Enjoy this short video snippet about Osaka YMCA International School from our 2024 Expo.
Transcript
Osaka YMCA International School
ISTimes Global: (00:00) Hello, I am with May here at uh YMCA International School here in Osaka. Uh hello, welcome to uh the Expo.
Osaka YMCA International School: (00:09) Yeah. So much.
ISTimes Global: (00:11) Now, I was uh very curious about your school because growing up, when I think of YMCA, I think of the song, I I think of the gym. Um but uh here you have an international school community. So I would love to hear what kind of school uh you have and what kind of kids come to your school.
Osaka YMCA International School: (00:32) Yeah. So we are YMCA, so it’s stand the base is Christianity. And so we start for taking care of kids uh growing in good health and also good mind and good to build a good future, like uh making uh peace. So we we would like to uh be our students to be a peacemakers. Yeah, so uh we are doing that kind of curriculum. So not teaching only English, English, English, but also we have many camp or activities so that uh the students can think about their future and also think about the uh people just next to to yourself. And so um my school, we have the students from many uh other countries. Half of our students are from other countries and half are Japanese. So uh we would like our high school students to study not only English but also Japanese too. So the students from other country uh who doesn’t who are not native speakers, they can have a Japanese lessons too. So um like uh we have YMCA has Japanese course too. So the uh we the specialist uh teaching the Japanese for those kind of kids. So uh our students can study Japanese and English.
ISTimes Global: (02:00) I see. And so you’re the high school program, you are you’re in charge of the high school uh program. And so uh what would students what can they expect going into your uh high school? Um do they expect a certain uh focus on certain subjects, sports?
Osaka YMCA International School: (02:19) Uh yeah, um our students are the most, our students wants to study English, but uh we have the school motors. We have six school motors, like uh believe in yourself, respect yourself and others, celebrate our differences, and think before you act, be proactive, knowledge is cool. The all of our students wants to study with this school motors. So um this is the most strong point that they are not uh only just studying subject, but also they would like to uh this is very important, celebrate our differences. Um so um like uh our program, in our program, we have the uh many students really want to go to Denmark because we have the yeah, our school trip is Denmark. And
ISTimes Global: (03:14) Oh so so you have a sister school there?
Osaka YMCA International School: (03:16) Yeah, kind of. not YMCA, but our graduate is working in Denmark. and it’s EIS Iceberg uh efterskole. Efterskole is like a school, but not high school. After they graduate secondary school, they have one year program that they can just think about their futures. And uh we have a relations. So two weeks uh in December, our second graders go to Denmark. And uh after they came back to Japan, we have two weeks uh Denmark students are coming.
ISTimes Global: (03:51) Oh so yeah, yeah, Danish are coming.
Osaka YMCA International School: (03:53) Danish are coming.
ISTimes Global: (03:54) So So there is a cultural uh exchange with uh other countries.
Osaka YMCA International School: (03:57) Yes, yes. exchange. Yes, yes.
ISTimes Global: (03:59) other countries. And is is that something that you see parents uh really look forward to when coming to school?
Osaka YMCA International School: (04:05) Yes, yes, look forward to. Yes. Yes, not only parents, the students really want to go to Denmark and uh it’s not only just exchange, but also uh every year we have the theme. So the last year the life with AI was the theme. So uh the we would like the students not only just communicate, but also think about their future together. Uh what can they do for better future. So all together.
ISTimes Global: (04:36) So Well, I actually liked the fact that you uh started by saying you’re a Christian school and that you want your kids to be peacemakers. It actually made me think of of the of the scripture saying then blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called children of God. So I I actually thought that was very nice way of having the kids uh being very uh uh kind of a service learning to the world. Um do do does um the school do any service learning or um um uh volunteer work or things within the community outside of uh the school?
Osaka YMCA International School: (05:13) Yes, of course. Uh so like I uh we uh we have many schools, so our students sometimes go to the volunteer work in YMCA. But uh also we have like uh in Osaka, we have the city, uh many homeless people are living. Just next to us, there is a small city called Kamagasaki. There are many people who doesn’t have their home. So uh our student every Christmas time, we go to the Christmas service for those homeless people. So we make the Christmas present for the homeless people and also at the Christmas time, we give the uh Christmas present and also lunches for the people. Yeah.
ISTimes Global: (05:58) Uh I I find that that’s uh remarkable because that’s one of the things that I think educators really want to teach students is to if you want to have a global uh mindset, you have to leave your comfort zone.
