No.14 "Supporting Each Individual's Journey"

(Inagi City Education "Yale" September 15, Issue No. 10)

Supporting Each Individual's Journey

　At the end of July, I toured several city facilities together with staff. The schools are on summer break.
　First, I went to Inagi Dai 5 Junior High School and visited the classroom of the "Challenge Class." I confirmed the completion of the floor replacement work that began at the start of the summer vacation, and there, I heard from the teachers that at the end of the Term, the enrolled students cooperated to carry out desks and chairs in preparation for the start of the construction.
　The "Challenge Class" was established this fiscal year by the Inagi City Board of Education within the facilities of Inagi Dai 5 Junior High School as the Tokyo Metropolitan version of the "Diversified Learning School," targeting junior high school students in Inagi City Public Schools who have difficulty entering classrooms or attending school regularly. Flexible arrangements are made regarding daily schedules and learning methods to ensure that students can attend school without undue strain. The students who became the "first cohort of the Challenge Class" spent the first term engaging in activities such as making T-shirts for fellow students participating in local events, experiencing the challenges of collaborative work, feeling the joy of connecting with and contributing to the community, sharing and praising each other's original paintings, and taking on responsibilities like tending the flower beds on the Inagi Dai 5 Junior High School premises, thereby broadening their range of experiences through interaction with peers. Additionally, as part of "career education," they have had opportunities to interact with adults outside school, such as having city library staff introduce books about ways of life. Furthermore, the homeroom teachers of the Challenge Class leverage the advantage of being located within the school facilities to regularly observe lessons in regular classes, linking these observations to research on teaching methods, and strive to provide higher-quality learning activities. As I looked around the bright, newly renovated classroom of the Challenge Class, which has made such a good start, I deeply wished for the students to greatly enjoy their life in this class during the second term as well.
　Next, I toured the four municipal library branches. All of these branches, along with the Central Library, were renewed and reopened on July 15, with expanded study and reading spaces. Since it was the school summer vacation period, I heard that visits from children and students increased at both the Central Library and the four branches. On that day, I toured the four branches to observe this situation firsthand. At each branch, I saw elementary school students with water bottles and junior high school students studying together with friends. Additionally, I encountered a scene where an elementary school student and her mother were meeting and talking with the city’s School Social Worker (SSW) in the children’s book corner. I was truly pleased to see that city facilities are being used as familiar and comfortable places for the community.
　On that day, I finally headed to the Inagi City Education Center. First, I met with the teachers of the Educational Support Room “Nashinomi Room” on the third floor and inquired about the learning situation during the first Term. In July, I heard that an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher, employed as a fiscal year appointed staff member by the city) visited the room and enjoyed English communication activities with the children using “Hyakunin Isshu” and other materials. I confirmed that efforts are being made to provide the children attending the room with diverse experiential opportunities.
　Then, I went to the Educational Counseling Room and the Special Support Educational Counseling Room on the 4th floor. Regarding educational counseling, from this fiscal year, part of the service has been outsourced to private organizations. Counselors from private organizations, equipped with new counseling skills and methods, work alongside city-employed counselors, sharing techniques and information while striving to provide higher-quality counseling services. As a result, during the first Term, they have also developed a more accessible counseling system utilizing online and other methods.
　In our city, to address the concerns of children related to school life, daily life, difficulties in attending school, or entering classrooms, we have been advancing the establishment of places such as the Educational Counseling Room, the Educational Support Room "Nashinomi Room," the Separate Room Support at the In-School Support Center, and the Challenge Class. At the same time, we have been working on staffing arrangements including school counselors, SSWs, and itinerant teachers for truancy support. To align with the actual conditions of the children, we continuously conduct research, review, and devise improvements, while also taking national policies into account in our responses. The more we make these efforts, the deeper our recognition becomes that individual children with their own needs and characteristics cannot simply be categorized within the already established institutions or support settings. Therefore, to respond to each of the diverse needs, we consider it essential and effective to enhance the Educational Counseling as a point of contact, while enriching the existing settings by obtaining external support, devising learning programs, and flexibly utilizing places such as libraries, focusing on the soft aspects. Furthermore, school staff and the Board of Education Secretariat personnel consult daily with Parents or Guardians, specialized institutions, and various collaborative partners, while continuing their own professional development.
　The concept of "leaving no one behind" has been prominently promoted as a central pillar of educational reform, and many people share the importance of this idea. To realize this, it is essential to adopt the philosophy that all children are individuals who are growing, to focus on each child's unique situation, and to provide support and assistance by utilizing diverse resources.
　In this second term as well, I hope that the children of Inagi will continue to grow step by step at their own pace in each school, each class, and in various classrooms and places where they feel comfortable.

Makiko Sugimoto, Director of the Inagi City Board of Education