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To cite this article: Kaye M. Martin (2004) Assuring Novice Teacher Competency in Ohio and Japan, Action in Teacher
Education, 26:3, 52-58, DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2004.10463332
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ASSURING NOVICE TEACHER COMPETENCY
In Ohio and Japan
Kaye M. Martin
Ohio University: Lancaster
Abstract
This article examines how novice teachers in Japan and in the United States, specijkally in the state of Ohio,
are assessed, evaluated, and supported as they enter the teaching profession. Comparison of practices and
tools that characterize two approaches toward assessment and mentoring reveals important differences in the
competencies assessed for entry into the teaching profession and in beliefs that govern the professional devel-
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opment of new teachers. An emphasis on performance assessment in Ohio is based on the expectation that
teachers will demonstrate disciplinary competence and pedagogical skills prior to being granted professional
licensure. In contrast, the emphasis on mentoring and professional development during the induction year in
Japan reflects a belief that learning to teach takes place gradually within a professional community.
would be helpful to look more closely at the larger agement. Passing scores are established by the state
system of teacher assessment, professional develop- licensing authorities. The tests are administered near
ment and support for new teachers, and to reexam- the end of the teacher education program before the
ine the assumptions we make about how and when institution recommends candidates for licensure. It
to evaluate the competencies of novice teachers. is possible that students may complete all the courses
Looking at practices in educational systems that are and requirements for the teacher education program
different from those we are familiar with may enable and still fail the licensure examinations. However,
us to look more critically at previously taken-for- the expectation is that, if the college or university
granted features of our own systems (Shimahara & program has done its job, a high percentage of can-
Sakai, 1995). didates will eventually achieve a passing score.
A recent visit to Sapporo, Japan, provided this
writer with opportunities for observations in several Teacher Performance Assessment in
Japanese schools and higher education institutions Ohio
and for many conversations with teachers, principals,
and teacher educators. These observations and con- Questions remain about how to evaluate individ-
versations have led to reflections comparing Japanese uals’ ability to apply this knowledge and to demon-
and American approaches to preparing teachers and strate pedagogical skills. Does passing a written test
assessing teacher performance. Two benefits of such mean that a person will be a good teacher? Reflecting
reflections have been an increased awareness of al- the concern that teachers may not be able to transfer
ternative approaches to ensuring begmning teacher theoretical knowledge demonstrated on tests to real
competency and a more critical look at previous as- teaching practice, there has been a search for more
sumptions about how and when people learn to teach. authentic measures of teacher competence.
Ohio is one of several states which have made
ASSURING WELL-PREPARED teacher performance assessments a central feature of
TEACHERS IN OHIO new teacher licensing policies (Ohio State Department
of Education, 1996) and since 2002, teachers in
Ohio have been required during the first two years
Ohio’s Praxis Examinations
of teaching to demonstrate competency through
PRAXIS 111: Classroom Performance Assessments
There has been a long-standing debate in the
in order to receive an initial teaching license. The
United States about how to assess what teachers
criteria that make up the assessment framework are
need to know in order to help students learn. Opin-
based on aspects of teachers’ responsibilities that
ions vary concerning the relative importance of dis-
have been identified through empirical studies and
ciplinary content knowledge, pedagogical skills,
and the employment statistics are so discouraging? to cover the new teachers’ own classrooms during
Professors and public school teachers gave several training days.
reasons that teaching remains a popular career goal. Thirty of the ninety required training days are
The first reason is job security. Once hired, the government-sponsored professional development
teacher can expect to be assigned to various schools provided by prefectures or the Ministry of Education
within the prefecture throughout his or her career. at regional or city educational centers. A school
Common American practices, such as principals’ principal who had, until recently, been Department
observations, performance evaluations, and continu- Chair of Curriculum for the Sapporo Board of
ing education requirements for renewing licenses, do Education, explained that these government spon-
not exist in Japanese schools. There is currently sored professional development opportunities, while
some talk of requiring principals’ evaluations, but valuable, were not always welcomed by the new
this does not usually occur. The emphasis appears teachers themselves. These educational programs
to be on mentoring new teachers, not on assessing are available to teachers as paid days with trans-
their competence. The other major reasons students portation payments and stipends. However, teachers
continue to choose teaching is that the salary is good often complain about these sessions because they
relative to other professions and status is high com- are “too general” and not tailored to teachers’ specif-
pared to other jobs in Japan (T. Grose & D. ic needs (T. Takahashi, personal communication,
Hinkelman, personal communication, April 26, April 23, 2002). This is a complaint frequently
2002). One cannot but compare this to the situation heard from teachers in the United States when they
in the United States where status and pay do not are required to attend district or state inservice edu-
compare favorably with other professions and where cation meetings.
the first few years of teaching are stressful, charac- The other sixty required days of professional
terized by lack of mentoring and frequent evalua- development are provided “in house” by the faculty
tion. Finally, some teachers mentioned that opportu- in the new teachers’ own buildings. The school pro-
nities for temporary paid leave from teaching- vides at least 20 days each year of professional in-
twenty days in the first year-along with generous service for all teachers. New teachers receive at
policies regarding maternity leave made teaching an least 10 more. A significant part of the “in house’’
even more attractive career (3’. Ishi, personal com- professional development takes the form of “the
munication, Aug. 25, 2002). study of teaching” which means that teachers work
collaboratively to develop, teach, and refine success-
Mentoring and Professional ful lessons. This kind of lesson study has been well
Development in Japan described by Lewis & Tshuchida (1 998), Stigler &
Hiebert (1999), and others.
