Creating Life-Story Picture Books for Nursery Teachers as a Situated Design Practice

Abstract

This paper examines how creating life-story picture books for nursery teachers can enhance communication in a nursery school through action research. The author spent approximately six months at a nursery in Tokyo, observing and interviewing three nursery teachers about their personal histories and motivations. By turning these narratives into illustrated storybooks, the staff, parents, and children gained a deeper understanding of each teacher’s identity. This situated, activity-structured design approach demonstrates the potential of narrative media to foster engagement among multiple stakeholders.