Fumie Hirayama:
This is our head teacher, Mr. Tom. Thank you for joining us.

Tom:
Thank you for having me.

Fumie Hirayama:
First of all, could you introduce yourself?

Tom:
Yeah, my name is Mr. Tom. I've been at Mirai for nearly six years. I started as the Homeroom Teacher for the Aster class (5-6-year-olds), and now I am the head teacher for the school.

Fumie Hirayama:
Thank you. Wow, six years! That's quite a long time. Before becoming the head teacher, you worked as an emergency teacher assisting all classes at Mirai, so you are quite knowledgeable about all age groups and Mirai’s English education. From your point of view, what do you think of Mirai's educational philosophy?

Tom:
I think, first of all, everyone, including teachers and parents, needs to realize that there isn't just one set way to learn a language. In a diverse environment, every student is different. The way they react to certain things is different, the way they learn is different, and the way they socialize is very different. As a school, we look to not only help students improve academically but also support them mentally, emotionally, and socially. We aim to create an environment where teachers, or "guiders," help push students in the right direction and encourage them to make mistakes, try their best, and try new things. Through this, students improve significantly, whether it's in English, Montessori skills, fine motor skills, or social skills. Our philosophy is to focus on a whole range of factors that contribute to making these students global citizens.

Fumie Hirayama:
It sounds really challenging for the teachers as well.

Tom:
Yeah, but I do think teachers have fun. And I think that's the main part. The teachers at Mirai love all the students and enjoy spending time with them, which creates a constant relationship and rapport between teacher and student. This really helps encourage students to try their best in each class.

Fumie Hirayama:
So to make this happen, the classroom setting and teacher-student relationship are important. How many students are there in each class now?

Tom:
Absolutely. Right now, we have four classes for English education. The Poppy (2-3 years old) class has around 11 to 12 students, and the Clover (3-4 years old)  class has about 24 students overall, with 12 in each class. The Daisy (4-5 years old) class also has 24 students overall, with 12 in each class, and the Aster (5-6 years old) class is the same.

Fumie Hirayama:
We value the time the students can spend time surrounded by English environment. In small groups, students can get personalized attention and have more opportunity to speak with the teachers and among students, which helps them build confidence and improve their English skills more effectively. 

As a management member, how do you support teachers to maintain the standard of education?

Tom:
We believe that one teacher is responsible for around 12 students, which is manageable for teachers. The teachers at Mirai are all professionals and passionate about teaching and seeing students grow. All staff members and teachers work incredibly hard to help students meet their goals and maintain their personal goals. As management, we look at how a teacher handles a class with that many students and how we can support them to improve. We don't just push teachers into the deep end. We look for signs that an area might need improvement or that a teacher excels in a certain area. Then we support them to become the best they can be.

Fumie Hirayama:
It sounds like teachers have good support and supervision and can go to you, upper management, or senior teachers when they have difficulties. I believe we have a good support network. 

Let me move onto more about the education itself. Before entering Mirai, most of the students don’t have experience in an English environment, and new students enter an all-English environment for the first time here. It’s really common that parents are worried about that kind of big environment changes.

How do you create a comfortable and engaging environment for students who may be experiencing English for the first time?

Tom:
With English education, one thing we look at is that this could be the student's first exposure to English, which is really important. Building that first relationship and contact with English between teacher and student is crucial. 

Fumie Hirayama:
How do teachers help students specifically in order to build the relationship with the students?

Tom:
We aim to create a comfortable environment and ensure students don't feel pressured to do things they don't want to do. We offer students choices in what they do, and teachers are responsible for creating an engaging environment. If a student isn't involved in a specific class, the teacher rethinks how to get the student involved, what materials to use, and what strategies to implement. Through this, teachers improve their relationship with students and help them improve their English.

Fumie Hirayama:
How do you adapt your approach to accommodate different age groups and learning levels within the same theme-based curriculum?

Tom:
Our theme-based curriculum is designed with this in mind. By focusing on specific themes each week or month, we create a structured yet flexible learning environment. Teachers create an environment where students want to learn and be involved in English class. 

Fumie Hirayama:
Could you tell us any examples how teachers create those kind of environments?

Tom:
For example, when we look at the theme of animals, Clover (3-4 years old) students might focus on identifying animals by sight, while Aster (5-6 years old) or Daisy (4-5 years old) students might identify by sound or specific features. Though it's the same topic, there are different levels to challenge and push students forward. 

