Monday, November 28: Fukuoka University Tour

We learned that we face similar problems. There is a decline in students' scholastic performance. Students are not going on to higher levels of education, and teachers need to improve their teaching techniques. For more information on this university, visit: http://www.fukuoka-edu.ac.jp/.

This university is a teaching and research university. It is a university that responds to the needs of society. It provides training for all levels of education. Besides their undergraduate and graduate programs, they also offer International Education, Social Welfare. They gave us their informational booklet which has parts in English.

If my notes are correct, students need to earn 138 credits to graduate. Their training has an experiential component. First year students attend and observe summer camps as assistants. The second year, they must attend and observe two kinds of schools. Students do school visits. The third year, students must have similations of real lessons and continue their observations. If a student is concentrating in elementary training, the student must spend 4 weeks at an elementary school, 3 weeks at a junior high and two weeks at a high school. The 4th year, students must do practice teaching.

The goal of the university is to help its students have an understanding and affection for their pupils and studies. They hope students will attain a wide range of knowledge and open mindness of how education should be done, and mastery in one or two areas. They encourage their students to take initiative in school programs and acquire practical skills in providing solutions to school problems. They teach students to have an active part in special education and work in close relationship with their school and other institutions to prevent students from leaving schools. Students also are encouraged to take courses on classroom management and discipline.

In order to become a Principal of a school, students have to take administrative training courses as well as management and discipline courses.

When we asked the students what was their motivation to be a teacher, their response was similar to our own: "We want to be in close contact with children, be agents of change and personality development, and create an environment where learning is fun and engaging." Their biggest challenges: "Students with learning dissabilities and keeping students motivated."