The Democratic Basis for the Profession of Teacher:

Focusing on the Theory of Amy Gutmann

Abstract

  The purpose of this paper is to reconsider the profession of teachers under democracy, based on the idea that education is social regulation.

  In Japan, it is said that the discussion about the profession shifted from the “viewpoint model” to the “role and practice model” from the 1980s onward. However, it has been pointed out in recent discussion that the “role and practice model” tends to disregard the profession's social context, whereas the “viewpoint model”, which was dominant in the 1960s, had been discussed based on it. The “viewpoint model” regarded education as social regulation.

  In Japan, education has tended to be discussed without being connected with the principles of democracy. In other words, education was not connected with society. This has resulted in confusion about legal rights among parents and teachers. However, it has been found by Masaaki Katsuno that there is a way to solve this problem based on the theory of Amy Gutmann.

  Amy Gutmann's theory is effective to connect education with society. She pointed out the effectiveness of the principles of democracy in social context. She also pointed out the necessity of the profession of teacher by comparative examination of the ideas of the Family State, the State of Family, and the State of Individuals. It is teachers who can provide children with the most opportunities for social participation.

  The paper concludes that it is effective to see the profession of teacher from the perspective that education is social regulation, since the profession itself is influenced by social regulation.