alphabet

Japanese Alphabet Song

Although its scent still lingers on
the form of a flower has scattered away
For whom will the glory of this world remain unchanged?
Arriving today at the yonder side
of the deep mountains of evanescent existence
We shall never allow ourselves to drift away
intoxicated, in the world of shallow dreams.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroha

Japanese have 50 phonetic scripts. A Buddhist monk composed a verse in which each script occurs only once.

Every Japanese elementary school child knows this verse. No wonder it is so hard to christianize them.

They also have a beautiful "number song." A very effective device to teach pre-schoolers how to count.

The current uproar about the sad state of American math and science education may be the very cause of the educational problem facing America. Humanize math and science education. at earliest stage of development.