people, it\u2019s clear that pension systems will soon face severe strain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n Social security costs have already risen by nearly 30% over the past decade, and with a declining workforce, the need for social welfare will only grow.\n<\/div>\n
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\n\u2028As Japan faces not only aging and declining birth rates but also regional depopulation and financial strains on local governments, we are witnessing first-hand the urgent need for meaningful action to build a better future for the next generation.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Seeking Educational Transformation<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s time to break away from the traditional educational system, where everyone is taught the same thing and expected to memorize it.\u2028Let\u2019s stop stifling the potential of children who are born with limitless possibilities.\u2028Discipline is important, but let\u2019s move away from overly controlling approaches disguised as \u201cdiscipline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, let\u2019s focus on raising children who can think for themselves, express themselves freely, and create their own paths in life.<\/p>\n

The Traditional Japanese Educational Philosophy of “Toku-zumi” (Virtue Accumulation)\u2028 <\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s not forget that Japan has a deep-rooted educational philosophy called \u201ctoku-zumi,\u201d or \u201cvirtue accumulation,\u201d passed down through generations.\u2028This philosophy teaches self-discipline, respect for nature, and living an honorable life. It involves cultivating proper manners, keeping promises, showing respect for others, and living truthfully.<\/p>\n

These values form the foundation of Japan\u2019s hospitality culture\u2014an ethos where we maintain order and harmony, regardless of the situation.<\/p>\n

Cherishing Individuality\u2028Building on the values of \u201ctoku-zumi,\u201d we aim to foster each child\u2019s unique identity, to help them embrace their own sense of self.\u2028We hope that children learn to value themselves, express their individuality, and grow in an environment where they feel loved by their parents, cared for with healthy meals, and confident in their ability to trust themselves and shape their own lives.<\/p>\n

This is the vision we hold for the children of today and tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Our Vision for Fouondation and Education Hello! I\u2019m Keisuke Machi, the founder and director of HAPPY HORIZONS. […]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-tcd-lp.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-89","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":824,"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions\/824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happy-horizons.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}