Department of Teacher Education

Our history spans approximately 60 years. The department has provided cumulatively more than 7000 teachers that teach throughout classrooms in Japan. The department develops teachers who are spiritually enriched with excellent instructional skills in order to give academic instruction and lifestyle guidance, develop a deep understanding of children and build trusting relationships with children and guardians.
Note: Obtaining an elementary school teacher license (class 1) is a prerequisite for graduation.

The interests of the first year students are stimulated by focusing on a broad range of study in general courses. In addition, each student selects a course program for their second year from 12 options depending on the interests of the student. The course program enables the student to study a field of expertise in-depth and is ultimately linked to seminars in their third and fourth years.

Students participate regularly in actual elementary school classrooms. There are many opportunities for students to experience classroom instructions and have direct contact with children, such as “SAT” that focuses on assisting homeroom teachers and study support, “Cross-Border (Cross Border Project)” that enables student-teachers to interact with children with disabilities and “After-school” staff.

Students participate in a homestay program and take education classes at Simon Fraser University, which is world-renowned in pedagogy, thereby exposing them to everyday life and allowing them to participate in classrooms within a multicultural society in Canada. During the 3 week training program, there is a chance to broaden the perspective of the students, such as through interaction with children in elementary school classrooms.