Up to now, the essays have largely explored metaphors and ideals of teaching within various Japanese contexts. In this section, we look at specific teaching practices in school. All of the authors in this section are interested in comparing how Japanese and American teachers present knowledge. By contrasting the practices of teachers, we can shed some light on how broader assumptions about teaching and learning affect the way elementary and middle schools are organized. We also present a essay on one of Japan's most successful tutoring schools.

All of the authors are fairly positive about the Japanese system. They have not set out to reveal the problems of Japanese methodologies, but rather to describe the more well-founded practices as objectively as possible. All of the authors have had extensive experience in U.S. and Japanese classrooms. That they should all find Japanese education at the elementary and middle school levels superior (in some respects) to American education is not an indication of their lack of impartiality but rather a strong testament to the efficacy of some of the fundamental strategies employed in Japan.

The reader may wish to consider how the following concepts orient Japanese teachers and students in their work. In presenting knowledge to children, Japanese use a fairly compact set of techniques. However, although the tools are simple, they are used in complex and varied ways.

Routines: Rather than assuming that routines are something to be avoided, Japanese teachers use them to reduce work.