ПЕРЕДУМОВИ ЗАПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ПРОГРАМИ ВХОДЖЕННЯ ВЧИТЕЛІВ У ПРОФЕСІЮ В ЯПОНІЇ

Abstract

The article finds that the main screening of candidates from the teaching profession in Japan takes place at the stage ofhiring processes and mandatory induction program thatcoincides with a probationary period. The reason is that since many institutes are providing teacher education under the “Open System”, teacher education courses differ from one university to another. It is difficult to settle solid criteria for teachers’ knowledge and skills at the stage of initial teacher education. Some features of teacher preparation in universities, hiring and tenure were defined as the prerequisites that influenced the introduction of beginning teacher induction program. Among them are short periods of practice teaching, theory-based teacher training programs, the necessity to adjust to new social environment and other circumstances, the need for developing sense of mission in teaching, changing parent’s requirements for schools and increasing responsibility of teachers. Formal support for newly employed teachers enabled by teacher induction program (shoninshakenshu) is consistent with Japanese organizations’emphasis on on-the-job training, particularly in the first year of employment (shinninkenshu). This kind of assistance is supplemented with traditional informal support of the other teachers in school to ensure that novice teachers adapt successfully. As the result it was determined that support for professional development and professional and social adjustment of novice teachers were the main factors in favor of requiring the program at the legislative level. Key words: teacher induction program, beginning teachers, professional education, Japan.