We held a roundtable discussion with those who passed the 2023 teacher recruitment examination.
For those of you who are aiming to enter a teacher training course, such as information on teacher training courses and exam preparation,
He shared a lot of useful information with us.
Affiliation | Faculty of Education Department of Elementary Education Elementary Education Course |
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Exam school type and subjects | Elementary school, all subjects |
Exam location | Saitama |
Affiliation | Faculty of Education Department of Elementary Education Elementary Education Course |
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Exam school type and subjects | Special Needs School |
Exam location | Tokyo |
Affiliation | Faculty of Education Department of Education and Culture |
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Exam school type and subjects | Junior and Senior High School Health and Physical Education |
Exam location | Yokohama |
Affiliation | Faculty of Education Department of Education and Culture |
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Exam school type and subjects | Junior and Senior High School English |
Exam location | Tokyo |
Affiliation | Faculty of Education Department of Elementary Education Elementary Education Course |
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Exam school type and subjects | Elementary school, all subjects |
Exam location | Niigata Prefecture and others |
Affiliation | Teaching Center |
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(Honorifics omitted below)
Congratulations to everyone who passed the exam. We wanted to help your juniors achieve their dream of becoming a teacher, so we organized this roundtable discussion for those who passed the teacher recruitment exam.
I would like you to talk about your experiences and feelings at the time you studied at Teikyo University. During the past four years, you have studied in each department, and at the same time, you have been taking the teacher training course and preparing for the teacher recruitment examination. What was the most difficult thing for you?
There are two subjects: "Physiology" and "Exercise Physiology." These are subjects that you absolutely must earn credits for in order to obtain a license, and are the subjects I studied the most. I'm not the only one who struggles with these subjects; many people do.
I had a lot of courses to take and didn't have enough time. I wish I could have taken more time to study language subjects apart from the teacher training course.
That's right. There are some subjects in qualification courses such as teacher training courses and librarian training courses that are not included in the graduation credits. I often hear people say, "If only we had more time."
Next, could you tell us when and how you started preparing for the exams in parallel with your university studies?
First of all, it is basic, but I think it is important to take classes in the teacher training course from 1st year and understand knowledge related to the teaching profession. Ultimately, the teacher recruitment examination will also include questions on teaching education, so one way to prepare is to gain and think about specialized knowledge in class.
I started preparing seriously in February of 3rd year, about six months before the exam. I used one workbook for the specialized education section on elementary school subjects, and solved the problems over and over again. By working on the problems over and over again, I was able to identify my weak areas, so I focused on those areas. As a result, I was able to study specialized education efficiently, and was able to devote time to other exam preparation.
In my case, I took the exams for multiple municipalities, so I solved past exam questions from many municipalities. Since the trends in questions vary greatly depending on the municipality, getting used to the questions from multiple municipalities gave me the confidence to deal with the changes in the actual exam. I think this helped me acquire practical skills.
I see. It seems like it would be effective to solve past exam questions from multiple local governments. In the case of elementary school, all subjects are included in the exam, so the range is wide and a variety of questions are given. Other successful candidates have written similar things in their success stories.
Regarding teaching education, some people consider university classes and exam preparation to be separate subjects. You can learn the necessary knowledge in university classes. If you want to become a teacher, I think the first step in exam preparation is to listen carefully to the classes and make sure you have the basic skills that will become your foundation.
General knowledge covers a wide range of topics and also includes current affairs questions, so how did you prepare for it?
Other than solving Previous test papers, I tried to watch the news. In fact, the questions were based on what I had seen on the news. Also, when I was working on the music questions, I would actually listen to the music as a way to change my mood while solving the questions.
Next, I would like to ask about preparations for the second exam, such as interviews, essays, and practical tests.
My exam category is junior high school and high school English, but there is a practical exam for English. Since I am required to respond in English, I consulted with my teacher and prepared about three sentences to use when I am in a difficult situation. I thought it would be bad to be silent in the middle of the sentence, so I changed the words in the sentence so that I could respond in an emergency.
I also practiced repeatedly with my friends so that I could approach the practical tests and interviews with confidence.
I was enrolled in the Tokyo Teacher Training School, a study group run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for university students aiming to become teachers, so I was exempt from the first exam and only had to take a personal interview for the second exam. This allowed me to start preparing early. Specifically, I started by writing down answers to anticipated questions in a notebook. To summarize, I first wrote down my answers in bullet points and then tried to connect them into sentences.
