Blog

September 30th, 2023

Fall semester 2023 (3Q&4Q)

I will be teaching:

• TOEFL Seminar Reading & Writing 7&8;

• Oral Expressions in English 3&4; 

• American Studies; and 

• Liberal Arts Final Report.

I am looking forward to meeting all of the students in my classes!

September 4th, 2023

Social Emotional Learning

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational approach that originated in the United States. It focuses on enhancing skills necessary for individuals to recognize, understand, and appropriately respond to their own emotions, build relationships while recognizing differences with others, and engage in responsible behavior in social situations.

In educational settings like schools, the focus is often on academic skills, cognitive abilities, and grades and test scores. However, SEL shifts its focus to non-cognitive skills, primarily emphasizing self-awareness, awareness of others and society, self-management, interpersonal relationships, and responsible decision-making skills that are essential for our functionality in society. SEL is also said to improve our well-being and adaptability to societal changes.

After completing my doctoral program, I had the opportunity to work in New York City when the universal early childhood education policy was enacted. I became involved in training and coaching to promote and implement SEL with a focus in educational settings. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the daily experiences of parents and educators who interact with children in homes and classrooms. This further convinced me that SEL is necessary not only for children from an early stage in life but also for adults, from the perspective of dismantling institutional and structural discrimination.

Since returning to Japan, I have been committed to researching, developing, and implementing SEL and DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) tailored to Japanese culture and age groups, and contributing to their integration into society.