[Gakkou e Ikou! Max] Kindergarten Cram School (2007.03.06)
In which Nagano and Go get "schooled."
(24:25)
Mino: Next up is this!
Narrator: Everyone, do you know about this?
Narrator: The number of children applying to the top national and private primary schools is on the rise and will increase by 20 percent this year!
Narrator: Now it’s not an uncommon thing for students to take entrance exams for primary school
Narrator: and many young children are studying hard in cram schools and nursery schools.
Narrator: So what kind of lessons are they attending?
Narrator: And so…
Narrator: Let’s go to a cram school!
Nagano: So… it’s entrance exams!
Morita: They’re starting entrance exams from kindergarten!?
Nagano: Today’s generation is like that!
Morita: Even with that said, they’re still just nursery school kids!
Nagano: That’s right! They’re cute!
Morita: They’re children!
Nagano: They’re little cuties!
Morita: If we give them candy, I think they’ll listen to us!
Nagano: I think they’ll listen.
Nagano: Shall we go right away to meet them?
Morita: Let’s go!
Actual sign [Kindergarten - Primary school entrance exam guidance BLOSSOM]
Caption [Cram school classroom BLOSSOM]
Narrator: This time, V6 visit a cram school classroom in Tokyo’s Bunraku ward, Blossom.
Narrator: Every year, this famous name among cram schools sends many students to such schools as University of Tsukuba Elementary and Ochanomizu Women’s University Elementary school.
Narrator: And with that, we sit in on a class!
Teacher: Yes, a circle. And what else is circular?
Kid: Cake!
Teacher: Cake! Yes, a birthday cake is a circle…
Nagano: They seem bright!
Teacher: And what else?
Morita: They’re all wearing vests!
Nagano: They are! They’re wearing vests!
Teacher: That’s right, a clock is also a circle.
Narrator: Right away they make contact with the children in the lesson!
Kids: HELLO!
Morita: You’re so energetic!
Teacher: He says you’re all energetic!
Nagano: Yeah!
Boy: You’re Miyake Ken-san, right!
Morita: I’m not Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: He’s not Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: Do you know who we are?
Boy: Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: Miyake Ken, huh?
[Ms. Fukuyama]
[Ms. Kousa]
Narrator: These six children gathered here will become first graders this spring!
Narrator: They were in an intensely strong battle but successfully passed the entrance exams into famous primary schools making them an elite group of students!
Nagano: Hello everyone!
All: Hello!
Nagano: You’re all so energetic!
Nagano: Were your entrance exams difficult?
Kids: It was easy!
Kids: It was a piece of cake!
Teacher: It was easy?
Nagano: It was simple?
Nagano: So why did you all take entrance exams?
Boy: Because studying is fun!
Nagano: “Studying is fun”? What a good answer!
Nagano: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Morita: What are your dreams?
Boy: PICK ME!
Boy: An architect.
Nagano: An architect!
Morita: You want to be an architect!
Girl: Me me me!
Girl: I want to be a kindergarten teacher!
Nagano: You want to be a kindergarten teacher!
Boy: When I get bigger, I want to run a baked sweet potato shop!
Morita: A baked sweet potato shop?!
Nagano: Even though you’ve taken entrance exams and entered a famous private primary school!?
Boy: There’s more!
Nagano: There is?
Boy: I want to be Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: You want to be Miyake Ken-san?!
Morita: You do seem to resemble him a little bit!
Narrator: Now that we know there’s a boy who loves Ken-san…
Nagano: Actually, we’re interested in learning just what kind of lessons these kids are attending..
Nagano: Would it be okay if we have Morita-san join your class? Is it okay?
Teacher: Yes, please!
Kid: You definitely can’t do it!
Nagano: You can’t lay a hand on them!
Boy: Where’s Miyake Ken-san!?
Narrator: At Blossom, the lessons involve asking questions that appear on the primary school entrance exams.
Narrator: But all of these questions are ones that make even adults think hard about the answer…
Narrator: Therefore, everyone sitting in front of your TVs at home,
Narrator: warm up your brain and please think along with us!
[Morita Does Battle!]
Morita: Sorry but, I’m really going to go for it!
Morita: Because I don’t want to lose!
Nagano: Even to the kids!
Morita: Yes!
Nagano: The nursery school children!
Morita: Right!
Nagano: Alright then, Ms. Kousa, please start the lesson!
Teacher: Sure!
Nagano: What will we start with first?
Teacher: Today we’ll practice “Remembering the Story.”
Nagano: Remembering a story?
Teacher: Yes, they have to remember!
Nagano: The things you said…
Teacher: They have to remember them and answer questions later!
Teacher: I’ll ask them questions and they write the answers.
Nagano: Ah, I see.
Nagano: By the way, what kind of things does this test measure?
[Ability to remember - Listening comprehension, etc.]
Teacher: First they have to remember so it measures their aptitude for behaving well and listening to a story completely.
Nagano: So it’s also testing how well they listen to the information!
Teacher: Yes, it is.
Nagano: So if they can’t relax and listen, they won’t do well.
Teacher: Right!
Nagano: I understand, so Ms. Kousa, if you please!
Teacher: Ok, so let’s begin!
Teacher: Are you ready?
Teacher: Let’s put our hands on our knees and listen carefully!
