Journal of Public and Private Management■ Article ■Vol. 9, No. 1, March 2023, pp. 1-6
ISSN 2189-2490

Reflection on Practice in Education Children
with Special Needs:
Issues Related to Career Education for Music Teachers
Tomoko Yamamoto
Kunitachi College of Music Department of Music Cultures & Education
yamamoto.t@bunkyo.ac.jp
Received: 7, November, 2022

Abstract
This study discusses the outcomes and issues in meeting the educational needs of music teachers
teaching children with special needs in support of their career paths, based upon the career educational
practice of the author.
Some success appears to have been achieved with educational content and methods in understanding
development issues, understanding children with issues, and providing the support required. On theother hand, understanding and responding to relationships with and support for parents, and supportive
environments for music teachers, have their own educational needs, and further development of career
education to support the career paths of music teachers is required in light of these needs.
Keywords : c areer education, career pathways, reflection on practice, music teachers, children withspecial needs

Faculty of Business Administration, Bunkyo University
5-6-1 Hanahata, Adachi, Tokyo 121-8577, JAPANTel +81-3-5688-8577, Fax +81-3-5856-6009
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経営論集Vol. 9, No. 1（2023）pp. 1-6

number of children with developmental issues in

Ⅰ. Prefacemusic studios, will be academically and sociallysignificant to capitalizing on the results of the

I am involved in music education. Special

aforementioned research.

needs education, particularly developmental

Based on the results of a survey conducteddisabilities, may be an issue with regards toafter experiencing the author’s educational

school education in teaching programs andpractice, this study identifies how musicsocial education in music instructor training.

teachers have understood and responded to

In the latter training of music teachers,

developmental issues and the children involved,

difficulties in dealing with group teaching

and how they have changed after experiencing

including children wit h developmenta l

the above educational practice. The outcomesdisabilities is often cited as a particular issue.

and issues in meeting educational needs inMusic education provided by music teachers

support of music teachers with regard toconsists of extracurricular education conducted

the author’s educational practice are themat music studios or teachers’ homes and may bepresented.

based on very definite and occasionally highly

Ⅱ. Purpose and methods

necessary educational needs possibly involving
monthly fees and other burdens. When a childwith developmental issues attends group

The purpose of this study is to develop

teaching, parents may request individualized

support and music education for music teachers

support, resulting in other parents filingworking with children having developmental

complaints to ensure that their children are notissues through a review of the outcomes andaffected. Music teachers may find themselves inissues of the author’s educational practice.

an environment in which they are forced to deal

Based on the results of a survey, how musicwith these issues on their own under restrictive

teachers have understood and responded toc u r r i c u l u m a nd i n s t r u c t o r a s s i g n m e n t

issues and the children involved are listed,

conditions.

and how this has changed over the courseof the educational practice of the reporter is

A previous study examined the practicality

demonstrated.

of music therapists supporting music teachers

The survey was administered to 50

who need to respond to diversifying music1)

education needs in social education, in addition

participants, male and female, through theto specificities differing from regular schoolsponsor of the author’s educational practice,2)

education. Examining issues and measureswith a 20-minute response time immediately

to support music teachers who are in charge

following the reporter’s educational practice.

of music education, including the increasing

In accordance with sponsor intentions, the1participants were asked to provide open-ended

・ Was frustrated in dealing with them.

responses regarding what they found helpful・ Sometimes wondered if they would be able toand their impressions. Prior to the survey, akeep up given how much they could not learn.

verbal explanation was given that the results

・ Sometimes thought teaching would be easier
without child (with issues) present.

would be used for research related to educationand teaching, and ethical considerations weretaken into account so that individuals would not2) Teaching

be identified.

・ Responded to what is likely to happen.
・ Child attending consistently, and working

Ⅲ. Results

hard to listen.
・ Sometimes help outside regular hours.

Participants experiencing the author’s

・ S o m e t i m e s h a d t o r e s p o nd ba s ed o n

educational practice understood and responded

assumptions.

to developmental issues and the children

・ La ck o f opport unit ies t o lea rn a bout

involved beforehand as follows.

characteristics and support for children with
developmental issues.

1 . Understanding of children

・ Personally learned about supporting children（1）Understanding of children with

with developmental issues.

developmental issues

・ Sometimes wonder afterwards if response

・ They are increasing in number.

was appropriate, but difficult to confirm.

・ They seem selfish. (not following directions,・ Susceptible to lack of understanding andloitering, yelling, etc.)

complaints from parents.

・ Seem to be experiencing things for the first・ Group teaching is limited in its ability totime. (sudden inability to do things, self-harm,

support all children and accomplish tasks.

etc.)
The reporter conducted educational（2）Response

practice as follows for participants who

1) Relationship with children

understood and responded to developmental・	Sometimes rushed children to finish theirissues and the children involved as describedassignments in time.

above. The subject matter and content of・	 Sometimes scolded children when they could

educational practice were set after confirming

not do what they seemed able to do or what

and consulting educational needs.

was desired of them.
・	Had a hard time dealing with and teaching
children.

