Schedule

September 20, 2000
10:00 Greg arrived.
3rd period: Stories by Greg about the wisdom-point round the presentation about the study tour at Komabashi power plant
4th period: Discussion about energy component ratio in the future of Japan
5th period and after school: Making Sake-Manju

The theme was what proportion of electricity resources Japan should make in 2002 and 2007.

In the previous session, one group proposed to have 47% of proportion by nuclear power generation, and the rest of the four groups proposed to decrease usage of it.

We started this session by confirming what we had discussed in the last session.

The ideas where all the groups had agreed were: to reduce the proportion of thermal power generation in order to prevent global warming; to invent and develop alternatives of natural energy power generation in haste; to improve the performance of dams for hydroelectric power generation in stead of building more dams; and so on.

We were planning conclusive discussions after that but time was running out.

The reason why debate was introduced to class

There will be no further development if Greg only listens to the presentation.

I would like the students to cooperate and study together. 

I would like them to study about the future.

I would like them to consider their coming future. 

I thought it would be a good experience for them to create one thing together by discussion. 

Comments from children after debate

This was my first debating. It was good to learn through debating about various opinions of the things that I'd rather avoid but I should mind.

Diversity in opinions interested me.

It was pretty good that most of the people were seriously discussing and thinking.

I learned it's important to find out solutions through discussions.

It was a great battle. Although my debating team was in the rear, it was good to hear various opinions.

The outcome of Children Point"Heiwa Junior High School"

First of all, it gave good enough motivation for the wisdom-point round from now on.

I think they finally understood why Greg walked to pursue wisdom.

Presenting the results of the students' research on net encouraged them to ask and think over opinions of more people with broader views.

It seems that Greg's advice in the last comment deepened the students' thoughts.

Listening to Greg led me to realize that nature and environments should be protected.

Some student was impressed, saying that was Greg all over.

I usually maintain neutrality, otherwise discussions are often biased by teachers' opinions. I think that it was good for the students to ask opinions of a third party. It seems that some students have had confidence in their own opinions with itl.

The role Greg played at Children Point"Heiwa Junior High School"

It was expected that the discussion would proceed mainly about nuclear power generation. When asking his opinion about them, Greg offered to give an easy lecture for deeper awareness, since he was not a specialist but the after wisdom points had the one about energy. We asked him to attend the session as a commentator if in need.  

Children's reaction for Greg's report "Wise Choices"

It's interesting to know how Greg was hearing us debating. I was surprised with Greg's idea that that debating is a kind of wisdom round. From this point of view, it looks like we were debating very well.

I'd like to ask opinions of friends of World School. I'd like to know opinions of readers of Greg's diary. Wise choice cannot be made without people with lots of wisdom. I really want to ask opinions on energy issues of various people as well as those of us,only 30 people. I think it's too difficult to solve this issue with only 30 people. I also think it's more efficient to ask and discuss this issue with people from all over the world.

I'm proud that our debating was great. I think it's interesting for the readers of this to tell their opinions to us, the students of Heiwa Junior High, and World School. I thought we were not debating so seriously. Reading Greg's report on it, I realized that our debating was great!

Comments from children

When you walk for a long time, you'll meet various people. I think this is a good point of the wisdom round. I believe we can meet more people by walking.

I finally understand why Greg took the trouble to walk with a heavy sack on the back and go on the wisdom round.

I think the more effort to be made to walk, the more wisdom to encounter.

I partially understand the meaning of the wisdom round and why Greg chose to walk.

I'm impressed that there's wisdom hidden close to us.

Greg's behaviour and stories are so different from my expectation that they astonish me. What a great gut he has, walking dozens of kilometres per day with a heavy bag!

I'm impressed he knows more Japanese wisdom than we Japanese do.

I'm glad to meet Greg. We had a good time with him because he is an excellent talker with perfect commands of Japanese and body language. I'd like to walk,too.

Comments from Navigator Mrs. Yamaguchi

I was surprised with the students' reactions.First of all, I was surprised that the students expressed their awareness of energy issues, not only because we joined quite recently, but also because they usually showed little reaction. It seems that the principal understood the meaning of this event by listening to Greg.

Overview

I did energy lessons focusing on nuclear power stations and collected suggestions and proposals about them. I've learned it's a great fun to exchange opinions with lots of people. A student said,"The point is not what it will become of but what we can do for it." Don't you think it's wonderful that children with a bright future have such a view?