A Survey on Charge Form in the Elementary School (1) : with a Special Reference to Homemaking Education

Abstract

In order to bring about the modernization of education it is truly essential to reexamine the educational materials and methodologies, but it is far more important to establish the efficient charge form which enables individual teachers to give their abilities to full play. Seen from this perspective, the present charge form seems to leave much to be desired. This paper aims at analyzing the problems in the present charge form with a specific reference to homemaking education. The investigation was carried out with the use of questionnaire on the four items. The questionnaire was conducted with the cooperation of 56 prefectural teacher consultants in charge of elementary education and 50 teachers of homemaking education. (The result of the survey) (1) In elementary schools 'gakkyu-tannin-hoshiki' or 'one-teacher-oriented class system' is more widely adopted than any other system. More precisely, 'one-teacher-oriented class system' is adopted by 82.3% of the first and second grades of the elementary schools under survey, by 64.4% of the third and fourth grades and by 44.8% of the fifth and sixth grades. As the grade goes up, the percentage decreases and alternative systems come in. (2) As far as homemaking education is concerned, at least five systems are employed throughout Japan. The number of the five systems adopted is in the following order. 1. 'hoshi jugyo hoshiki' or 'extra teaching system' 2. 'gakkyu tannin hoshiki' or 'one-techer-oriented class system' 3. 'senka hoshiki' or 'specialization oriented class system' 4. 'kyoka buntan hoshiki' or 'one-subject-oriented class system' 5. 'kokan hoshiki' or 'interchangeable teaching system' (3) In homemaking education the extra teaching system involves the greatest difficulties and it is followed by specialization oriented class system and one-teacher-oriented class system. Their main difficulties are as follows; 1. insufficient period of teacher's contact with pupils 2. unsatisfactory preparation for the class work 3. difficulty in giving compensational lessons. (4) A great number of conscientious teachers are promoting active research for the substantial improvement of class system. What has been proposed so far is that the team teaching should be adopted and that each class should be in charge of two or three teachers.