In Search of My Own Literary Education(<Special Issue>What Is the JLA? : Literary Studies and Studies on Kokugo Teaching)

Abstract

When I look back at my career as a kokugo teacher, I find that, in spite of taking a roundabout course, there is one thing I have never lost my interest in - a study of narratives. Although at first I had just a vague idea of what narratives are, I could gradually form my own concept of it under the strong and beneficial influence of the Japanese Literature Association. Now literary education, besieged with difficulties, is at a standstill, and I keenly feel it my duty as a teacher to do my best to make a change. As will be shown in this article, Senri Sugai's theory of prejudice helps me much to do it. Now I have found out that, as it forces me to be more conscious of teaching methods, doing something for literary education also means searching for my own educational style.