By Natsuko Ito

　　　During my junior high school days, a biweekly five-day week was introduced; this year a five-day week became the norm throughout the year. The change aims to make up a lot of leeway in promoting the newly inaugurated Synthesis Study. I visited Atsubetsu Kita Junior High School to examine what sorts of class they give. I asked Mr. Taketoshi Nakayama, who is in charge of the first grade, about his class and heard some opinions from the students. The school has 778 students and was built in 1998. It is a new branch school near my own old school. The school building has a well-styled entrance hall where students can talk with their friends.

　　　The class days in many junior high schools, including this particular school, have been greatly changed by the new course of study which requires them to change weekends into holidays. Since school hours have been reduced from 1050 to 980 hours a year, the number of traditional 6 class days has been increased from 2 to 3 times a week to make up for the loss of the Saturday classes.

　　　100 hours of the first grade's 980 are used for the Synthesis Study, while the second grade spend 155 hours and third grade 235 in this hard-pressed situation.

　　　The Synthesis Study is divided into ACE (Atsubetsu Kita Communication Exercise) and ACT (Atsubetsu Creation Time), and the school has been following it for several years.

　　　It has been 3 years since ACE started. The purpose is not only to get the students to communicate with everyone, but to express themselves freely, and to understand others' hearts.　

　　　For example, the teachers give the students a "searching for treasuresﾓ assignment : after the students have been divided into groups, each person gets a different card. They explain what's on the card to each other and search for clues in order to get the answer. "Boy A pulled my group together," "Girl B expressed some nice ideas that I didn't expect, " some students said. ACE also has a time for thinking of "absent friends. " At first, students are sealed with a mark on their back by the teacher. Next, they pick the person who has same mark up and make a pair. But a few students are not able to make a pair. Then the students and other students who have been able to make a pair, think of what was in their minds.

　　　Apparently, these classes are like a game for the students. But teachers strongly insist that they donﾕt want the students to end by thinking it is just a game; at the same time, students can understand that classes are intended naturally, and are never imposed on them.

　　　ACT has been running for 4 years. The purposes of the first graders are to be able to examine and communicate information, those of the second grade are to be able to communicate and broaden the range of knowledge, those of the third grade are to be able to broaden their knowledge further and put it to use.

　　　First grade students conduct a poster session. They pick up a theme from a list of choices (of jobs, the world, Sapporo, etc.), and research it in the library. They put the results of their research together on drawing paper and present it to the class. Also, they pick themes of their own interest and study them on the computer. They put it together on A4 paper and post it on the wall. The works are graded A, B and C in the estimation of their own class, while other classes choose one work as the best. The best work is introduced in a first grade letter.

　　　In ACT, the students work individually, and they also hold debates. Not many university students have taken part in a debate. We can expect that this trial during their early days will be useful for communication.

　　　In debates, they decide on three topics for each class and separate into two sides, for and against. They make 6 groups in all. Their topics while I was there were Summer v.s. Winter, City v.s. Country, and for v.s. against a five day-week. Every student spent much time studying such interesting topics, but it was hard for them to find out what they wanted.

　　　The second grade and the third grade make presentations. They go to different local libraries and facilities from those used by the first grade.

　　　I distributed questionnaires to the students. The first grade students answered "the contents are difficult and I am finding it hard to make a summary." The second grade students answered, "the class is a good opportunity to observe manners," "we have fun." Third grade students answered "the class seems to be unique to my school, and the research out of school was a good experience for us."

　　　I was impressed by the answers which showed that all the students felt joy and were conscious of doing the assignment as well as they could.

　　　The Syntheses Study is really practical. The big aim is to ﾒsearch topics by themselves, study, have their own opinion and tell their opinions to others" and the training is to acquire the fundamental ability of living with others.

　　　On the other hand, many private junior high schools have not accepted this class. There are some rumors that the Synthesis Study will vanish in ten years, so it is not yet stable. But we should watch warmheartedly the synthesis study which has just started.