Survey: Japanese teachers busier than counterparts in other countries
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Teachers in Japan have a larger and more varied amount of assigned work in addition to their regular classes than teachers in other countries do, according to a recent survey by the Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso). By contrast, Finnish teachers spend much of their time outside regular lessons strengthening the provision of supplementary classes and communication with parents. French teachers, for their part, have little assigned work outside their regular classes.
Nikkyoso conducted the survey between October last year and February in Japan, South Korea, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Finland. The survey was carried out with cooperation from teachers unions in the respective countries. Nikkyoso hopes the survey will encourage the public to more carefully consider how schoolteachers should work.
The survey covered about 200 teachers in each country working at state schools from the primary to high school levels. The response rates ranged from 23 percent to 54.5 percent.
Respondents were asked how many assignments out of a list of 18 they were involved with beyond their regular classes. The list included such tasks as supervising club activities. Japanese respondents gave the largest number of assignments, at 11.1 on average.
They were followed by teachers in South Korea at 9.3; Germany at 7.8; Britain at 6.3; the United States at 5; Finland at 4.9; and France at 3.4.
The Japanese teachers came out top in seven categories. Of them, 73.4 percent said they were engaged in "supervising activities of the student council and its committees," while 67.9 percent of them chose "food education." "Supervising club activities" was chosen by 65.1 percent of the respondents, while 58.7 percent of them said they were engaged in "participating in local community events."
For teachers in Finland, whose students are known for their high level of scholastic abilities according to international surveys, the survey showed that teachers put more priority on helping students improve their scholastic levels and improving their own communication with their students' parents. Of the Finnish respondents, 70.4 percent of them said they were engaged in "giving supplementary lessons after school," while 87.3 percent said they were "communicating with parents by phone, at meetings, interviews or home visits." The two figures are the highest percentages in their respective categories.
"Career guidance" for higher education was the category in which the South Korean respondents came out top, at 69 percent.
The German respondents ranked highest for "career education (cultivating a desirable view of careers and work)" at 40.3 percent. "Career guidance" was chosen by 45.2 percent of them, the second highest percentage after the South Korean respondents.
Masahito Ogawa, professor of educational administration at Tokyo University, pointed out that until recently teachers in Western countries had not been involved in the duties they regarded as those of school staff members or the local community.
"However, the survey indicates that they are getting engaged in more assignments other than conducting classes in order to offer better education," he said.
"Based on the fact that Japanese teachers cover a wide range of assignments, we should discuss the appropriate size of each class and what schoolteachers should really do," he added.
(Jul. 19, 2007)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Teachers in Japan have a larger and more varied amount of assigned work in addition to their regular classes than teachers in other countries do, according to a recent survey by the Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso). By contrast, Finnish teachers spend much of their time outside regular lessons strengthening the provision of supplementary classes and communication with parents. French teachers, for their part, have little assigned work outside their regular classes.
Nikkyoso conducted the survey between October last year and February in Japan, South Korea, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Finland. The survey was carried out with cooperation from teachers unions in the respective countries. Nikkyoso hopes the survey will encourage the public to more carefully consider how schoolteachers should work.
The survey covered about 200 teachers in each country working at state schools from the primary to high school levels. The response rates ranged from 23 percent to 54.5 percent.
Respondents were asked how many assignments out of a list of 18 they were involved with beyond their regular classes. The list included such tasks as supervising club activities. Japanese respondents gave the largest number of assignments, at 11.1 on average.
They were followed by teachers in South Korea at 9.3; Germany at 7.8; Britain at 6.3; the United States at 5; Finland at 4.9; and France at 3.4.
The Japanese teachers came out top in seven categories. Of them, 73.4 percent said they were engaged in "supervising activities of the student council and its committees," while 67.9 percent of them chose "food education." "Supervising club activities" was chosen by 65.1 percent of the respondents, while 58.7 percent of them said they were engaged in "participating in local community events."
For teachers in Finland, whose students are known for their high level of scholastic abilities according to international surveys, the survey showed that teachers put more priority on helping students improve their scholastic levels and improving their own communication with their students' parents. Of the Finnish respondents, 70.4 percent of them said they were engaged in "giving supplementary lessons after school," while 87.3 percent said they were "communicating with parents by phone, at meetings, interviews or home visits." The two figures are the highest percentages in their respective categories.
"Career guidance" for higher education was the category in which the South Korean respondents came out top, at 69 percent.
The German respondents ranked highest for "career education (cultivating a desirable view of careers and work)" at 40.3 percent. "Career guidance" was chosen by 45.2 percent of them, the second highest percentage after the South Korean respondents.
Masahito Ogawa, professor of educational administration at Tokyo University, pointed out that until recently teachers in Western countries had not been involved in the duties they regarded as those of school staff members or the local community.
"However, the survey indicates that they are getting engaged in more assignments other than conducting classes in order to offer better education," he said.
"Based on the fact that Japanese teachers cover a wide range of assignments, we should discuss the appropriate size of each class and what schoolteachers should really do," he added.
(Jul. 19, 2007)