Learning Skill Development :
Blue Learning
Introduction
I have met and taught students at various institutions, including film schools, art universities, prestigious national and public universities, and renowned private universities. However, seeing the poor learning skills of today's young people has made me worry about the future of Japan.
After struggling and leaving the legendary Irie Juku, where Hideki Wada, an authority on study methods that inspired "Dragon Zakura," studied, I developed my own learning methods. In 2013, I published "Proactive Learning Revolution" with the desire to improve society through these methods.
I once supported a young man who was a trainer at a gym I frequented in Tokyo. He wanted to become an entrepreneur, so I encouraged him to go to university. A few days later, he confessed that he had not graduated from high school. I supported him in taking the university entrance qualification exam, using methods partially introduced in "Proactive Learning Revolution."
Later, I taught at an arts college where I met a student who, after graduating and learning filmmaking, had to change his career path due to an injury and aimed to get a real estate license but failed. I observed him studying for about three hours at a café, realizing he did not understand what learning truly was. Despite being able to read Japanese, he couldn't retain its meaning.
I consulted with our company advisor, Prof. Yasuya Harada, an expert in educational linguistics at Waseda University. He advised, "You've realized something significant. Many people in Japan today cannot read Japanese properly." Taking this advice, I simplified it into an understandable learning method and coached the young man at a café. After 3-4 sessions, he studied independently while working night shifts at a factory and eventually passed the real estate license exam.
Since then, I have taught English at an arts university in Kyoto and economics in English at a comprehensive university in Osaka, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
I have encountered many students who struggled with studying, mostly due to not knowing how to learn. There are countless books on learning methods, bestsellers, and even comics turned into TV dramas and movies. However, these often contain flashy content to sell but tend to overlook the orthodox and fundamental principles of learning.
This program aims to impart these fundamental principles of learning online.
Parents are welcome to join with their children if they are elementary school students.
Program Director : Atsushi Sakahara
Program Advisor : Prof. Yasuya Harada (Institute for Information and Education, Waseda University)
プログラムの詳細
Target
Elementary school students to university students (adults can be consulted on a case-by-case basis).
Duration
Each session: 40 minutes to 1 hour, total of 16 online sessions with LINE support.
Intensive sessions during long vacations such as summer breaks are also available.
Format
One-on-one online sessions with an instructor.
Cost
Please contact us for more details.
After Program Completion
1. Learning Pace Maker: Monthly meetings and LINE support.
2. Spot Assistance When Needed: Up to 15 LINE or meeting sessions per month for support.
Features
Develop learning skills that become lifelong tools, useful not only for academic advancement but also for professional qualification exams.
Personalized support to develop learning skills tailored to the learner's individual needs.
Support for those who have not seen results with typical tutoring schools or exam prep schools (proven track record).
Program
In the first session, we will understand the student's individual characteristics and learning challenges. Based on this understanding, we will improve learning in the following sessions.
Step 1 (Sessions 1-2): Understanding Challenges
Step 2 (Sessions 3-5): Information Handling
Step 3 (Sessions 6-8): Mastery Techniques
Step 4 (Sessions 9-13): Learning Methods
Step 5 (Sessions 14-16): Learning Management and Motivation
Testimonial
After graduating from a four-year evening high school, I enrolled in a vocational school where I studied film production and started working in the film industry. However, I soon decided to change careers after breaking my leg and took up a night shift job at a factory. Around that time, Mr. Sakahara, who had taught me at the vocational school, advised me to "get a qualification in anything." I enrolled in a one-year real estate license course at a specialized school in Osaka but failed the exam. Mr. Sakahara then called me in and observed my study methods. He pointed out that I wasn't properly reading Japanese and, over 3 or 4 sessions, taught me how to take notes, memorize effectively, and understand the meaning of what I was learning. Thanks to his guidance, I eventually passed the real estate license exam through self-study while working night shifts. Recently, I have been teaching newcomers at work, and what Mr. Sakahara taught me has been very helpful.
Mr. Sakahara is a victim of the Tokyo subway sarin attack and, despite his lingering symptoms, he created a film confronting the incident. Now, he has started an educational business with one of his former students, my junior, and I am pleased to hear that the study methods he taught me are being commercialized. Mastering these learning methods is a lifelong issue, and I highly recommend them to anyone who struggles with learning.
Takao Tsumura (31 years old, Osaka, Japan)