Lessons from a Calf

It’s October 1988, and an elementary school class in the Japanese city of Ina is discussing the arrival of a calf. Caring for the animal is part of the school’s integrated learning approach: instead of memorizing dry subject matter from books, the children learn through practical experience. They calculate how much it will cost to feed Laura the calf for a year. They build a stall, head outdoors to find the right leaves for the floor (oak and zelkova, not ginkgo), and take responsibility for Laura’s care.