Japanese teachers are well-accustomed to view-
development needed during the induction year. This growth. In contrast, the emphasis on mentoring and
has required teacher education institutions to align professional development during the induction year
the curriculums of their preservice programs with in Japan reflects a belief that learning to teach takes
the criteria that will be evaluated for licensure and place more gradually and in a community of other
to familiarize preservice teachers with the special- teachers. Mentoring is viewed as so important that
ized language of the new assessments. Because the the govemment hires professionals who make it their
state will evaluate teacher education programs on primary responsibility. The new teacher becomes
the basis of the percentage of graduates who pass all part of a group of colleagues who expect to collabo-
assessments, there is increasing concern about estab- rate and assist each other to improve the quality of
lishing preliminary assessments that will predict stu- their teaching.
dent success or failure. In the United States, teachers most often associ-
Ohio’s emphasis on performance-based assess- ate professional observation of their teaching with
ment has given increased importance to the evalua- assessment and evaluation by school administrators.
tion of preservice teachers in field and clinical expe- Hiring and retention decisions are often made based
riences. PathwisePraxis performance criteria must on periodic observations of new teachers in the com-
be taught in on-campus teaching methods classes, plicated context of classrooms where teaching is
and these criteria are often incorporated into the affected by many variables, including unpredictable
forms that are used to evaluate students during field student behaviors. Therefore, professional observa-
experiences and student teaching. tion has come to feel threatening to many teachers.
No wonder that teachers have traditionally gone into
CONCLUSION their classrooms and closed the door. However, the
consequence of this isolation of the teaching act has
Comparison of teacher assessment tools and been that new teachers do not have the advantage of
practices in Ohio with those in Japan reveal some seeing more experienced teachers modeling expert
different assumptions about what are considered practice. This situation may be improving as aware-
important competencies for teachers in each system. ness of the value of mentoring and collaboration
Expectations also differ about when teachers are grows, and teachers are provided with released time
from their classrooms to observe each other. Ohio’s
expected to have learned how to teach. In Ohio,
assessments reflect a belief in the importance of emphasis on mentoring during the entry year is an
both academic content knowledge and pedagogical encouraging sign.
skills, although the emphasis on content knowledge In general, conversations with Japanese teacher
is significantly greater for secondary school teachers educators suggested that the induction year for
than for early childhood teachers. However, a fie- Japanese teachers is viewed as a year for supportive
mentoring and systematic professional development.
increasing the length of student teaching in Japan Administrative Code Chapter 3301-24 as
may facilitate a move toward more performance Adopted October 15, 1996, Effective January 1,
based assessment, while raising passing scores on 1998 (Report No. SP037835). Columbus, OH:
written exams in Ohio will place more emphasis on Ohio Department of Education. (ERIC
mastery of disciplinary content. New regulations Document Reproduction Service No. ED 417
already being implemented in Japan require teacher 187)
education programs to place more emphasis on edu- Shimahara, N. & Sakai, A. (1995). Learning to
cational methods and techniques, learning processes teach in two cultures: Japan and the United
of children, guidance, and other pedagogical con- States. New York: Garland.
cerns, even though this will limit the number of Stigler, J. W. & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching
credits in subject specialization areas, especially for gap. New York: Free Press.
secondary teachers (Usui, 1998). Tsuneyoshi, R. (20011 The Japanese model of
Educators in both places increasingly recognize schooling: Comparisons with the United States.
that professional mentoring must accompany assess- New York: Routledge Falmer.
ment and that mentoring needs to be a major part of Usui, H. (1998, November). From student teacher
induction year programs. It is also becoming more to first-year teacher: The early career develop-
evident to educators in both countries that learning ment of teachers in Japan. Paper presented at a
to teach well is a process which needs to include seminar on Japanese education.
professional knowledge and practice along with dis-
ciplinary knowledge during the preservice years and Kaye M. Martin is a teacher educator whose areas
continues as teachers work together in schools. of specialization include middle school curriculum,
There is a great deal that can be learned by sharing social studies education, and reading. She has a
with each other our different experiences and longstanding interest in Japanese culture and edu-
insights as we address common concerns. cation.
REFERENCES
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