In this column,Research, development and dissemination of educational approaches that overcome the cycle of poverty, inequality and abuseWe will bring you research by Yamamoto, a researcher at the Japan Research Institute and the project leader.
Introduction ①
January 2021, Central Education Council(*1)The report entitled "Aiming to build a 'Reiwa-style Japanese school education' - Realizing individually optimized learning and collaborative learning that draws out the potential of all children" was compiled.
(*1) Central Council for Education: A deliberative body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that provides advice on education policy and holds subcommittees and committees.
It outlines what should be achieved in three areas in order to adapt to a rapidly changing society: children's learning, the image of teachers and staff, and the environment that supports children's learning and teachers and staff.
The research I am planning at the SMBC Kyoto University Studio is mainly related to the "image of teachers and staff." In particular, it is related to "positively accepting changes in the environment and continuing to learn throughout their teaching career" and "having the ability to accompany children in their own independent learning."
The two extracted ideals of what teachers and staff should be are so refined and sublimated in words that it is difficult to visualize them concretely. In order to bring them to life once again, for the former, I will use "craftsmanship" as a supporting line. For the latter, I would like to unravel the keyword "runner-in-charge" with concrete examples. By linking craftsmanship and runner-in-charge, I hope to paint a clear and vivid picture of the ideal teachers and staff. I will divide the "Introduction" into three parts, with ① about craftsmanship, ② using runner-in-charge as a subject, and ③ about the relationship with "education for living."
"Craftsmanship" is a word that is unfamiliar to most people. What exactly does it mean? In "The Craftsman: Making is Thinking" by sociologist Richard Sennett, who studied under philosopher Hannah Arendt,(*2)We will explain using the following clues.
(*2) "The Craftsman: Making is Thinking" by Richard Sennett, translated by Isao Takahashi, Chikuma Shobo, 2016
"Craftsmanship is, for example,Patient and faithful to the basicsIt is a human impulse, a workFor its own sakeIt is the desire to do something well. The field of craftsmanship is the field of skilled workmanship.Manual labor = physical laborIt's much broader than that.”
It says "much broader," but how broad is that? Does that include teachers? I will quote the translator's commentary.
Sennett believes that humans are, in a sense, an accumulation of crafts. Stradivarius craftsmen, pianists and cellists, laboratory researchers, doctors and nurses in hospitals,School teacherFrom urban planners, potters, painters, novelists, and even atomic bomb developers, politicians, parents struggling to raise their children, and perhaps even "good neighbors," all of these people are a mass of craft. Humans cannot survive even for a moment without craft. It would be a different story if we were simply striving to maintain the status quo, but if we want to do a slightly better job, become a slightly better person, and create a slightly better world, we cannot afford to neglect the daily maintenance of our craft.
(Authors in bold)
Sennett defines humans as Homo faber(*3)He modestly proposes that anyone can become a craftsman, and sees craftsmanship as a state of being, not a quality or ability.
(*3) Homo Faber: A man who does crafting
I have quoted Sennett and given a brief explanation of craftsmanship. Now, I would like to summarize my current thoughts on why I decided to use craftsmen and craftsmanship as a guide to capture the image of teachers and staff in this survey.
First, I want to conduct research centered on the practice of "creating lessons." I believe that "lessons" and "creating lessons" are at the heart of what faculty and staff continue to learn.
The second reason is that I want to clarify the relationship between "creating lessons" and "accompanying." There are various types of "accompanying." By using craftsmanship as an auxiliary line, the scope can be narrowed down to "creating lessons," and the investigation of accompaniment can be carried out more clearly.
The third reason is that, in a world where it is said that teachers are less attractive, I believe there is hope in the craftsmanship displayed in creating lessons. While being careful not to fall into the romanticism of craft, it is important to respond to the issues and situations of the students in front of you and bricolage your knowledge.(*4)At the same time, we will explore the possibilities of creating lessons through trial and error.
(*4) Bricolage: Making something yourself by putting together what you already have
In "Introduction ②," I would like to discuss "accompanying" and share the direction and current status of our research.
