The Certificate Examination for Kidergarten Teachers after the Establishment of the "Imperial Order on Kindergarten"

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the content of the Certificate Examination system for kidergarten teachers after the establishment of the "Imperial Order on Kindergarten" in 1926. In Japan prior to the Second World War, there were two systems to acquire a kindergarten teacher's license: one was a certificate examination system and the other was through assessing the candidate's work history and/or relevant licenses held. This paper clarifies two points in relation to the certificate exam: the number of examinees and successful candidates, and the contents of the examination. Thus, I will show the questions and source materials of this examination which highlight the contents of a kindergarten teacher's special knowledge and teaching technique.