Personal Characterｓ

There are various people in the world. Everyone has unique personality and it is interesting and valuable.

My mother is very cheerful and optimistic person. Even when she fails or a bad thing happens to her, she doesn’t feel depressed. She considers it is a lesson and a failure breeds success. Moreover, she is funny and she likes to make people laugh. She herself likes to watch comedy movies, too.

One of my friends is very strict with herself. Once she starts doing something, she never gives up until she satisfied with the result. Because of her hard work, people around her always care about her health but she doesn’t stop working even if she has a fever! In addition, she is loved by everyone because of her cheerful character. Despite her hard work, she doesn’t show a tired face and lively. Futhermore she is kind to anyone at all times.

The other friend is person who really likes to manage everything. For example, at a group trip, she decides most of our schedule such as restaurants to have dinner, a hotel and places we look around. However, her choices are always great so we are glad that she coordinates our trip.

My teacher at high school was very passionate person. When he found students doing something wrong, he raged at the students and gave them a stern lecture. Making him mad was the most horrible thing at school. However, he was not just a severe teacher. He was loved by students. He was really excited at school events such as school festival and sports day more than students and he always worked hard to help students’ activities. What’s more, he was so sentimental, too. I still remember that he was crying at our graduation ceremony. He was truly a passionate teacher.

The future of Japan --- pessimistic? or optimistic?

According to a recent analysis, 86% of Japanese people said that they cannot have hope for the future of Japan. 86% is the worst ratio among 23 countries which occupy 75% of the world gross domestic product (GDP). Unless Japanese government tries to make a change, I also think the future of Japan is somber. There are variety of reasons why people and I think so.

Firstly, one of the anxieties is soaring budget deficit. If the financial deficit continues to increase, an excessively heavy burden will fall upon youth like college students. However, Japanese government does not seem to have a solution to the problem and a specific plan for it. So, it is natural that people show concern about the future of Japan.

Secondly, people are worried about their jobs. Especially, these days, the job shortage for the university student is recognized as a social issue. The class of 2011 is graduating into the worst hiring slump in 14 years. On October 1^st, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology officially announced that the percentage of students who are going to graduate from university in 2011 and already found work was 57.6% and the rate was less than 2003(60.2%) which was called "employment ice age" .

Moreover, many people are pointing out the uncertainty over the future because of the problems of pensions. Rapid aging of the population resulting from the decline in the birthrate is also what makes people worried.

Even if one by one, Japanese government has to try hard to find solution to these problems and carry out the plan to decrease people’s anxiety as much as possible.

English Education at Elementary Schools

　

　Few years ago, Japanese Ministry of Education announced that they will implement English education as a compulsory subject in elementary schools for 5^th and 6^th grade students from 2011. Until now, people have usually started studying English from junior high schools but I think from junior high was too late to learn and master a new language. In fact, in Japan, there are only few students who can speak English well after graduating high schools. Starting earlier is better for studying languages. Therefore I agree with introducing English classes into elementary schools.

What makes me strongly think that students should learn English from elementary schools is my memory at junior high school. I still remember that many students of first grade at junior high already had gave a wide berth to English even before they started studying English, and such students soon became not able to keep up with English classes. I suppose the reason why it happened is that English classes came out suddenly from junior high schools without having been accustomed to it during elementary schools or earlier than that. Before studying grammar, students need enough time to become close to English singing English songs or watching cartoon films, for example, as children learn Japanese.

Thus, though only for 5^th and 6^th grade students and only once a week is not enough, I guess students’ consciousness for English will be changed in some degree by English classes at elementary schools. However, I hope English education in Japan become more active and it should be introduced more often and in early elementary grades, too.