Narrator: An activity that happens often at cram schools is story recollection.
Narrator: After listening to the teacher’s story, a test with several questions is given.
Narrator: Everyone, listen carefully so you don’t forget!
[Lesson 1]
[Remembering the story!]
Narrator: And so… let’s start!
Kousa: Ms. Fukuyama, if you please.
Fukuyama: Ok, I’ll begin. Ready?
Fukuyama: Bear was reading a picture book under a tree full of red leaves when Mother said, “Let’s go shopping together!”
Fukuyama: So they went shopping.
Fukuyama: On the way, Mother asked “What book were you reading?” so Bear answered “Sarukani Gassen”
Fukuyama: They left the house, and at the second corner, they turned right and walked straight.
Fukuyama: At the next corner, they turned left and at the greengrocery they bought chestnuts and potatoes.
Morita: Chestnuts, potatoes!
Fukuyama: Then they returned home on the road between the book shop and the field!
Morita: Are you getting all of this?
Fukuyama: They returned home and when Bear was reading the picture book, Mother began preparing dinner.
Fukuyama: Bear said “Let me help!”
Fukuyama: So Mother said, “Ok, then get out the spoon and the rice scoop.”
Morita: Spoon and rice scoop…
Fukuyama: Bear thought, “I’m looking forward to what Mother is cooking!”
Fukuyama: The end. Ok, take out your papers.
Teacher: Here is your first question:
Teacher: Find the items that do NOT appear in the book Bear was reading and cross them out with a green pencil.
Morita: Things that didn’t appear in the story?
Teacher: Yes.
Nagano: There’s a time limit, right?
Teacher: Yes, there is! Time’s up!
Morita: No way!?
Nagano: That was fast!
Nagano: Everyone did it! What was the time frame?
Teacher: Five seconds!
Nagano: Five seconds?!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: The items that didn’t appear in the book Bear was reading are…?
Teacher: What book was Bear reading?
Kid: Sarukani Gassen!
Teacher: Ok, which one did you mark?
Boy: Only the rabbit!
Teacher: Right, it’s just the rabbit. Did everyone get that?
Narrator: Yes, the answer is the rabbit.
Narrator: Besides testing your memory, it’s important to know the story of Sarukani Gassen.
Teacher: Let’s go on to the next one!
Nagano: Moving on?
Teacher: Choose the plant that appears during the same season as when this story takes place, and circle it with your green pencil.
Teacher: And, go!
Morita: Got it! Got it!
Teacher: Ok, pencils down!
Boy: Don’t look!
Nagano: He’s cheating!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: What did you circle? Did you get the answer?
Teacher: What did you put, Go-kun?
Morita: The cherry blossoms!
Teacher: The cherry blossoms… is that right?
Boy: It’s not the cherry blossoms!
Teacher: It’s not.
Nagano: It’s not?
Teacher: When do cherry blossoms bloom?
Boy: Spring!
Teacher: In the spring, right!
Teacher: And which season was it in the story?
Teacher: Raise your hand if you know!
Boy: Ok!
Teacher: Yes, go ahead.
Boy: Autumn!
Teacher: Is autumn correct?
Nagano: How did everyone know it was autumn?
Teacher: Go-kun says it’s strange because the story didn’t say it was autumn.
Girl: Well, there were autumn things like chestnuts!
Go: My windpipe…(?)
Narrator: That’s right. Within the story, these items denoting the season appeared…
Fukuyama: Bear was reading a picture book under a tree full of red leaves
Fukuyama: at the greengrocery they bought chestnuts and potatoes.
Nagano: Amazing!
Teacher: When they are in line at the greengrocery, it’s autumn!
Narrator: You have to have common knowledge when choosing the items from the same season on the answer sheet.
Narrator: And so, the correct answer is the pampas grass.
Nagano: Do you know about these flowers and when they bloom? Even I don’t know.
Teacher: What is the flower on the far left?
Kids: Lily!
Teacher: It’s a lily.
Nagano: A lily?
Teacher: You said you don’t know about lilies. Do you know, Go-kun?
Morita: I don’t!
Teacher: Everyone, tell him about lilies.
Teacher: When do lilies bloom?
Girl: Summer! Summer! Summer! Summer!
Morita: Woooow… they know that?
Teacher: It’s summer.
Nagano: What’s the one on the right?
Teacher: He wants to know what’s the one on the far right?
Morita: That’s a hibiscus, right?!
Boy: Camellia!
Teacher: It’s the camellia.
Nagano: You look really shocked right now.
Nagano: When do camellias bloom?
Girl? Boy?: Winter!
Nagano: In winter?
Narrator: Just when they got a glimpse of the kids’ abilities…
Teacher: Let’s go to the next one!
Teacher: Find what Bear did when he returned home and draw a triangle around it with your blue colored pencil.
Morita: What was it again…? What was it…?
Morita: Gotta use my instincts!
Nagano: This has nothing to do with instinct!
Boy: Got it!
Boy: Don’t cheat!
Narrator: Let’s check the answer!
Teacher: What did Bear do after he returned home?
Nagano: What did he do?
Morita: I went with my gut, so I say he washed his hands!
Teacher: He does have to wash his hands, but I didn’t say that!
Nagano: You didn’t?
Teacher: I didn’t.
Nagano: You didn’t say that, huh. So what did you say?
