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“Ask if You Are Not Sure. Speak Out if You Have Any Objections”

Today’s story-teller is financial analyst Takuro Morinaga, 53 years old.

Morinaga spent half of his grade-school years in overseas. It was just normal to ask any questions to the teacher in the class when he was in other countries.

However, when he came back to Japan, he noticed that students just listened to the teacher and never asked questions but him, and he was the only student who asked questions in the class.

The school teachers were quite unique individuals. One of his English teachers wrote; ‘I am a teacher’ in Spanish to introduce himself in the first class.

His physics teacher started talking about Marxian economics in the middle of the class.

The teachers and students had relationship of equals at the school. Morinaga didn’t really study for tests, but he used to have heated arguments with the teachers after tests.

Well, when he got wrong answers, he used to go to the teacher to find out the reasons why he got wrong answers and he discussed with them till he bought the argument.

All teachers were patient and helpful. None of them ever got bothered with him.

He recalls his high school years and says, “The high school was so liberal and asked for self-responsibility. They allowed us to do anything we wanted to do, but we had to take responsibility for our actions.”

However, when he goes to his old school to deliver lectures, he notices that students these days do not ask questions and it is impossible to find a student who makes objections against teachers.

It looks like they are avoiding to enter into a debate and to be isolated to him.

So, this was the story that he learned to be free and have self-responsibility during high school.

The NIKKEI 01/15/2010 by Takuro Morinaga (financial analyst)

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