Gunma Kokusai Academy

Gunma Kokusai Academy (GKA) is an English-immersion school in Ōta, Gunma, Japan for grades 1 to 12.

Gunma Kokusai Academy - Past, Present, and Future

GKA is the first school in Japan as a Special Education Zone School that is authorized to offer English Immersion school. This school was founded April 2004 by 6 teachers and the principal (Dr. Eugene Cooper). The preschool was opened in that year. The next year Gunma Kokusai Academy opened the first grade (106 students) and the fourth grade (59 students).In 2006 the second and the fifth grade were added to the school. In the following year the sixth and the third grade were added to the school. In April 2008 Gunma Kokusai Academy with have their first junior high class. Every year one grade is added to the school. By April 2011 the high school would start. In March 2013, Gunma Kokusai Academy's first fourth graders would graduate high school.

Background of GKA

Gunma Kokusai Academy is the outcome of the globalization in Japan. As Japan and the rest of the world changes into a more advanced civilization, Monkasho (the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) wants the Japanese people to be able to master English, the international language. Many people worried that Japanese children might not reach the international standards.

Objective of GKA

GKA's two main objectives are to give the best education to the students (the same objective to every school in the world) and to give the students a sense of the world around them through immersion and open-classrooms method. Every Special Zone Schools helps the Monkasho's efforts. GKA has tried to discourage Japanese speaking in any of the classes except the Japanese (国語）and the Social Studies(社会) classes. As the students go to higher grades their English skills increases as well. The oldest students ( 2004 4th graders) have achieved English skills far better than regular high school students that had studied English in school and English cram school　for 6 years.

Parents' response to GKA

Many people-not only parents- had said that GKA is a good school for their children. Many parents had asked how would the students learn English. The students would learn English naturally in their English class. GKA operates with a 2-teacher-per-homeroom style. one of these teachers is a Native English teacher while the other is a Native Japanese teacher and instead of a traditional Japanese elementary/junior high style classroom, GKA uses open classrooms. GKA gives higher level musical and computer classes to their students. At 4th grade students would start playing the recorder and 5th and above students start to play instruments like trumpet, flute, percussion, clarinet, and etc. As of Japanese skills the students will have daily Japanese classes.

Extra activities and afterschool care

GKA provides many activities for their students like the Japanese Sports Day and band. The band is available for the 5th and the 6th graders who wants to participate. Band members learn more pieces of music than the regular non-band students. GKA provides an after-school care for students from grade 1 to grade 3. In GKA the teachers and the students participate in both Japanese and other countries` celebrations. On most Wednesdays, 5th and 6th graders have committee (like Japanese public schools) or clubs ( for exam. drama and martial arts). On every February, GKA hosts a Performance Day for parents to see how there child is doing in school.

Teaching at GKA

Teaching at GKA can be difficult for most teachers. There are of course positive areas. Some of the negatives are the total lack of teacher in-service. The long hours and days you will have to work. The low pay for beginning teachers can hurt if you are married. You will also have to pay half tuition for your children and will be taxed on this fee. If you acquire any degrees while there your pay will not reflect it. A master degree is not seen as an asset at GKA. But the main problem you will have is communication with administration. The vice principal, principle, and business manager speak no English. There was an English speaking principle but he left in the middle of the school year. The administration are good people but without good communication there are many misunderstandings.

The positive areas are the other teachers, parents, and of course the great students. If you want to spend a couple of years here it could be a very nice experience

External links

* [http://www.gka.jp/ Official site]