Teacher: What did the story say, everyone?
Girl: He read a picture book.
Teacher: Right, he read a picture book!
Narrator: Right. The teacher reading the story did say…
Teacher: “They returned home, and when Bear was reading the picture book, Mother began preparing dinner.”
Morita: How about that?? Ken-san!
Morita: You picked a different answer!
Boy: DON’T LOOK AT MY PAPER!!
Morita: You put a triangle around the same answer as me.
Boy: STOP IT!!
Teacher: Let’s move on to the next one!
Narrator: Just when Morita discovered his 6-year-old rival…
Teacher: Here’s the last question.
Teacher: Using your blue colored pencil, put a circle around the item Bear got out when he started helping with dinner.
Morita: Alright!
Nagano: Have you got it?
Morita: I do!
Boy: There should be one more…
Morita: Uh-oh! That’s right! There are two!
Morita: I screwed up!
Narrator: And now, it’s answer time!
Teacher: Lastly, what were the items Bear got out when he started helping?
Teacher: Ok, please tell us.
Boy: The spoon and the rice scoop.
Teacher: That’s correct. Did you get that, Go-kun?
Morita: Yes, I did!
Boy: He only circled the spoon!
Teacher:
Narrator: The cameras caught the whole thing!
Narrator: It’s discovered that he circled the correct answer while the child was giving it!
Morita: Don’t tell everybody!
Narrator: And with that, the Listening Comprehension is finished!
Narrator: Next up, Nagano joins them for the next test!
[Lesson 2]
[_______________]
Teacher: Please look at this picture.
Teacher: If you cut the folded paper along the line, how many pieces of paper will you have?
Teacher: In the space to the right, use your orange colored pencil to draw it.
Narrator: For those who don’t understand Shape Inference, this question asks you to think about how many pieces of paper you get when you cut a folded piece of paper.
Narrator: In the case of this question, if you cut the folded paper along the line, you will get two pieces of paper.
Nagano: What kind of test is this?
Teacher: This one tests your spatial reasoning and your powers of conjecture. “If I cut this, how many will I have?”
Nagano: Powers of conjecture?
Teacher: It’s a question asking how many pieces you will create.
Narrator: Ok, everyone, please try to answer the same question as the kids!
Teacher: You have twenty seconds! Twenty! Ok?
Teacher: Ok, please start!
Boy: 1, 1, 2…
Teacher: Answer all of them.
Morita: Huh? This is hard!
Boy: Are we doing all of them?
Teacher: Yes, all of them.
Boy: All of them?
Teacher: All of them!
Boy: Done!
Nagano: Time up!?
Morita: This is really hard!
Nagano: I didn’t have enough time!
Boy: ?
Morita: This is tough!
Narrator: And now, the answers!
Narrator: How many pieces of paper will you have? Did you figure it out?
Teacher: Ok, whoever knows the answer, raise your hand.
Teacher: How many pieces are there for the first one?
Boy: There are four!
Teacher: He says there are four. Is that right?
Morita: Teacher! There’s someone with a bunch of circles all over his paper!
Morita: I think he’s probably over 30 years old.
Nagano: Let’s cut the paper and find out!
Teacher: I’m going to cut it now.
Nagano: Ah! It is four pieces!
Boy: How many did you circle?
Nagano: SIX PIECES.
Nagano: Sorry!
Narrator: “My name’s Hiroshi… I couldn’t solve a pre-school problem.”
Narrator: After pulling ourselves together, we check the remaining answers!
Narrator: How many pieces of paper will this one be?
Teacher: Let’s all cut the paper and find out!
Teacher: Everyone, open up your papers. What shapes did you get?
Nagano: Ah! It’s now three pieces!
Boy: Eh?! It’s three pieces! You’ve got four here!
Narrator: As you can see, it becomes three pieces of paper.
Narrator: But Morita who got the wrong answer…
Teacher: We see here that it’s connected.
Boy: Ah, thank goodness! I’m glad I erased one!
Boy: I wasn’t sure!
Morita: Huh? You changed that after you heard the answer.
Boy: Eh?! No I didn’t!
Morita: You’re lying!
[Provocation!]
Boy: No I didn’t!
Morita: Yeah, you did, didn’t you!
Boy: NO I DIDN’T!
Morita: YES YOU DID!
Narrator: Leaving the immature Morita and his 6-year-old rival alone, we move on to the last question!
Narrator: This is the most difficult one of all. Do you know the answer?
Nagano: By the way, Morita-san…
Teacher: How many did you circle?
Morita: Eight pieces!
Boy: I have five!
Morita: I can’t picture this one at all!
Narrator: When we use the scissors…
Morita: Hey hey hey, I’ve got it! I’ve got it!
Boy: Ten pieces?!
Nagano: Nine pieces?
Teacher: Count them carefully!
Nagano: It’s nine pieces!
Narrator: And so, the answer is nine pieces.
Teacher: How did you do? Did you get the answer?
Nagano: I didn’t get it!
Nagano: Sorry!
Morita: Did anyone get them all right?
Teacher: Did any of you get them all right?
Boy: Yes!
Nagano: Wow!
Morita: Way to go, adidas.
Morita: This is really interesting!
Nagano: It is!
Nagano: It really makes you think.
Teacher: Please think hard, I’m looking forward to__________________________
Nagano: I’m very sorry!
