No.10 "Individual Contributions and Social Formation"

Individual Contributions and Social Formation

　The calendar for the 7th year of Reiwa is moving from the 1st term to the 2nd term. In this issue, I would like to discuss what we have considered based on the efforts of the Board of Education and each school up until before the summer vacation.

　In late April, the Inagi City Board of Education held the "2025 Human Rights Education Workshop" for all school faculty and staff of Inagi City Public Schools. Throughout the year, each school engages in human rights education to cultivate students' attitudes and practical skills to value and respect themselves and others in all aspects of school life, including the special subject Moral Education and both within and outside the curriculum. Additionally, school faculty and staff are always mindful of the importance of human rights in their daily lives to ensure that students can spend their time with peace of mind and hope, providing guidance and support accordingly.
　It is important that such a sense and awareness of human rights are demonstrated immediately when necessary. To achieve this, it is essential to always be conscious of human rights and to make efforts to sharpen a keen sensitivity. Additionally, since new human rights issues arise with the times, it is also important to continuously update our understanding. Based on this principle, the Inagi City Board of Education has been continuously conducting the "Human Rights Education Workshop" every year at the beginning of the fiscal year for all school faculty and staff of Inagi City Public Schools. Furthermore, to enable consideration of human rights issues from diverse perspectives, lecturers from various fields are invited each year.
　This year's "Human Rights Education Workshop" was held on Friday, April 25th, with para-cyclist Yoshiko Sugiura as the instructor. Ms. Sugiura resides in Inagi City. She won the World Championships consecutively in 2017 and 2018, and is also a two-time consecutive gold medalist at the Paralympics, at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games. Due to these outstanding achievements, Inagi City recognized Ms. Sugiura last year as a Inagi City Hometown Athlete and also awarded her the Citizen's Honor Award.
　In the lecture on the day, under the theme "Realizing a Symbiotic Society," Mr. Sugiura carefully spoke about how he has walked his path with confidence and hope, as well as the value of diverse people forming society together. From Mr. Sugiura's talk that day, I especially deepened my belief that "every single child surely holds some kind of potential," and "we must believe in, recognize, and support their strengths to help them bloom," and furthermore, I embraced the importance of "people in society understanding each other's strengths and weaknesses and supporting one another."

　In the "Superintendent's Greeting" at the Regular Session of the Principals' Meeting in May immediately following, I presented these values gained from this training session to the principals, and furthermore, during school visits over one Term, I observed various scenes within the schools from this perspective.
　The "Beginning of the Year Visits" were conducted at all 18 schools. From the careful and visual displays and exhibitions of students' paintings and craftworks inside the school buildings, the dedication of the School Faculty and Staff who value the children's efforts was evident. The postings in each classroom detailing roles and duties showed that a classroom environment where classmates recognize each other's roles is being fostered. Furthermore, each school has implemented school management practices such as creating safe spaces for students who find it difficult to enter classrooms, designing classroom environments and lessons with an emphasis on universal design principles, and initiatives like the "Assistant Homeroom Teacher System" and "Open Consultation Week" in elementary schools, where multiple School Faculty and Staff collaborate to support each student.
　Also, at an elementary school, during class, when one student gave an incorrect answer, the teacher firmly restrained the surrounding children who were eager to correct it, gave hints to the student who made the mistake, creating an atmosphere where the entire class supported them, and the student finally arrived at the correct answer. It was truly a moment where we witnessed firsthand how the attitude of adults nurtures children's awareness of human rights.

　From May to June, sports days, athletic festivals, and sports meets (physical education presentations) were held at 8 out of 18 municipal schools. Each school devised events and performances that allowed children to demonstrate their strengths, with children actively participating in roles and enthusiastically cheering for their peers. In every school and at every moment, each individual shone in their own way. Among these, what particularly caught my attention was the sight of junior high students serving as referees and judges for the upper-grade competitions. Regardless of grade level, by fulfilling their roles, students develop a sense of responsibility, demonstrate their abilities, and cultivate an attitude of forming a community together with their peers.

　After that, summer vacation began. During the break, I believe that families, local organizations supporting and watching over the children, and others have provided each child with unique activities and learning opportunities specific to the long vacation, as well as encouraging words that serve as nourishment for their growth. We hope that the significance of these experiences will be shared and acknowledged among the students and within each class after the summer vacation, leading to growth from the second term onward.
　Each individual fully demonstrates their uniqueness, supports one another, and experiences this together with their peers, learning and acquiring these values—this is a major role of the school environment. In the second Term, there are many opportunities such as junior high school trips, cultural events like school arts festivals and presentations, and elementary school sports days, where each person can showcase their abilities, discover new values, and express their thoughts and skills. We hope to create many opportunities for each individual to freely demonstrate their strengths and gain a real sense of forming a society while supporting others. To that end, the school will continue to aim to create classrooms and schools where each person is recognized and mutually respected.

Director of the Inagi City Board of Education, Makiko Sugimoto