Osaka YMCA International School: (06:13) Yeah.
ISTimes Global: (06:13) And think about people outside of your circle. I I’m I’m really impressed by uh the kind of work that you do. Um when students leave your school and they graduate and they move on and they go to uh Denmark. Um what are some things that you think that they um bring with them or has a big impact after they leave the school?
Osaka YMCA International School: (06:36) Uh after they leave school, um many of our students go to university first, but also uh because they went to Denmark before, they visit Denmark again. Many students go to Denmark too and not only Denmark, uh they really wants to study upload. So uh 20 or 30% of students go to uh United States or British uh Britain and or Australia and they have their own visions, vision. So it’s all different, but uh some students go uh some graduates uh worked at the Kokuren toka, United Nations toka and also they build a new company about helping people or uh our students still uh one of our graduates is now he is um university student, but he did the cloud funding and to go to Philippine and at the slum, uh he gathered uh children and had a sports day, one day sports day for the kids. And after he came back, yeah, after he he came back, uh he uh built another cloud funding for give the shoes for Philippine slum uh children from Islam. Um so
ISTimes Global: (08:06) So that service uh learning that you teach really carries on after they leave. Oh, that is wonderful. So you are preparing the best possible minds for the for the future. I I I see that you have a IB uh program. Uh um how is the IB program in your secondary school and in your high school and um is there any particular programs that uh you offer?
Osaka YMCA International School: (08:29) Uh yeah, IB actually she is better than me but uh IB program, uh it’s starts from preschool until high school.
ISTimes Global: (08:41) So uh PYP
Osaka YMCA International School: (08:43) PYP and all of that. So we we have the many two schools that they can choose IB or not IB program. But IB uh Nani kana.
ISTimes Global: (08:56) Is the non-IB program? Is that based on the Japanese curriculum or uh what is the non-IB program?
Osaka YMCA International School: (09:02) It’s a uh non-IB program is like uh I explained the 60% to 80% are English program.
ISTimes Global: (09:08) Oh yes.
Osaka YMCA International School: (09:09) Then um but uh we include like communication study course or many other languages, German or French or Korean or the students wants to learn many things, so we make give the subject that uh stands from the students view.
ISTimes Global: (09:30) And um so some of your students are able to get an IB diploma once they leave?
Osaka YMCA International School: (09:35) E yeah, it’s different course. So IB students are only studying in IB. But uh we have the same buildings. We have two courses.
ISTimes Global: (09:44) So so within the same building, uh some some choose to follow the
Osaka YMCA International School: (09:49) Yeah, IB and and they’re studying so hard and it’s yeah, yeah, yeah.
ISTimes Global: (09:54) It’s a very challenging Yeah, yeah, yeah. program. Um I always ask this but uh the different schools offer a different secondary language for uh IB. Uh what is the uh language choices for the IB program in high school?
Osaka YMCA International School: (10:09) IB program it’s all English.
ISTimes Global: (10:11) It’s all English?
Osaka YMCA International School: (10:12) All English.
ISTimes Global: (10:12) But um there needs to be a secondary uh language. So is the secondary language uh Japanese for the IB program?
Osaka YMCA International School: (10:19) Uh, maybe. Hi. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So sorry. I’m I’m not.
ISTimes Global: (10:24) No, that’s okay. Okay. Uh that’s great. I I look forward to learning more about uh your school. Thank you.
Osaka YMCA International School: (10:30) Thank you so much.
ISTimes Global: (10:30) Thank you so much.
Osaka YMCA International School: (10:31) Thank you so much. A pleasure to meet you.
ISTimes Global: (10:32) Arigato gozaimasu.
About Osaka YMCA International School
- Christian-based international school in Osaka with motto “Encounter. Connect. Transform”
- Focuses on developing peacemakers through service learning and global citizenship
- Diverse student body (50% international, 50% Japanese)
- Offers both IB program (PYP to Diploma) and non-IB English-focused program
- Unique cultural exchange program with Denmark’s EIS Iceberg efterskole
- Strong community service initiatives including homeless outreach programs
- School motto includes: Believe in yourself, Respect yourself and others, Celebrate differences
- 20-30% of graduates study abroad (US, UK, Australia, Denmark)
- Notable alumni working at United Nations and social entrepreneurship
- Provides Japanese language support for international students
- Located near Kamagasaki area with active community engagement