Teacher: Let’s go to Set D.
[Lesson 2]
[Shape Inference]
[Practical Application]
Narrator: And now we move on to practical applications!
Narrator: If you cut the black portions of this paper folded into fourths, what pattern will you make?
Narrator: Please choose the correct one.
Teacher: When you open it, what will it look like?
Morita: This is seriously hard…!
Morita: Alright, got it!
Nagano: Heeeey, I have no idea…!
Narrator: Everyone, did you get the answer?
Narrator: The answer’s coming up after this commercial break!
Narrator: If you cut the black portions of this paper folded into fourths, what pattern will you make?
Narrator: Please choose the correct one.
Morita: This is seriously hard…!
Morita: Alright, got it!
Nagano: Heeeey, I have no idea…!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: If you know the answer, please raise your hand.
Morita: I do!
Girl?: I don’t get it.
Teacher: Ok, Go-kun…
Morita: The one on the far right…
Teacher: He says the one on the far right.
Boy: Wrong!
Teacher: He’s wrong?
Nagano: He’s wrong?
Morita: He totally shot me down!
Narrator: We must see that passionate rebuttal once more!
Boy: Wrong!
Teacher: He’s wrong?
Boy: W-w-w-wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
Nagano: He’s wrong?
Morita: He totally shot me down!
Narrator: So what is this stubborn young boy’s answer?
Teacher: Which answer did you mark?
Boy: This one! (Second from the left)
Teacher: This one?
Nagano: Which one?
Teacher: That one? Which one did you mark, Hiroshi-kun?
Nagano: The farthest one on the left!
Narrator: The answers vary, but the real answer is…
Teacher: I’m unfolding the paper now!
Morita: WOW!?
Narrator: Yes. The answer is the second one from the left.
Morita: He just gave me a smug look!
Nagano: He did, did he?
Narrator: The kids once again show V6 their full potential!
Narrator: They need to regain their honor, so they try the last question!
[Lesson 3]
[Drawing Shapes]
Teacher: For the next less, we’re going to draw pictures!
Teacher: Please look at the drawing in front of you.
Teacher: Using the shape already drawn for you, go ahead and draw your own picture around it!
Teacher: It doesn’t matter which colored pencils you use, and you can turn the paper in any direction!
Narrator: Using the pre-drawn shape as a base, this is an exercise that doesn’t have a clear answer and tests the children’s creativity!
Teacher: There is a time limit! Three minutes!
Teacher: Everybody okay? Here we go!
Teacher: Pick your favorite shape, and use lots of colors!
Morita: I’m finished!
Teacher: Let’s make it colorful!
Morita: Ok, ok!
[Three minutes later…]
Teacher: Ok, whoever wants to share his or her drawing, raise your hand!
Girl: Me! Me!
Teacher: What did you draw? Please tell us!
Girl: This one is… the sun setting…
Teacher: You drew the sunset!
Morita: She’s a romantic!
Teacher: What is this one?
Girl: This one is… a snake!
Teacher: A snake!
Nagano: Ah, it is a snake!
Teacher: You drew them very well! We knew them right away!
Nagano: That’s amazing!
Teacher: Please tell us what you drew!
Girl: It’s a crane drinking water.
Morita: Nice!
Nagano: Well done!
Teacher: Go-kun, please show us your drawing!
Teacher: I wonder what Go-kun drew!
Nagano: Go-kun!
Narrator: The picture Go-kun drew was…
Teacher: Please tell us what you drew!
Morita: This is kamaboko*…
*Steamed fish cake
Morita: And this is a sunburnt butt!
Nagano: A butt?!
Nagano: ?
Morita: It’s a butt!
Nagano: A butt, huh. It’s really sunburnt!
Teacher: What do you think of these pictures, everyone?!
Boy: I don’t like it!
Narrator: Go-kun’s drawings get completely booed.
Narrator: Next up is Hiroshi-kun! Will he make the kids groan?
Teacher: Let’s hear what he drew!
Nagano: This is a half-moon!
Nagano: The moon, ya know.
Morita: Simple!
Nagano: This is a Moebius strip.
Morita: What the hell is that?
Nagano: It’s a loop that goes on for infinity…
Narrator: A somewhat immature drawing, and on top of that, he also wrote the explanation at the top…
Narrator: The kids are aghast at these unthinkable drawings from 34-year-old Hiroshi-kun.
Narrator: After that, V6 took part in a variety of lessons!
Narrator: In order to pass the entrance exams for the famous schools, their knowledge is challenged.
Narrator: In this classroom, there’s also a lesson on manners where they share snacks with their friends.
Narrator: They also have a crayfish observation lesson where they interact with nature.
Nagano: Thank you very much for everything today!
Morita: Thank you very much!
Nagano: What do you think now that you’ve tried it yourself?
Morita: Everyone is having fun while learning, so it looked very enjoyable!
Nagano: That’s true!
Morita: It seems they’re naturally learning many important things.
Nagano: Everyone will go to elementary school from here, right?
Teacher: Yes, that’s right.
Nagano: When you go on to elementary school, everyone study hard, ok!
Kids: Ok!
Nagano: Thank you very much for today!
Teachers: Thank you very much!
Narrator: The children taught us the importance of having fun while learning!
