This is undoubtedly the factor hindering the improvement of 'teaching ability' for elementary school teachers‼️

"Teachers should compete through their lessons‼️"

I have been told this for a long time. If it is a day with 6 classes in elementary school, "45 x 6 = 270". If the time spent at school is about 7 hours,
lessons account for 4.5 hours of that. In other words, if lessons are engaging, school becomes fun. Therefore, you must not neglect lesson preparation... so they say.

That is certainly true, and it is undoubtedly a valid argument, but the sad reality of the Japanese education field is that there is no such time or energy to spare for it😖

I want to face the children properly in class‼️ Even if I think that, the system makes it impossible. Of course, it is not impossible if you work beyond your working hours every day until night and use your weekends, but that is no longer work, it is completely a hobby😝 (If you can call it a hobby and it is fun, then there is no problem👍)

If you read this article to the end, as the title suggests, "you will know the reason why it is difficult for elementary school teachers to improve their teaching ability"☝️

① Being chased by tasks that must be prioritized over teaching

I am aware that "learning guidance" is closely linked to "classroom management" in many ways, so there are parts that should not be thought of separately, but I think it is fine to think of "lesson preparation" and "classroom management" separately.
Elementary schools have a homeroom teacher system where one teacher manages the classroom while teaching most subjects. Naturally, there is a limit to what can be done within working hours, so it becomes necessary to set priorities😵
(#Let's put school duties aside for now‼️) (#This is also heavy depending on the assignment)

For example, suppose a child had trouble with friends in class and went home injured. Even if I call around 4 PM, I can't get through... I feel uneasy😰
I have to call again after a little while...
Then, I'll use this time to prepare for next week's lesson... um...

That never happens😱

I just can't get into that state of mind💦 (#Saiyans are an exception😆 lol)
As a homeroom teacher, I don't want the "classroom to collapse." I want to deal with trouble early and build a relationship of trust with parents.
Even if things are going well, I want to try various things to keep this state or to grow even more.
What happens if you weigh these thoughts against lesson preparation⁉️ It goes without saying💦 Once a class collapses, it is far more difficult afterwards. I do the minimum amount of lesson preparation (or rather, the level of reading the teacher's manual), but I also want to pour the remaining energy into "classroom management."

② The same lesson happens only once every few years

There is the reason in ①, of course, but from a system perspective, I think this is the most major factor‼️ (#No, I am convinced of it🥴)

I don't even have the leisure to finish a lesson and ask, "Where were the points for improvement⁉️" Even if I did, the next time I teach this lesson will be years from now (maybe 10 years later...)so while skill-related things might carry over to the next time, perspectives like lesson interpretation are completed on that day. (#That's true😭)
It is definitely more effective to use time for the class in front of you than to reflect for a day that you don't know when it will comeright⁉️

As a result, while I grow in terms of skills, it is difficult to improve from the perspective of lesson interpretation, and the ability to "do it skillfully and finish it easily" blossomsthat is the mechanism that creates such a vicious cycle...😖

🟧 To summarize roughly...

Because we are required to produce a huge amount of short-term results right in front of us, it is nearly impossible to set and practice long-term goals... that is why‼️

🟧 Ending✨

To improve teaching ability, not only skills but also deep knowledge regarding the lesson content is necessary. For that, "time" and "peace of mind" are essential‼️ So that you can say with pride, "I will compete through my lessons‼️"👍

💖 & follows are a huge encouragement✨ Thank you very much

As a 15th-year active elementary school teacher and a father of two, I share fresh, practical classroom strategies and insights from my parenting journey with a heartfelt💖 touch every week🌟 If you're interested, please take a look at my past articles as well✨