The stance and vision as an independent sector toward reforming policies for teachers’ training and education

This paper, from the viewpoints of ‘becoming teacher’ and ‘being teacher’, discusses our stance and vision towards reforming policies in the field of teachers’ training and education in Japan. It takes into consideration authenticity of the teacher, and high levels of academic attainment for primary teachers, two directions that are in fact required by the recent government. The evidence introduced here is drawn from a report commissioned by MEXT in 2010, using interviews and a questionnaire. This data is classified in three groups: newly qualified teachers who graduated from the Department of Education at ‘M’, an independent sector university; teachers with over five years experience; and head teachers in Osaka and Nishinomiya. It is suggested in conclusion that academics engaged in teacher training and education should re-think the substantive attributes and autonomy of teachers, based on a trusting relationship between academics and teachers, in order to identify teachers’ professional needs and to anticipate or preempt political interference