Working with a Minimalist Mindset
What kind of image do you have of a minimalist?
When you hear the word 'minimalist,' don't you immediately think of someone who owns fewer than 100 items or lives in a stark, empty house?
I apply the minimalist philosophy to my work as a teacher. Minimalism is about letting go of everything except what is truly important.
In terms of work, it means not trying to do everything. It means proactively seeking out what is required of you at your current stage of experience and age, and intentionally letting go of the rest.
'Will I continue doing the same job until I retire?'
I work while constantly asking myself this question.
Can I really continue to be a homeroom teacher until I retire?
Can I really continue to teach physical education until I retire?
No, no matter how hard I try, it's impossible...!
I have let go of being a homeroom teacher. I have decided to pursue the path of special needs education. Of course, in my position as a teacher, if I am asked to be a homeroom teacher, I must take on the role, and I am always prepared to do so.
However, as someone who promotes special needs education, I prefer to be a special needs class teacher or a resource room teacher, and currently, I work in the resource room and as a special needs education coordinator.
Only a handful of people can stay on the front lines until retirement. I have a colleague who is over 50 and still working energetically as a 6th-grade homeroom teacher, but that is an extremely rare case.
The teacher who was my homeroom teacher in 3rd and 5th grade is currently working at the same school, and even past 50, they are working energetically as a 4th-grade homeroom teacher. This, too, is an extremely rare case.
'I'm going to finish my career as a homeroom teacher until I retire!'
This is a line often spoken by senior teachers when they first become educators.
'That's cool!'
I thought that at first, but looking back now, the physical strength and mindset of someone in their 20s are different from those of someone in their 50s. Furthermore, what is required of someone in their 20s is different from what is required of someone in their 50s. It is impossible for a teacher in their 50s to work the same way as someone in their 20s.
Based on a wealth of experience, they are expected to nurture younger staff. They are expected to have teaching skills based on solid instructional ability.
So, what do I want to be like in my 50s?
I want to be a teacher who can promote special needs education not just within the school, but widely throughout the region and the city. With a minimalist mindset, I will not try to have everything, but will specialize in the field of special needs education.
I don't know if my position will be as a regular teacher or in management. I believe I must also keep management in my sights.
Isn't a work style that incorporates a minimalist mindset what leads to doing what you really want to do and working in a place where you can shine? Above all, I believe it leads to working with ease, joy, and a sense of purpose.
Why don't you give it a try as well?
That is all for today's article.
Thank you for reading until the end.