　・・・民生委員・児童委員として、この9年間、おおぜいの子どもたちを遠くから、また近くから見てきた。
　私が、オッ！と才能の片鱗に注目した子どもがいたのを思い出す。卒業式で自分のメッセージを発表するなかに、たったひとりだけ、透明で真っ直ぐにとぶ声をもった子がいた。あるいは運動会でのダンスがすばらしく、脚さばきが天性の品の良いエンターテイメントになっていた子がいた。茸に非常な関心をもってフィールイドワークをしていた子。他とはまったく異なる視線で俳句を詠んだ子。・・・これらの子どもたちは、芸術家のはしくれである私が、「才能」と思った、プライマルな素質をもっていた。あの子どもたちは、自分の「才能」に気付いただろうか？

　日本の小・中学校教育は、このような子どもたちの素質をのばすことができるだろうか。いや、それ以前に、教師たちはそれら一人一人の素質に気付くだろうか。

　私は、私の人生の最高の先生である樋口カエ子先生を思い出す。小学校に入学して最初に出逢う1年生担任だった。70年前のことだ。しかし、私がいま在るのは、樋口先生の導きのおかげだ。私はいつも、「ありがとうございます、ありがとうございます」と、心のなかで言っている。　

At 1：00 pm, I visited an elementary school in my
area as a civil welfare officer and a officer of com-
mittee of welfare for children. I talked with the prin-
cipal and vice-principal about how the school re-
sponds to children with the new-coronavirus disease.
It was just the time for the lower grades to leave
school, so the children greeted us at the front door
saying "Goodbye!". The boy said, "Goodbye, Pop!" ...
The pop is happy when the children are cheerful and
energetic. Well, it's really the age of the children's
grandfather. I'm an old man.

As acivil welfare officer and a officer of committee
of welfare for children, I have seen many children from
a distance and from a close distance for the past nine
years.
I remember that I paid attention the children who
had a glimpse of talent. ... While announcing their
message at the graduation ceremony, there was only
one child had a transparent and straight voice. Or
there was a child whose dance at the athletic meet
was special wonderful and his leg handling was a
natural and elegant entertaiment. A child who was
doing field work with great interest in mushrooms
with knowledge. A child who wrote haiku with a
completely different line of sight.
... These children had the primal qualities that I, an
artist's feeling and experience, thought of as
"talents." Did those children notice their "talent"?

Can Japanese elementary and junior high school
education extend the qualities of such children?
No, befor that, will teachers be aware of the qual-
ties of each of them?

I remember Kaeko Higuchi, the best teacher in
my life. She was a teacher for the fiest grade I met
when I entered elementary school. It was 70 years
ago. However, I am here now thanks to the guidance
of the teacher Higuchi. I always say in my heart,
"Thank you, thank you the teacher Higuchi."

Tadami Yamada

お気に入りの記事を「いいね！」で応援しよう