インタビュー・対談シリーズ『私の哲学』
Presented by "My Philosophy®︎"
Vol.35　Nobufumi Matsunaga

In this edition, we welcome Mr. Nobufumi Matsunaga, the acclaimed author of the bestseller "Mothers Who Help Their Sons Thrive. Points They Do Things Differently! (Otokonoko wo Nobasu Hahaoya wa Koko ga Chigau!)" which has sold over 300,000 copies. Our discussion centered on the education that nurtures human qualities.

Japanese

Profile

Vol.35 Nobufumi Matsunaga

Educational Environment Setting Consultant | Founder of V-net Educational Consultation Office
Nobufumi Matsunaga was born in Tokyo in 1957 and graduated from Keio University with a degree in Philosophy from the Faculty of Letters. He has developed various learning methods such as reading aloud, essay writing, and dice learning techniques. As an educational consultant, he engages in lecturing and writing activities. He is the head of V-net Educational Consultation Office, which addresses concerns related to education and learning. His notable works include "Mothers Who Help Their Sons Thrive Do This Differently!" (Fusosha Publishing), "Change How You Raise Your Son When He Turns 10 (Otokonoko wa 10sai ni Nattara Sodate kata wo Kaenasai) " (Daiwa Shobo), "Men Who Can't Marry Are Made by Age 12! (Kekkon Dekinai Otoko wa 12sai made ni Tsukurareru!)" (Wani Books), "How to Get Children to Study Without Nagging (Gami Gami Iwazu ni Kodomo ni Benkyo saseru Houhou)" (PHP Bunko), "Mothers Who Help Only Children Thrive, Mothers Who Hinder Them (Hitorikko wo Nobasu Hahaoya Dame ni suru Hahaoya)" (ascom), and "Future Academic Ability Is Determined by the Amount of Reading by Age 10! (Shorai no Gakuryoku wa 10sai made no “Dokusho Ryo” de Kimaru!)" (Subarusya), among many others.
*Titles and positions are as of the time of the interview (April 2015).

Tutoring: My Calling

I have never worked for a company in my life. One reason is that I started working as a tutor at the age of 18, and by my senior year of university, when my initial salary would have been around 120,000 yen, I was already earning over 300,000 yen per month. Tutoring was my calling. As someone with hyperactive ADHD, I have always felt uncomfortable being part of large groups, and I could never study alongside other students in a classroom setting. So, how could I study if I couldn’t listen to lectures? One-on-one tutoring is a method that works even for children who feel out of place in group learning settings. I also sought out individuals who could teach me individually and studied that way. Because of this experience, when I became a tutor myself, I could immediately identify what was causing my students to struggle. In other words, I had already mastered how to guide children to grow academically by the time I was a university student. Naturally, this led to the development of methods to improve academic performance and eventually to the establishment of my educational consultation office.

I only discovered that I had ADHD myself when I started researching to help the increasing number of children with similar symptoms who sought my advice. I realized that these descriptions perfectly matched my own childhood experiences. It would have been immensely helpful to know I had ADHD as a child. It wasn’t a lack of calmness; I simply couldn’t stay calm even if I wanted to. Being the type who eagerly studies on my own, knowing I wasn’t suited for group learning would have eased my mind. This is why I now tell children with ADHD or Asperger’s, “You were born with your own individuality, so there’s no need to seek it out. Just refine it.” Hyperactivity means that when you’re concentrating on something, you might think of something even better and shift your interest there. It’s unavoidable. But without people with hyperactivity who come up with what to do next, human progress would have been impossible.

Cultivating Taste to Foster Sensitivity

The pillars of education are curiosity and experiential learning. When driven by curiosity and asking “why?”, taking action to investigate on one’s own is what we call experiential learning. Following this is sensitivity, which is the ability to express the feelings evoked by one’s experiences. Possessing excellent sensitivity can be considered true “wisdom.” For instance, how well can one express the weather today or one’s mood? Art attempts to convey one’s feelings to others through self-expression. Cooking is similar. One might think about how to represent the feel of spring air in a dish using seasonal vegetables, making the meal both expressive and enjoyable. If one does not express their feelings through art or cooking, those emotions remain unfulfilled. It is crucial to experience things out of curiosity and express one’s feelings. Pursuing questions of “why?” is the foundation of academic study. Stopping a child from this pursuit by saying “it doesn’t affect your grades” is wrong. Focusing solely on rote memorization neglects curiosity and sensitivity, leading to a destructive state of mind, as philosopher Rudolf Steiner suggested.