I also did many mock interviews with my friends. Most of the students in Elementary Education Course take the teacher recruitment examination, so I think I was in a good environment in that respect. Also, there were students from other universities at the Tokyo Teacher Training School, so I was able to practice there as well. When I did it with multiple people, I was able to hear the answers of the other students, so I was able to be exposed to various thoughts and deepen my thoughts.
In the case of the Tokyo Teacher Training School, you can focus on one thing and prepare well for the exam. Being able to interact with people from other universities will be useful for your future teaching career. Although you may be assigned to a different school, you will be in the same year with them.
In my case, I was able to get a university recommendation, so I prepared for the second interview in the same way as Takahashi-san. Among other things, I made use of the Teacher Training Center. By talking to teachers who were school principals, I was able to come into contact with perspectives and ways of thinking that I had not noticed before.
It also made me think about the nature of education, and I was reminded once again how wonderful teachers are.
On behalf of the faculty at the Teacher Training Center, I want to say thank you. Thank you. We are proud of you.
Is there anything else you did to prepare for the exam in general?
I was an educational volunteer. I also did my teaching practice at the school where I volunteered, and I saw how teachers communicated with students and teachers and how they worked there, which was useful for my teaching practice and exam preparation.
Although it wasn't a direct exam preparation, I think that my part-time experience was very useful. The cafe chain where I worked part-time focused on customer service. There, I learned the importance of observing how to treat customers and the overall state of the store, judging what is needed at the time, and taking action.
Also, I started by learning about it, and then when I was in a position to convey it to my juniors, I learned the fun and difficulty of properly conveying what I understand to others through communication.
I have also heard from students who worked part-time as Senior Assistant Professor at a cram school that by meeting with the parents of the students attending the cram school and attending meetings between Senior Assistant Professor, they inevitably developed their communication skills and learned how to interact with people.
For those who want to become teachers, it must be important to communicate with a variety of people through conversation and build better relationships. I can see how hard you all have worked up to this point.
Next, what did you learn during your teaching practice, which is the biggest learning opportunity in your teacher training course?
During my teaching practice, I felt that the children had rich imaginations and unexpected ways of thinking. By talking to the children and teaching them while watching their reactions and expressions, I was able to realize the rewarding and attractive aspects of being a teacher.
Being a teacher is not just fun, I also learned the weight of responsibility that comes with knowing that what is conveyed to children depends on the teacher's attitude. Of course, like Takahashi, I felt the appeal and fulfillment of my teaching practice, but I also realized that it comes with responsibility, and I learned that it is necessary to approach teaching life with resolve.
The teaching practice was a valuable experience. When I asked students how they felt after the teaching practice, most of them said, "It was hard, but fun." This probably means that they felt a sense of accomplishment by overcoming the challenges they had never faced before, with the help of their supervising teachers.
As is often said, I think what happened was that I was able to experience the joy of being "INTERESTING" rather than "FUN."
Finally, please give a message to your juniors who are aiming to become teachers in the future.
School is interesting because there are many different people, and there is no single right answer. Even if there are things you are not good at or think you are not suited to being a teacher, I think it would be good if teachers and students could complement each other. I want people to value even small things that they can do because they are themselves.
Have your own opinion. Having a clear goal, such as "I want to do this," will allow you to work seriously toward that goal. Strive to improve yourself.
The content of the recruitment exam varies from person to person. There are people around you who are exempt from the first exam, but you should remember that everyone is different and you are who you are, so try not to rush. Also, having fun while preparing for the exam will help you maintain your motivation.
I don't think it's an easy path to become a teacher, but if you put your mind to it, you'll definitely see results.
"The exam may be difficult, but as long as you can convey your individuality, you'll be fine." These are the words I received from my supervisor during my teaching practice, and I would like to pass on these to my juniors.
Please take your time and steadily improve your skills over the next four years. You have time. Don't rush, just work hard at your own pace.
Thank you very much for your time today. All of the faculty and staff at Teikyo University wish you all the best in your new positions at your new schools.
The Teaching Profession Center is a comprehensive support center where students who aim to become teachers and students who wish to obtain a teacher's license can receive consultation and guidance at any time.
We also hold an “OBOG Teaching Meeting” where OBs, OGs and current students who have graduated from our university and are active in the field of education can connect.
can learn deeply about education
"Teaching Course"
Not only for those who aim to become teachers
For those interested in education-related companies and services
very
It will be a very meaningful experience.
At Teikyo University, with friends who have the same goals
Why don't we learn together?