Musashino Higashi Gakuen

Our school is unique in Japan and even in the world, characterized by "integrated education" where children with and without autism learn together, and a distinctive educational system for autistic children called "Daily Life Therapy."

The two pillars of our school's education are "education for independence" and "education of the heart." Regardless of whether a child has autism or not, we consistently provide "guidance towards independence" from kindergarten through vocational high school, according to each child's development. In kindergarten, we start training for independent living early on, minimizing parental assistance. For elementary, junior high, and high school students, we cultivate the habit of challenging given goals, setting their own goals, and continuously raising those goals. In essence, we instill the solid sense of independence necessary for adulthood from childhood.

In the "integrated education" environment, autistic and non-autistic children share the same living space. Non-autistic children raised in this environment develop compassion for their friends with disabilities and empathy for others. Particularly stimulating for non-autistic children is observing their autistic peers striving for independence. Watching autistic children diligently practice under teacher guidance, patiently repeating exercises over long periods, naturally fosters a spirit of perseverance in non-autistic children. Meanwhile, autistic children, surrounded by these empathetic non-autistic peers, walk step by step towards independence under the educational system based on "Daily Life Therapy."

Aiming for academic improvement is a means to set and achieve higher goals and to attain social independence. If one confuses the means with the goal, it may result in adults who, despite being academically proficient, are top-heavy, lacking in empathy, difficult for others to accept, and cannot be said to have truly achieved social independence.

"Education for independence" and "education of the heart" are like two wheels of a cart in educational practice, supported by the educational philosophy of "collaboration between parents and teachers." This is the educational vision of Musashino Higashi Gakuen.