Meiji Gakuin University releases a new video in its “Why Meiji Gakuin University?” series: “Becoming a teacher who is close to children’s hearts”

We have released the latest video in our “Why Meiji Gakuin University?” series, which depicts students considering what they can do now and how they can put that into practice.

This newest video features Maho Suda, a fourth-year student in the Department of Education and Child Development, Faculty of Psychology.

Ms. Suda was raised by parents who are both elementary school teachers, and having also been influenced by a teacher when she was in grade school herself, had already decided by high school that she too wanted to be an elementary school teacher.

“I want to become the kind of teacher who can become close with her students,” she says, “but to do that I need to understand what they’re thinking. I also wanted to learn about the human mind, so Meiji Gakuin was very attractive to me, having a Department of Education and Child Development in its Faculty of Psychology.” Ms. Suda describes some of the many ways she deepened her learning during the four years she spent at Meiji Gakuin, which include not only studying psychology and education, but also practical skills such as playing piano, physical education, and arts and crafts, as well as gaining experience through activities at elementary schools in Yokohama and teacher training at her old school.

She fell in love with the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon when she first saw it while in junior high school, so while applying herself to her studies, she also became manager of the long-distance section of the track and field club. As manager, every day she applies what she has learned through her practical training to her care and treatment of athletes.

Ms. Suda, who is in the final stages of reaching her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher, talks about what she felt throughout her student life at Meiji Gakuin University and her future dreams.

We hope you enjoy this video.