Teaching beyond the Test: Preparing Teachers of Young Adolescents in Japan

Junior high school is a transitional period between a caring and nurturing elementary school environment and the systematic academic studies of high school. Junior high schools in Japan prepare students for high school entrance examinations, the imminent point of major differentiations in their life courses, while still offering the whole person development that is pursued at the elementary school level. It appears that currently, teacher training programs at Japanese universities and colleges are not systematic and, therefore, innovation in teacher training programs is a pressing concern. If the programs become more systematic, practicum placements in junior high schools will become more meaningful for trainee teachers. Finally, we believe that universities and junior high schools need to reconsider the process of, and attitudes towards, the role of practicum placements in teacher training.