Before the start of the school year, what do teachers in other countries do? Preparing for the new school year in the US, Japan, UK, and China
US : Characterized by personal accountability and technology use - teachers spend an average of $500+ per year out of pocket, design collaborative desks and learning corners, and use AI-based lesson planning tools Japan : Organizational culture and emphasis on detailed procedures - morning staff meeting (chorei), new teachers are given a 58-page behavior manual, and detailed classroom management guidelines are followed. UK : Building an inclusive education environment - Individual education plans for students with SEN (Special Educational Needs), clear three-tier decision-making system, time limits for business meetings China : Technology integration and organizational systems - WeChat parent group operation, AI-based class evaluation, textbook analysis and mentoring systemization, blockchain grade management United States: Personal Responsibility and Creative Autonomy American teachers have a high degree of autonomy and personal responsibility, from organizing classroom environments to preparing teaching materials. Texas and Arizona teachers spend an average of $500-$600 out of their own pockets on school supplies, and they often use crowdfunding to make up for budget shortfalls. This personal burden can be seen as a direct result of the cuts in public education budgets following the 2008 financial crisis. In classroom preparation, encourage collaborative learning through circular or U-shaped desk arrangements, and create dedicated spaces for reading or scientific inquiry. On the first day of school, use strategies to reduce anxiety by pre-placing simple activities on the desks that students can do as soon as they arrive. In curriculum development, American teachers design lessons that align with state-specific educational standards such as Common Core, and 72% of schools use ChatGPT-based lesson planners. Classroom rules are made clear with visual posters, such as restroom signage and raising hands when asking questions. As the citizen-led 'Teacher Support' movement spreads, there is a movement of social solidarity, such as raising $1.3 million through crowdfunding, but at the same time, there is a contradiction in that the perception that "education is the responsibility of parents" makes it difficult to increase the budget. Japan: Organizational culture and detailed procedures Japanese teachers’ preparation for the new school year is characterized by organizational culture and detailed procedures. At one Osaka junior high school, new teachers are given a 58-page “April Behavior Manual,” which includes detailed instructions for each class period. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “Three Essential Preparations for New Teachers” lists the preparation of teaching materials for midterms, the establishment of a network of fellow teachers, and the writing of scenarios for parent-teacher consultations as key tasks. At the 'chorei' held at 7:30 every morning, the key schedule for each grade is briefed in 10 minutes. New teachers receive mentoring through 1:1 desk assignments with teachers with 10 years of experience, and must conduct class demonstrations at least three times. For the management of students' personal belongings, name tags (including pencils and water bottles) are mandatory, and 70% of schools will conduct home visits until April 10 to connect with parents. The Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education's "40 Rules for Classroom Management" provides detailed guidance on everything from how to use the blackboard to how to manage students' personal belongings. In particular, the "3-day classroom management simulation" program is designed to provide new teachers with hands-on experience in creating an actual classroom atmosphere. In 2024, the Gifu City Board of Education will introduce a 16-day consecutive summer vacation and school closure system to guarantee teachers mandatory vacation, and will also attempt to improve work efficiency, such as reducing grading time by 63% with an AI grading system. UK: Inclusive education and professional development Teachers in the UK focus on building inclusive learning environments and professional development. At one Manchester secondary school, the SEN coordinator draws up an individual education plan (IEP) six weeks before the start of the school year, and each disabled student is given an additional budget of £2,400 per year, and one-to-one meetings with a teaching assistant are mandatory. The teacher qualification process is rigorous, requiring GCSE English and Maths exams, and a year of teaching experience to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). A postgraduate education program in Birmingham breaks down lesson plan verification into seven stages, with an average of 3.8 feedback cycles for each lesson plan. In the division of work, the three-tier decision-making system of the headteacher, vice-principal, and key stage leader is clearly distinguished, and a middle school in Liverpool limits teacher meeting time to 4 hours and 30 minutes per week and operates a 'strict agenda' system in which all meetings only discuss pre-registered agenda items. Pressure from the National Association of State Education Workers (NASUWT) has led to overtime pay rising to £28 an hour from 2024, and a 2024 report from the London Department for Education found that attainment for pupils receiving SEN support had improved by 34 per cent. China: Digital Integration and Mentoring Systems