OUT-OF-SCHOOL TRAINING AND ITS ROLE IN SUPPORTING BEGINNING TEACHERS DURING THE INDUCTION PROGRAM IN JAPAN

Abstract

The article studies the out-of-school part of the teacher induction program in Japan. Based on the analysis of the Japanese researchers’ views on the topic, the article characterizes some issues of initial professional adaptation, professional and social maladjustment, the notion of “reality shock”, and the ways to prevent and manage beginning teachers’ maladjustment. A literature review on the problem of the out-of-school component of teacher induction showed that the information is somewhat limited because some studies de-emphasize this part as less important than the in-school one. To gain a better understanding of the goals, content, forms, evaluation methods, and duration of the mandatory out-of-school component of teacher induction programs in Japan, several interviews were conducted at the Prefectural Education Centers during the two-month Japan Foundation grant program at the Kansai Japanese Language Center. The analysis of the guidebooks provided to teachers at Saitama and Osaka education centers gives insight into such issues as the teachers’ self-assessment and self-analysis that is conducted by filling out “My portfolio” pages. Besides continuing teacher development, the paper also examines various general activities of education centers, such as educational counseling, which is considered particularly important. The results show that mandatory postgraduate teacher training in Japan follows a standardized structure recommended by the Ministry of Education. However, the implementation of the internship program is the responsibility of each Prefectural Board of Education. As a result, the number of sessions, methods, and content of the program can vary substantially based on each local administrative body’s priorities and needs, making it rather decentralized.