Fumie Hirayama: You mentioned creating a comfortable environment and not pressuring students, which is influenced by Montessori education. What aspects are shared between Montessori and English education here?

Tom:
Although the curriculum differs, the English floor and the Montessori floor share a similar philosophy. Not forcing students to do things, creating a comfortable environment, and giving students choices are key aspects. We don't limit students' abilities because each student learns differently. If one student can't learn in a specific way, teachers should provide the resources and methods for them to learn in another way. For example, some students might not like working from a workbook, so instead of sitting down with a workbook, they might prefer working on whiteboards or doing worksheets involving cutting and sticking. The goal and purpose are the same, but there are different ways to reach the goal. 

Fumie Hirayama:
We have been working in an educational field for a long time. A big issue in Japan remains that English proficiency is not very high. You have worked at several schools. Here at Mirai, what kind of approach is efficutive for the students?

Tom:
Before joining Mirai, I had experience working at an Eikaiwa school, where I found that the focus was often more on providing after-school care rather than deeply enhancing students' abilities. I experienced using some methods like drilling, where students repeatedly practice phrases without necessarily understanding their meaning, and I found that it is a commonway to input English to young learners. While this approach has its place, it doesn’t always reflect natural language use.

In contrast, Mirai takes a different approach. We emphasize engaging students through thematic and topic-based learning rather than repetitive drilling. In my experience, drilling involves students repeating words and phrases without understanding the meaning, which isn't natural for real-life use. Our approach allows students to connect concepts to their own experiences and fosters a more natural use of language. For example, we use open-ended questions such as, "Do you know what this is?" to encourage critical thinking and diverse responses.

While the students’ English might not always be perfect, we value their efforts to communicate and their willingness to step out of their comfort zones. This approach, which prioritizes meaningful interaction over rote repetition, aligns better with real-life language use and supports deeper learning.

Fumie Hirayama:
Thank you for sharing your insightful experiences and observations. Your perspective highlights the fundamental differences in teaching philosophies between other types of English conversation classes and Mirai. By encouraging students to think critically and relate concepts to their own lives, we foster a more organic and effective learning environment. It's reassuring to hear that, even when students' output isn't perfect, their effort to communicate in English and step out of their comfort zones is evident. This approach not only enhances their language skills but also builds their confidence and critical thinking abilities. Throughout your teaching experience at Mirai, you might have some memorable classes. Can you share some examples where you taught real-life events and scenarios to make lessons more engaging and relatable for students?

Tom:
Yeah, I think a lot of them come from real-life events, like the World Cup or the Olympics. When we look at real-life events or scenarios that students can watch and actively look at, they can relate them to their own lives. Giving these real-life examples helps students learn about other cultures and expand their ideas beyond Japan. For example, during the Tokyo Olympics, I did a role-play where students created their own flags, and we recreated an Olympic opening ceremony. Students put what they made into a role-play, using specific words and feeling a sense of responsibility in the class. This kind of activity is really important for students.

Fumie Hirayama:
I like how you use real-life sports events in your teaching. I still remember how much students enjoyed that “Opening Ceremony.” It's great that these activities help students connect with the world beyond Japan and learn about different cultures. You mentioned that you enjoy teaching here at Mirai and that it's rewarding to see students overcome their own challenges. Can you tell us more about how the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our teachers contribute to this positive environment and help the students grow?

Tom:
I enjoy teaching here. Seeing students happy is one of the main reasons. It's really rewarding to see students who are shy and feel like they can't do something conquer their own battles and feel happy with themselves. Apart from that, the freedom teachers have here is great. We don't ask teachers to change their English or experiences to match some Japanese standard. We have teachers from England, Japan, the Philippines, America, and other places. Each teacher has different experiences, and those experiences help students learn. I'm very grateful that we can provide this kind of education for students, which they might not get elsewhere.

Fumie Hirayama:
Thank you so much, Mr. Tom, for sharing your experiences and insights today. It's clear that your dedication and passion for teaching play a significant role in creating a nurturing and effective learning environment at Mirai. From the personalized attention in small class sizes to the thoughtful integration of real-life events into lessons, your approach to education is truly inspiring. Your commitment to supporting students not only academically but also mentally, emotionally, and socially, highlights the holistic philosophy of Mirai. We are fortunate to have such a diverse and experienced team of teachers who bring their unique perspectives and skills to help our students grow and thrive. Thank you again for your time and for all the incredible work you do here at Mirai.