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Vol. 9, No. 1（2023）pp. 1-6

・ Acknowledging what children do and2 . Educational practice of author

praising them.

（1）Content

・ Understanding disabilities and children with

“What are developmental issues?” wasthem.

selected as a question, allowing time for thinking
and exchanging ideas, and it was then confirmed

The following are ways to settle childrenthat there are issues in ‘communication’,who are or appear restless.

‘behavior’, and ‘learning’.

・ First, enter a child’s line of sight.

The following are typical behaviors indicated・ Read their expressions without relying on

regarding the first of these three issues.

words.

・ Difficulty making eye contact.

・ Start things with something that interests

・ Difficulty imagining things that cannot be seenthem.

(feelings, pain, situations, atmosphere, etc.).

・ Keep talking as short and simple as possible.
・ Be specifically visual in expressing things.

The following behaviors were indicatedregarding the second issue.

Avoid unviewable, abstract expressions.

・ Difficulty in places or situations when not・ If plans diverge from the norm, tell the childknowing what to do.

in advance so that they will know.

・ Difficulty adapting to new changes.

・ When getting their attention, be brief, specific,

・ Tendency to be picky.

and positive.

・ Overly sensitive or insensitive.

Instead of saying ‘×× is bad’, try Let’s try ○○’,

・ Noticeably clumsy.

and so on.
（2）Method

The following behaviors were indicatedRather than proceeding in a one-way

regarding the third issue.

direction, an interactive format was adopted so

・ Difficulty listening and understanding whatthat questions could be made up frequently, so

to do.
・ Difficulty concentrating on what is being said.

that participants would have opportunities to・ Difficulty understanding ‘beginnings’ andthink, share and examine their ideas individuallyor collectively, and also to make use of their‘endings’.

experiences.
Then, I confirmed what kind of support

An outline was distributed to eachis generally needed in connection to individual

participant that could be used as a notebook

issues as follows based the outline.

so that they could understand the agenda in・ Avoiding scolding.

advance and provided assistance as needed.

3

After confirming necessary support based

fun and joy of being able to do things.

on issues, the participants were supported in・ Began to feel responsible not only forunderstanding and uncovering further issues

reaching goals, but also being involved withthrough a process of making up specificthe children themselves.

problems as assignments and examining them・ Learned the importance of giving support

individually and as a group.

so they do not give up in trying to do things

We prepared five different specific problems

despite their developmental issues.

and tried to share the results of a wider and・ Realized the importance of understanding

more diverse range of studies by examining

disabilities and children with them.

them as a group and then summarizing them as

・ Reaffirmed that education starts with ’knowing

a whole.

the child’.

The following problems were addressed in・ Was able to learn about the situations andassignments.

circumstances of children with developmental

・ Example 1: ‘I can’t do the necessary steps inissues.

order’.

・ Have a deeper understanding of disabilities and・ Example 2: ‘I can’t do things that look easy’.

children with them, especially their behavior.

・ Example 3: ‘I can’t keep quiet’.

・ Found out there are reasons for children’・ Example 4: ‘Doesn’t listen no matter how many

behavior.

times I try to get their attention’.

・ Learned that problem behaviors in children

・ Example 5: ‘I don’t clean up’, ‘My shoes don’tarise because they are ‘restless’ and ‘want tomatch’, and so on.

settle’.
・ Learned that children will not do something

Participants examined ‘what not to makeunless they want to.

children do’ and ‘effective support for children’・ Able to consider responses based upon thein response to each issue.

situations and circumstances of children.
・ Now know how to respond to actual situations.

3 . Evaluation after educational practice・ Realized the importance of communicating in

The following items were respectively

a positive manner.

identified in the survey regarding the author’s

・ Learned that it is important to give children

educational content and methods.

specific explanations.
・ Learned need to be aware to always speak as（1）Content

if it is the first time.

・ Renewed desire to make learning fun for all

・ Realized the importance of children ‘liking’children.

themselves, not just being ‘able to do’ something.

・ Want to compliment them for sharing in the・ Wondered if the feelings of the adults would

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経営論集

Vol. 9, No. 1（2023）pp. 1-6

affect children.

Ⅳ. Discussion

・ Got hints on the importance of having a
positive and constructive understanding ofBased on evaluations, some successproblems.

appears to have been achieved with the content

・ Thought necessary even for children without

and method of the reporter’s educational

issues in their development.

practice in understanding development issues,（2）Methodunderstanding children with issues, and・ Thought it appeared immediately useful, suchproviding the support required. In particular,
participants positively rated the fact that theyas how to express oneself.
・ Program helped to understand effective

were able to discover problem-solving strategies

responses, such as getting in a child’s line ofthrough discussions with other participants

sight.

based on specific situations that actually needed・ Would like specifically communicate toto be addressed. Assuming that there is achildren what is desired for them to do, withhigh need for such collaborative learning, we

an eye towards what they can do.

would like to improve the program so that it

・ Was able to relate what they actually

can be developed into a collaborative learning

experienced to how they should behave.

experience based on participant experiences.
Even in music education, where achievement

・ Was good to share with other lecturersof goals tends to be emphasized, there was adifficulties and efforts.
・ There were lessons learned in setting up

high level of awareness of one’s role as a support

times and communicating with participants.

person involved in nurturing children, not justgetting them to do something.