Narrator: Please do your best in elementary school!
(24:25)
Mino: Next up is this!
Narrator: Everyone, do you know about this?
Narrator: The number of children applying to the top national and private primary schools is on the rise and will increase by 20 percent this year!
Narrator: Now it’s not an uncommon thing for students to take entrance exams for primary school
Narrator: and many young children are studying hard in cram schools and nursery schools.
Narrator: So what kind of lessons are they attending?
Narrator: And so…
Narrator: Let’s go to a cram school!
Nagano: So… it’s entrance exams!
Morita: They’re starting entrance exams from kindergarten!?
Nagano: Today’s generation is like that!
Morita: Even with that said, they’re still just nursery school kids!
Nagano: That’s right! They’re cute!
Morita: They’re children!
Nagano: They’re little cuties!
Morita: If we give them candy, I think they’ll listen to us!
Nagano: I think they’ll listen.
Nagano: Shall we go right away to meet them?
Morita: Let’s go!
Actual sign [Kindergarten - Primary school entrance exam guidance BLOSSOM]
Caption [Cram school classroom BLOSSOM]
Narrator: This time, V6 visit a cram school classroom in Tokyo’s Bunraku ward, Blossom.
Narrator: Every year, this famous name among cram schools sends many students to such schools as University of Tsukuba Elementary and Ochanomizu Women’s University Elementary school.
Narrator: And with that, we sit in on a class!
Teacher: Yes, a circle. And what else is circular?
Kid: Cake!
Teacher: Cake! Yes, a birthday cake is a circle…
Nagano: They seem bright!
Teacher: And what else?
Morita: They’re all wearing vests!
Nagano: They are! They’re wearing vests!
Teacher: That’s right, a clock is also a circle.
Narrator: Right away they make contact with the children in the lesson!
Kids: HELLO!
Morita: You’re so energetic!
Teacher: He says you’re all energetic!
Nagano: Yeah!
Boy: You’re Miyake Ken-san, right!
Morita: I’m not Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: He’s not Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: Do you know who we are?
Boy: Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: Miyake Ken, huh?
[Ms. Fukuyama]
[Ms. Kousa]
Narrator: These six children gathered here will become first graders this spring!
Narrator: They were in an intensely strong battle but successfully passed the entrance exams into famous primary schools making them an elite group of students!
Nagano: Hello everyone!
All: Hello!
Nagano: You’re all so energetic!
Nagano: Were your entrance exams difficult?
Kids: It was easy!
Kids: It was a piece of cake!
Teacher: It was easy?
Nagano: It was simple?
Nagano: So why did you all take entrance exams?
Boy: Because studying is fun!
Nagano: “Studying is fun”? What a good answer!
Nagano: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Morita: What are your dreams?
Boy: PICK ME!
Boy: An architect.
Nagano: An architect!
Morita: You want to be an architect!
Girl: Me me me!
Girl: I want to be a kindergarten teacher!
Nagano: You want to be a kindergarten teacher!
Boy: When I get bigger, I want to run a baked sweet potato shop!
Morita: A baked sweet potato shop?!
Nagano: Even though you’ve taken entrance exams and entered a famous private primary school!?
Boy: There’s more!
Nagano: There is?
Boy: I want to be Miyake Ken-san!
Nagano: You want to be Miyake Ken-san?!
Morita: You do seem to resemble him a little bit!
Narrator: Now that we know there’s a boy who loves Ken-san…
Nagano: Actually, we’re interested in learning just what kind of lessons these kids are attending..
Nagano: Would it be okay if we have Morita-san join your class? Is it okay?
Teacher: Yes, please!
Kid: You definitely can’t do it!
Nagano: You can’t lay a hand on them!
Boy: Where’s Miyake Ken-san!?
Narrator: At Blossom, the lessons involve asking questions that appear on the primary school entrance exams.
Narrator: But all of these questions are ones that make even adults think hard about the answer…
Narrator: Therefore, everyone sitting in front of your TVs at home,
Narrator: warm up your brain and please think along with us!
[Morita Does Battle!]
Morita: Sorry but, I’m really going to go for it!
Morita: Because I don’t want to lose!
Nagano: Even to the kids!
Morita: Yes!
Nagano: The nursery school children!
Morita: Right!
Nagano: Alright then, Ms. Kousa, please start the lesson!
Teacher: Sure!
Nagano: What will we start with first?
Teacher: Today we’ll practice “Remembering the Story.”
Nagano: Remembering a story?
Teacher: Yes, they have to remember!
Nagano: The things you said…
Teacher: They have to remember them and answer questions later!
Teacher: I’ll ask them questions and they write the answers.
Nagano: Ah, I see.
Nagano: By the way, what kind of things does this test measure?
[Ability to remember - Listening comprehension, etc.]
Teacher: First they have to remember so it measures their aptitude for behaving well and listening to a story completely.
Nagano: So it’s also testing how well they listen to the information!
Teacher: Yes, it is.
Nagano: So if they can’t relax and listen, they won’t do well.
Teacher: Right!
Nagano: I understand, so Ms. Kousa, if you please!
Teacher: Ok, so let’s begin!
Teacher: Are you ready?
Teacher: Let’s put our hands on our knees and listen carefully!
Narrator: An activity that happens often at cram schools is story recollection.
Narrator: After listening to the teacher’s story, a test with several questions is given.
