Comparative Studies between the U.S.and Japan on the Pattern of Value Socialization and Educational Structure

本研究考察了美国的价值社会化模式，并与日本进行了比较。当我们在一种文化背景下成长时，我们学习和获得价值观。然而，文化由社会的宏观文化和社会各群体的微观文化组成，价值社会化是一个动态的过程，需要一个比较的视角和多元文化的视角。此外，价值社会化不仅发生在学校，也发生在其他社会环境中。我们必须分析价值教育是如何设计和实施的，通过小学教育有意识地培养理想的价值观。在本研究中，我们通过对儿童生活方式和行为的问卷调查，分析了美国和日本在小学教育中所提倡的价值观类型，从而比较了两国的价值观教育。此外，我们还描绘了美国人格教育中如何促进尊重和责任等关键价值观，将比较分析置于理论框架中。此外，我们还说明了多元文化学校如何努力适应培养来自不同文化背景的孩子的美国价值观和尊重他们的家庭价值观的需要。尽管有人担心多元文化教育会导致国家分裂，但它实际上是在多元化中创造团结。价值观教育通常被认为等同于教会所做的事情，类似于强加某些道德价值观。然而，正如本研究清楚地表明，价值观教育、品格教育和多元文化教育都试图培养学生在多元文化社会中成长为负责任的公民所需的知识、技能和态度。由于日本正在成为一个全球化和多元文化的国家，这项研究的结果应该是非常有用的。

This study examines the patterns of value socialization in the United States and makes some comparison with Japan.We learn and acquire values as we grow up in a cultural context. However, culture consists of macro-culture of the society and micro-cultures of various groups in the society, Value social-ization is a dynamic process requiring a comparative perspective and a multicultural perspective. In addition, value socialization takes place not only in school but also in other social settings. We have to analyze how value education is designed and carried out to nurture desirable values deliberately through primary education.In this study, we compare value education betweee the U.S.and Japan by analyzing the kinds of values that are promoted in primary education based on a questionnaire survey of children's lifestyle and behavior. Also, we portray how key values such as respect and responsibility are promoted in character education in the U.S.to place the comparative analysis in a theoretical framework. Furthermore, we illustrate how multicultural schools attempt to accommodate the need to nurture American values in the chidren from diverse cultural backgrounds and the need to respect their home values. Despite some anxiety that multicultural education disunites the nation, it is actually creating unity out of diversity.Value education is often perceived as equivalent to what churches do, something similar to imposing certain moral values. However, as this study clearly shows, value education, character education and multicultural education all attempt to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed for students to grow up to be responsible citizens to live in a multicultural society. As Japan is becoming a global and also a multicultural nation, the findings from this study should be quite-informative.