著者

新井 郁男 Arai Ikuo 上越教育大学 Joetsu University of Education

出版者

東洋館

雑誌

教育社会学研究 = The journal of educational sociology (ISSN:03873145)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.43, pp.18-30, 1988-10-03

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This article looks chronologically at the main teacher education related reports and recommendations submitted by government councils (mainly, the Central Council for Education and the Council for Training of Teaching Personnel) after World War II, and, based on an analysis of these reports and recommendations, points out some basic issues. Before the war, the main institution of teacher training was 'normal schools'. After the war, however, the normal school system was abolished and instead teacher training came to be conducted at the university level. It became possible for any institutions of higher education to provide teacher training programs, although universities specifically designed for teacher training were also established. At present, the basic level of education required of elementary and secondary school teachers is four years of undergraduate education, but the government has recently been planning to introduce a higher certificate which requires a master's level of graduate education. This means that the government places an emphasis upon formal education rather than on experience as a main channel of raising the quality of teachers. This principle is also reflected in the plan to abolish the system under which teachers with at least fifteen years of teaching experience can obtain a teacher's certificate of higher level without receiving any formal education at universities. The government, however, has also been considering a tpecial way which certifies those who do not hold regular teacher certificates but have knowledge and skills necessary for teaching. This plan is contradictory to the emphasis on formal education as the main channel for teacher supply. The government considers that the introduction of such a system could activate the ailing schools but it is doubtful. The fundamental issue here is whether teachers need only be knowledgeable in the content of teaching subjects or whether they need special professional education. This question was discussed by the government council formed immediately after the war, and has been debated since. The recent government teacher policy seems to be a compromise between these two extreme stances. It is concluded that more discussion and research needs to be made on this question. Otherwise, the plan to raise the basic qualification of teachers, even if it is institutionalized, will not function properly.