Narrator: Everyone, listen carefully so you don’t forget!
[Lesson 1]
[Remembering the story!]
Narrator: And so… let’s start!
Kousa: Ms. Fukuyama, if you please.
Fukuyama: Ok, I’ll begin. Ready?
Fukuyama: Bear was reading a picture book under a tree full of red leaves when Mother said, “Let’s go shopping together!”
Fukuyama: So they went shopping.
Fukuyama: On the way, Mother asked “What book were you reading?” so Bear answered “Sarukani Gassen”
Fukuyama: They left the house, and at the second corner, they turned right and walked straight.
Fukuyama: At the next corner, they turned left and at the greengrocery they bought chestnuts and potatoes.
Morita: Chestnuts, potatoes!
Fukuyama: Then they returned home on the road between the book shop and the field!
Morita: Are you getting all of this?
Fukuyama: They returned home and when Bear was reading the picture book, Mother began preparing dinner.
Fukuyama: Bear said “Let me help!”
Fukuyama: So Mother said, “Ok, then get out the spoon and the rice scoop.”
Morita: Spoon and rice scoop…
Fukuyama: Bear thought, “I’m looking forward to what Mother is cooking!”
Fukuyama: The end. Ok, take out your papers.
Teacher: Here is your first question:
Teacher: Find the items that do NOT appear in the book Bear was reading and cross them out with a green pencil.
Morita: Things that didn’t appear in the story?
Teacher: Yes.
Nagano: There’s a time limit, right?
Teacher: Yes, there is! Time’s up!
Morita: No way!?
Nagano: That was fast!
Nagano: Everyone did it! What was the time frame?
Teacher: Five seconds!
Nagano: Five seconds?!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: The items that didn’t appear in the book Bear was reading are…?
Teacher: What book was Bear reading?
Kid: Sarukani Gassen!
Teacher: Ok, which one did you mark?
Boy: Only the rabbit!
Teacher: Right, it’s just the rabbit. Did everyone get that?
Narrator: Yes, the answer is the rabbit.
Narrator: Besides testing your memory, it’s important to know the story of Sarukani Gassen.
Teacher: Let’s go on to the next one!
Nagano: Moving on?
Teacher: Choose the plant that appears during the same season as when this story takes place, and circle it with your green pencil.
Teacher: And, go!
Morita: Got it! Got it!
Teacher: Ok, pencils down!
Boy: Don’t look!
Nagano: He’s cheating!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: What did you circle? Did you get the answer?
Teacher: What did you put, Go-kun?
Morita: The cherry blossoms!
Teacher: The cherry blossoms… is that right?
Boy: It’s not the cherry blossoms!
Teacher: It’s not.
Nagano: It’s not?
Teacher: When do cherry blossoms bloom?
Boy: Spring!
Teacher: In the spring, right!
Teacher: And which season was it in the story?
Teacher: Raise your hand if you know!
Boy: Ok!
Teacher: Yes, go ahead.
Boy: Autumn!
Teacher: Is autumn correct?
Nagano: How did everyone know it was autumn?
Teacher: Go-kun says it’s strange because the story didn’t say it was autumn.
Girl: Well, there were autumn things like chestnuts!
Go: My windpipe…(?)
Narrator: That’s right. Within the story, these items denoting the season appeared…
Fukuyama: Bear was reading a picture book under a tree full of red leaves
Fukuyama: at the greengrocery they bought chestnuts and potatoes.
Nagano: Amazing!
Teacher: When they are in line at the greengrocery, it’s autumn!
Narrator: You have to have common knowledge when choosing the items from the same season on the answer sheet.
Narrator: And so, the correct answer is the pampas grass.
Nagano: Do you know about these flowers and when they bloom? Even I don’t know.
Teacher: What is the flower on the far left?
Kids: Lily!
Teacher: It’s a lily.
Nagano: A lily?
Teacher: You said you don’t know about lilies. Do you know, Go-kun?
Morita: I don’t!
Teacher: Everyone, tell him about lilies.
Teacher: When do lilies bloom?
Girl: Summer! Summer! Summer! Summer!
Morita: Woooow… they know that?
Teacher: It’s summer.
Nagano: What’s the one on the right?
Teacher: He wants to know what’s the one on the far right?
Morita: That’s a hibiscus, right?!
Boy: Camellia!
Teacher: It’s the camellia.
Nagano: You look really shocked right now.
Nagano: When do camellias bloom?
Girl? Boy?: Winter!
Nagano: In winter?
Narrator: Just when they got a glimpse of the kids’ abilities…
Teacher: Let’s go to the next one!
Teacher: Find what Bear did when he returned home and draw a triangle around it with your blue colored pencil.
Morita: What was it again…? What was it…?
Morita: Gotta use my instincts!
Nagano: This has nothing to do with instinct!
Boy: Got it!
Boy: Don’t cheat!
Narrator: Let’s check the answer!
Teacher: What did Bear do after he returned home?
Nagano: What did he do?
Morita: I went with my gut, so I say he washed his hands!
Teacher: He does have to wash his hands, but I didn’t say that!
Nagano: You didn’t?
Teacher: I didn’t.
Nagano: You didn’t say that, huh. So what did you say?
Teacher: What did the story say, everyone?
Girl: He read a picture book.