・ Issues remained, such as the difficulty of

Despite the limited conditions, we would

dealing with cases in which the cooperation of

like to continue supporting the development of

parents cannot be obtained.

career paths for music educators by sharing

・ Would have liked to set up times for individual

examples of superior practice and difficult

consultation.

cases, so that we can further meet the needs ofteachers involved as educators.

As described a bove, in eva lua t ionsconducted during educational practice,

On the other hand, the reporter’s educational

understanding of and support for content andpractice could not include sufficient content

methods was found, but issues dealing withrelated to parental support, partly because theparents rather than children were unresolved

content was child-centric at the request of theand support was sought.

sponsor. Assuming that there is a considerable
need for education related to parental support, I

5would like this reflected in advance studies andparents remained. On reflection, futurepreparations. I assume that this may have beendevelopment of educational practice requires

influenced by the fact that needs identification

support directly responding to the educational

prior to educational practice was done only

needs of music teachers.

with the sponsors. Based on these reflections,Notes

the group hopes to develop practice based on

1) Saki Matsumoto. What is required for music

the pedagogical needs of music teachers in the

education in local communities?: Possibilities of

future.

support by music therapists for music instructors

Furthermore, participants expressed that

dealing with diversifying needs, Heisei College ofMusic Bulletin 12 (2), 2012, pp. 55-59.

the support environment for teachers involved2) Kenji Yoshida, Hisashi Yoshinaga, Yasuhiro

in education itself is not sufficient. In music

Shimizu, et al. Lecturers of Yamaha Music

studios, for example, curriculums are organizedFoundation talk about their work in pop music:

in such a way that students are required to

The kind of knowledge and technique that cannot

complete group work within 60 minutes, andbe learned at a music college, Pipers, 18 (11),1999, pp. 34-36.

it is common for one instructor to be in chargeof the curriculum with parental support. To

References

reduce the burden on teachers with needs who

Emiko Nakajima, Don’t Give Up! Piano Lesson: An

want to be supported as educators, along with

Effective Lesson Approach for Children withimproving the educational environment, theDevelopmental Disabilities, Yamaha Music Media

task of the reporter is to further develop the

2011.
Kenji Yoshida, Hisashi Yoshinaga, Yasuhiro Shimizu,

content and methods of education, focusing on

et al. Lecturers of Yamaha Music Foundation

support related to learning and psychology.

talk about their work in pop music: The kind ofknowledge and technique that cannot be learned

Ⅴ. Conclusion

at a music college, Pipers, 18 (11), 1999, pp. 34-36.
Masahiro Kawakami, Pianists Evolve, Yamaha MusicMedia 2012.

Based on the results of a survey of music

Saki Matsumoto, What is required for music education

studio instructors, this study attempts toin local communities?: Possibilities of support byreflect on the reporter’s educational practicemusic therapists for music instructors dealing

in understanding and supporting children with

with diversifying needs, Heisei College of Music

issues.

Bulletin 12 (2), 2012, pp. 55-59.

While the author’s educational practiceproduced results in terms of understanding
children and issues, methods for supportingchildren, and support for music teachers,
issues related to understanding and supporting

6

経営論集
Vol. 9, No. 1, March 2023, pp. 1-6
ISSN 2189-2490

特別な支援を必要とする
子どもの教育にかかわる実践と省察：
音楽講師を対象としたキャリア教育にかかわる課題を中心に
山本

智子

概要
本稿では、筆者によるキャリア教育実践に基づいて、特別な支援を必要とする子どもの教育を実施する音楽講師のキャリアパスを支援する教育的ニーズに応えるための成果及び課題に関して検討した。
内容及び方法に関して、発達にかかわる課題の理解、課題のある子どもの理解、必要な支援等に関する一定の成果が得られたものと考えられる。一方、保護者との関係や支援、音楽講師の支援環境に関して、理解や対応にかかわる教育的ニーズがあることが明らかにされ、これらのニーズをふまえて音楽講
師のキャリアパスを支援するキャリア教育のさらなる発展が求められる。

キーワード：キャリア教育、キャリアパス、教育の実践と省察、音楽講師、特別な支援を必要とする子
ども

（投稿日

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TEL：03-5688-8577

FAX：03-5856-6009

http://www.bunkyo.ac.jp/faculty/business/

2022 年 11 月 7 日）

経営論集

Vol . 9, No . 1

ISSN 2189-2490
2023年 3 月31日発行
発行者

文教大学経営学部

石塚

浩

編集

文教大学経営学部

研究推進委員会

編集長

山﨑

佳孝

〒121-8577 東京都足立区花畑5-6-1
TEL：03-5688-8577

FAX：03-5856-6009

http://www.bunkyo.ac.jp/faculty/business/