The training session for new teachers in Kansai District was held Oct. 8-9 2011 in beautiful autumn weather, with an overnight stay. In total, 44 members—31 new teachers and 13 experienced teachers from as far away as Nagoya and Hiroshima—gathered at the Japan Christian Academy’s Kansai Seminar House in Ichijoji, Kyoto.

The participants, including staff, first introduced themselves by showing a piece of paper on which they had written their names and subjects taught, along with statements on such themes as: “My school days”; “If I compared myself to an animal (or a plant) it would be...”; and “In ten years time, the color that would represent me is....” All made memorable self-introductions, using these key phrases. Perhaps because of the power of these impressive introductions, a harmonious atmosphere was created during meals and chats throughout the session.

Next, an Osaka Jogakuin Junior and Senior High school teacher named Inoue Masato introduced six inevitable problems that arise in the field of teaching, such as: “How strict should we be with students?” “Coping with both home and work”; “Developing mutual understanding with guardians who have different values.” Later, during group sessions, we discussed things like what was good about becoming a teacher and what was troubling, putting the answers in various categories. Most were related to such topics as subjects, classes, management of classes, but the experienced teachers brought forward other issues, including school management, facilities, personal relationships between teachers, and separation of work and private matters, from the viewpoint of the whole school and education as a whole, which new teachers barely realized, thus pointing out their narrow field of vision. We had the new teachers’ training session’s first “nabe” (pot) cuisine for dinner, which helped us have a good time talking to one another and exchanging information about schoolwork and club activities.

On the second day, we began with a Sunday morning worship service and then continued the discussion in the same groups as the previous day. The themes were varied, and the group I took part in focused on two topics: “Guidelines for suspending students from school” and “Keeping work and home separate.” Opinions were divided, especially on the subject of “Guidelines for suspending students from school,” but there was a good discussion from various standpoints. Among those opinions expressed was that of a teacher from Kinjo Gakuin Junior High School named Gotoda Noriko, whose words left a deep impression on me. “It is important to stay close to students’ lives not only during their junior and high school days but also thereafter.”

During the last session, we sat in a circle, with each of us telling about what we had learned and felt over the past 24 hours, as a time of conclusion.  Finally, a teacher named Sugiyama Shuichi, from Poole Gakuin Junior and Senior High School, led a commissioning ceremony during which individual teachers were commissioned as a teacher to each school. It was a powerful message that “a life of perseverance and dedication based on the message of the Bible and modeled by Jesus” is at the heart of what it means to be a teacher at a mission school. Through this seminar, Sugiyama expressed through actions the “prepared heart of a teacher.”

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the teachers who served as advisors and to the many other people whose cooperation enabled us to have a productive time of learning. (Tr. SM)

Kirisutokyo Gakko Kyoiku(Christian Schools and Ecucation) No. 649

—Tabata Ayumi, teacher

Hiroshima Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School

キリスト教とともに歩む教育とは

関西地区新人教師研修会は、爽やかな秋晴れのな か十月八日、九日と一泊二日で行われました。遠くは名古屋から広島まで新任三一

とアドバイザーとしてベテラン教師十三名の計四 四

が、京都一乗寺「日本クリスチャンアカデミー関 西セミナーハウス」へと集まりました。

まず、参加者とスタッフを含め 全員の自己紹介です。用紙に名前、教科を始め「学生時代

「動物（植物）に例えるなら」 「十年後の色」などを書き入れ発表するのですが、どなたも淀みなく各キーワードを関連付けて印象に残る自己紹介をされていました。こ の工夫を凝らした紹介の威力でしょうか、その後の食事や雑談、研修中も終始和気あいあいとした雰囲気となりました。

次に大阪女学院中学高等学校の 井上先生より、「生徒に大切な厳しさとは」「家庭と仕事の両立

「価値観の違う保護者との相互理 解」など教師として避けては通れない六つの問題が提起されます。その後のグループワークでは、教師になって良かった事、困っている事 を付箋に書き出しカテゴリー毎にまとめ発表します。教科、授業、クラス経営など対生徒に関するものが圧倒的な中、ベテランの先生方は 学校の経営や施設、教員同士の人間関係、公私の切換など、新人教師では思い至らない学校全体、教育全体の視点から提起し、視野の狭さ を指摘して下さいました。夕食は新人研修会初の鍋料理ということもあり、お互いに声を掛け合う楽しいひと時となり、授業や部活など 様々な情報交換の場となりました。

二日目も主日礼拝に始まり、昨 日同様にグループに分かれての話し合いです。テーマは様々ですが、私の参加したグループでは「退学制度」と「プライベートの確保

という二つを軸に話し合いまし た。特に「退学制度」については賛否が分かれ様々な観点から意見が出されます。その中で「中学高校時代のみならず、生徒のその後の人 生にも隣人として寄り添うことが重要なのだ」という金城学院中学校の後藤田先生の言葉が強く印象に残っています。

最後のセッションでは円形に座り、まとめの時と して各々がこの二四時間で学び感じた事を発表します。更にプール学院中学高等学校の杉山先生より、一人ずつを各学校へ教師として派遣 する「任命式

が行われました。それは「イエスの生涯、つまり 聖書の言葉を軸に努力と忍耐を以って使命を成す生き方」がキリスト教学校に勤める教師の在り方なのだという強いメッセージです。この 研修会の核となる「教師の心構え」を行動を以って示して下いました。

最後になりましたが、アドバイザーの先生方を始 め沢山の方々のご協力を得て、充実した学びの時を持つことが出来ました。心より感謝申し上げます。

　広島女学院中学高等学校　田畑あゆみ