Teacher: Right, he read a picture book!
Narrator: Right. The teacher reading the story did say…
Teacher: “They returned home, and when Bear was reading the picture book, Mother began preparing dinner.”
Morita: How about that?? Ken-san!
Morita: You picked a different answer!
Boy: DON’T LOOK AT MY PAPER!!
Morita: You put a triangle around the same answer as me.
Boy: STOP IT!!
Teacher: Let’s move on to the next one!
Narrator: Just when Morita discovered his 6-year-old rival…
Teacher: Here’s the last question.
Teacher: Using your blue colored pencil, put a circle around the item Bear got out when he started helping with dinner.
Morita: Alright!
Nagano: Have you got it?
Morita: I do!
Boy: There should be one more…
Morita: Uh-oh! That’s right! There are two!
Morita: I screwed up!
Narrator: And now, it’s answer time!
Teacher: Lastly, what were the items Bear got out when he started helping?
Teacher: Ok, please tell us.
Boy: The spoon and the rice scoop.
Teacher: That’s correct. Did you get that, Go-kun?
Morita: Yes, I did!
Boy: He only circled the spoon!
Teacher:
Narrator: The cameras caught the whole thing!
Narrator: It’s discovered that he circled the correct answer while the child was giving it!
Morita: Don’t tell everybody!
Narrator: And with that, the Listening Comprehension is finished!
Narrator: Next up, Nagano joins them for the next test!
[Lesson 2]
[_______________]
Teacher: Please look at this picture.
Teacher: If you cut the folded paper along the line, how many pieces of paper will you have?
Teacher: In the space to the right, use your orange colored pencil to draw it.
Narrator: For those who don’t understand Shape Inference, this question asks you to think about how many pieces of paper you get when you cut a folded piece of paper.
Narrator: In the case of this question, if you cut the folded paper along the line, you will get two pieces of paper.
Nagano: What kind of test is this?
Teacher: This one tests your spatial reasoning and your powers of conjecture. “If I cut this, how many will I have?”
Nagano: Powers of conjecture?
Teacher: It’s a question asking how many pieces you will create.
Narrator: Ok, everyone, please try to answer the same question as the kids!
Teacher: You have twenty seconds! Twenty! Ok?
Teacher: Ok, please start!
Boy: 1, 1, 2…
Teacher: Answer all of them.
Morita: Huh? This is hard!
Boy: Are we doing all of them?
Teacher: Yes, all of them.
Boy: All of them?
Teacher: All of them!
Boy: Done!
Nagano: Time up!?
Morita: This is really hard!
Nagano: I didn’t have enough time!
Boy: ?
Morita: This is tough!
Narrator: And now, the answers!
Narrator: How many pieces of paper will you have? Did you figure it out?
Teacher: Ok, whoever knows the answer, raise your hand.
Teacher: How many pieces are there for the first one?
Boy: There are four!
Teacher: He says there are four. Is that right?
Morita: Teacher! There’s someone with a bunch of circles all over his paper!
Morita: I think he’s probably over 30 years old.
Nagano: Let’s cut the paper and find out!
Teacher: I’m going to cut it now.
Nagano: Ah! It is four pieces!
Boy: How many did you circle?
Nagano: SIX PIECES.
Nagano: Sorry!
Narrator: “My name’s Hiroshi… I couldn’t solve a pre-school problem.”
Narrator: After pulling ourselves together, we check the remaining answers!
Narrator: How many pieces of paper will this one be?
Teacher: Let’s all cut the paper and find out!
Teacher: Everyone, open up your papers. What shapes did you get?
Nagano: Ah! It’s now three pieces!
Boy: Eh?! It’s three pieces! You’ve got four here!
Narrator: As you can see, it becomes three pieces of paper.
Narrator: But Morita who got the wrong answer…
Teacher: We see here that it’s connected.
Boy: Ah, thank goodness! I’m glad I erased one!
Boy: I wasn’t sure!
Morita: Huh? You changed that after you heard the answer.
Boy: Eh?! No I didn’t!
Morita: You’re lying!
[Provocation!]
Boy: No I didn’t!
Morita: Yeah, you did, didn’t you!
Boy: NO I DIDN’T!
Morita: YES YOU DID!
Narrator: Leaving the immature Morita and his 6-year-old rival alone, we move on to the last question!
Narrator: This is the most difficult one of all. Do you know the answer?
Nagano: By the way, Morita-san…
Teacher: How many did you circle?
Morita: Eight pieces!
Boy: I have five!
Morita: I can’t picture this one at all!
Narrator: When we use the scissors…
Morita: Hey hey hey, I’ve got it! I’ve got it!
Boy: Ten pieces?!
Nagano: Nine pieces?
Teacher: Count them carefully!
Nagano: It’s nine pieces!
Narrator: And so, the answer is nine pieces.
Teacher: How did you do? Did you get the answer?
Nagano: I didn’t get it!
Nagano: Sorry!
Morita: Did anyone get them all right?
Teacher: Did any of you get them all right?
Boy: Yes!
Nagano: Wow!
Morita: Way to go, adidas.
Morita: This is really interesting!
Nagano: It is!
Nagano: It really makes you think.
Teacher: Please think hard, I’m looking forward to__________________________
Nagano: I’m very sorry!
Teacher: Let’s go to Set D.