To properly cultivate sensitivity from an early age at home, it is essential first to nurture a good sense of taste. How can we ensure this? By not feeding children excessively sweet foods, especially not as a way to soothe a crying child. This practice prevents the development of a refined palate and establishes a bad habit where the child associates crying with receiving sweets. Instead, children should be given fruits. Fruits offer not only sweetness but also sourness and a range of flavors in between. Even within the same box, each fruit can have a slightly different taste. Recognizing these subtle differences helps cultivate sensitivity.

Enhancing Language Literacy Through Reading

The sensitivity of “understanding people’s hearts” can be cultivated through literature. It’s important not only to read books but also to discuss their content with others afterwards. Reading a book and then discussing it with someone else can lead to deeper understanding and realizations about parts that were previously unclear. Such experiences positively influence emotional growth. To develop a habit of reading, it is beneficial to create a bookshelf in the living room with books for the whole family, making it easy to read anytime.

In my opinion, if you don’t read and can’t write properly, there’s no point in going to university. Currently, however, passing exams based on memorization and multiple-choice questions can get you into university. Universities are higher education institutions where you are expected to listen to and understand lectures from experts, read and comprehend the texts they provide, ask questions about unclear points, and be able to articulate your thoughts in writing. Therefore, if you want to send your child to university, you need to nurture these skills by the time they are about 18.

Art education is also essential in cultivating important sensitivity, and music is particularly beneficial. Instead of turning on the TV or playing video games when bored, people should ideally take up a musical instrument. Imagine adults drinking with friends, one person casually strumming a guitar, another using nearby objects as makeshift drums, and everyone starting to sing. What a wonderful experience! There’s even a prevailing notion in education that it’s not difficult to guide children who can play the piano or violin to academic success, highlighting the importance of an artistic foundation.

Cultivating sensitivity and enhancing language literacy form the basis for a fulfilling life that can span up to 90 years. Despite this, many children start attending cram schools around the fourth grade and undergo intense rote learning, which can be damaging. If no issues arise, it might be because the child managed to control their emotions well or the parents skillfully intervened. Instead of overreaching to attend distant prestigious schools, attending a nearby school that fits the child’s abilities and where they can study comfortably might be more beneficial in the long run.

Act Immediately on Intuition

There are many important principles I hold dear in life, but let me highlight two. First, as I have discussed, never forget that art and academia are crucial to human growth. This belief stems from the idea that we, as humans, enhance our humanity through two pillars: experiential learning driven by curiosity induced by our environment, and emotional expression induced by environmental stimuli. Second, try to consistently align intuition, decision, and action. When you have an intuition, act on it within 30 seconds if possible. If you wait three minutes, it’s already too late. When you decide on a course of action, execute it immediately. Initially, this approach may lead to a series of mistakes due to hasty decisions or clumsiness, but over time, your intuitive abilities will improve. Many people put their ideas on hold before taking action. However, once shelved, these ideas are often forgotten, leading to a dulling of intuitive abilities. Avoid hesitation over trivial matters and strive to make intuition, decision, and action as continuous as possible. While achieving a satisfactory state in these areas is challenging, I consider these two principles of utmost importance in my daily life.

Driven by Mr. Sugiyama’s enthusiasm and momentum, akin to a falcon diving towards its target, today’s outcome has unfolded. However, I feel somewhat self-conscious about being included in “My Philosophy,” which features individuals at the forefront of their respective industries, given that I have pursued an unconventional path in education. I wasn’t entirely sure what kind of activities ILI Inc. was involved in, but I felt reassured by the kindness of all the staff members. I will continue to watch with interest, so I look forward to your continued guidance and support.

Educational Environment Setting Consultant Nobufumi Matsunaga

It’s been 12 years since I became a father of three sons and one daughter. Since my eldest son was born when I was 24, I have been figuring out how to interact with my children as a parent and what kind of education to provide them. Through trial and error, I have developed my own understanding. My encounter with Mr. Nobufumi Matsunaga’s book happened when my wife purchased it from a co-op (Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union). The very things I had been feeling were established as educational methods through Mr. Matsunaga’s empirical knowledge. Following my intuition, decision, and action, I reached out to him, leading to this interview. It made me realize how important it is to properly learn what we need to as parents. “Refining individuality”—I will continue to work towards supporting this goal.

DK Sugiyama, Editor-in-Chief, “My Philosophy”

April 2015,V-net Educational Consultation Office.Translated by ILI Inc.