Children Full of Life is the 2003 documentary directed by Noboru Kaetsu and produced by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). First broadcast in Canada, CBC’s Passionate Eye.
“Kind, tough, funny.” That is what the students describe their teacher Mr. Toshiro Kanamori. If only we had more teachers like him these days.
The cheerful group of 4th graders in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo. Image source.
I’m sure this does not represent the entire educational system of Japan, but it does shine a light on what it means to be an understanding teacher. Mr. Kanamori’s starts off the school year by reminding his students, “we come to school to be happy”. The classroom has become more then just a place to learn math, science, and grammar.. but also a place that teaches compassion and empathy.
You can watch the entire 5 part section on Youtube: Children Full of Life.
“In the award-winning documentary Children Full of Life, a fourth-grade class in a primary school in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo, learn lessons about compassion from their homeroom teacher, Toshiro Kanamori. He instructs each to write their true inner feelings in a letter, and read it aloud in front of the class. By sharing their lives, the children begin to realize the importance of caring for their classmates.”