[Lesson 2]
[Shape Inference]
[Practical Application]
Narrator: And now we move on to practical applications!
Narrator: If you cut the black portions of this paper folded into fourths, what pattern will you make?
Narrator: Please choose the correct one.
Teacher: When you open it, what will it look like?
Morita: This is seriously hard…!
Morita: Alright, got it!
Nagano: Heeeey, I have no idea…!
Narrator: Everyone, did you get the answer?
Narrator: The answer’s coming up after this commercial break!
Narrator: If you cut the black portions of this paper folded into fourths, what pattern will you make?
Narrator: Please choose the correct one.
Morita: This is seriously hard…!
Morita: Alright, got it!
Nagano: Heeeey, I have no idea…!
Narrator: And now, the answer!
Teacher: If you know the answer, please raise your hand.
Morita: I do!
Girl?: I don’t get it.
Teacher: Ok, Go-kun…
Morita: The one on the far right…
Teacher: He says the one on the far right.
Boy: Wrong!
Teacher: He’s wrong?
Nagano: He’s wrong?
Morita: He totally shot me down!
Narrator: We must see that passionate rebuttal once more!
Boy: Wrong!
Teacher: He’s wrong?
Boy: W-w-w-wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
Nagano: He’s wrong?
Morita: He totally shot me down!
Narrator: So what is this stubborn young boy’s answer?
Teacher: Which answer did you mark?
Boy: This one! (Second from the left)
Teacher: This one?
Nagano: Which one?
Teacher: That one? Which one did you mark, Hiroshi-kun?
Nagano: The farthest one on the left!
Narrator: The answers vary, but the real answer is…
Teacher: I’m unfolding the paper now!
Morita: WOW!?
Narrator: Yes. The answer is the second one from the left.
Morita: He just gave me a smug look!
Nagano: He did, did he?
Narrator: The kids once again show V6 their full potential!
Narrator: They need to regain their honor, so they try the last question!
[Lesson 3]
[Drawing Shapes]
Teacher: For the next less, we’re going to draw pictures!
Teacher: Please look at the drawing in front of you.
Teacher: Using the shape already drawn for you, go ahead and draw your own picture around it!
Teacher: It doesn’t matter which colored pencils you use, and you can turn the paper in any direction!
Narrator: Using the pre-drawn shape as a base, this is an exercise that doesn’t have a clear answer and tests the children’s creativity!
Teacher: There is a time limit! Three minutes!
Teacher: Everybody okay? Here we go!
Teacher: Pick your favorite shape, and use lots of colors!
Morita: I’m finished!
Teacher: Let’s make it colorful!
Morita: Ok, ok!
[Three minutes later…]
Teacher: Ok, whoever wants to share his or her drawing, raise your hand!
Girl: Me! Me!
Teacher: What did you draw? Please tell us!
Girl: This one is… the sun setting…
Teacher: You drew the sunset!
Morita: She’s a romantic!
Teacher: What is this one?
Girl: This one is… a snake!
Teacher: A snake!
Nagano: Ah, it is a snake!
Teacher: You drew them very well! We knew them right away!
Nagano: That’s amazing!
Teacher: Please tell us what you drew!
Girl: It’s a crane drinking water.
Morita: Nice!
Nagano: Well done!
Teacher: Go-kun, please show us your drawing!
Teacher: I wonder what Go-kun drew!
Nagano: Go-kun!
Narrator: The picture Go-kun drew was…
Teacher: Please tell us what you drew!
Morita: This is kamaboko*…
*Steamed fish cake
Morita: And this is a sunburnt butt!
Nagano: A butt?!
Nagano: ?
Morita: It’s a butt!
Nagano: A butt, huh. It’s really sunburnt!
Teacher: What do you think of these pictures, everyone?!
Boy: I don’t like it!
Narrator: Go-kun’s drawings get completely booed.
Narrator: Next up is Hiroshi-kun! Will he make the kids groan?
Teacher: Let’s hear what he drew!
Nagano: This is a half-moon!
Nagano: The moon, ya know.
Morita: Simple!
Nagano: This is a Moebius strip.
Morita: What the hell is that?
Nagano: It’s a loop that goes on for infinity…
Narrator: A somewhat immature drawing, and on top of that, he also wrote the explanation at the top…
Narrator: The kids are aghast at these unthinkable drawings from 34-year-old Hiroshi-kun.
Narrator: After that, V6 took part in a variety of lessons!
Narrator: In order to pass the entrance exams for the famous schools, their knowledge is challenged.
Narrator: In this classroom, there’s also a lesson on manners where they share snacks with their friends.
Narrator: They also have a crayfish observation lesson where they interact with nature.
Nagano: Thank you very much for everything today!
Morita: Thank you very much!
Nagano: What do you think now that you’ve tried it yourself?
Morita: Everyone is having fun while learning, so it looked very enjoyable!
Nagano: That’s true!
Morita: It seems they’re naturally learning many important things.
Nagano: Everyone will go to elementary school from here, right?
Teacher: Yes, that’s right.
Nagano: When you go on to elementary school, everyone study hard, ok!
Kids: Ok!
Nagano: Thank you very much for today!
Teachers: Thank you very much!
Narrator: The children taught us the importance of having fun while learning!
Narrator: Please do your best in elementary school!