Selected as a Jomo News Opinion 21 Committee Member — First Column Published上毛新聞オピニオン21委員に選出、第一弾を掲載！
The Japanese version of this article is available below.
（このニュースの日本語版は下にあります。）
Opinion 21 is a special series organized by the Jomo Shimbun,
in which experts selected from various fields share their perspectives
for the development and future of our local community.
I am honored to have been selected as one of the Opinion 21 committee members.
As an educator, a contemporary calligraphy artist, and a mother,
I will share my thoughts, experiences from the field,
and the perspectives I believe are essential for our region and society,
expressed in my own words.
The first installment of my contribution was published
in the November 28 edition of the Jomo Shimbun.
Here on this site, I am pleased to share its content.
Though these reflections may be small questions,
I hope they may serve as one meaningful opportunity
to reflect on the future of our community.
A Class That Doesn’t Teach
〜Questions That Draw Out the Power to Think〜
Contemporary Calligraphy Artist：Atsuhiro Amagai (Tontoku)
For the past eight years, I have taught home economics at the secondary division of Gunma International Academy, an immersion school where students learn academic subjects in English.
The classes there are completely different from what I once experienced as a student.
Rather than simply learning domestic skills, students investigate social and environmental issues through the lens of home economics, develop solutions, and turn their ideas into tangible outcomes.
My role is not to provide answers. I only present the conditions. From there, students identify problems on their own, experiment through trial and error, and arrive at answers that are uniquely theirs.
A teacher, in this setting, is not someone who instructs, but someone who walks alongside students as a guide and advisor.
A “class that doesn’t teach” does not mean teaching nothing.
It means creating the foundation and environment that support students in thinking and acting independently.
Many students, without being told, go out after school to conduct street interviews as part of their field research.
Watching them think for themselves and develop solutions rooted in the local community is the true joy of this approach.
Rather than completing assigned tasks, students gain life skills by making their own choices and decisions—and taking responsibility for them.
In an era where artificial intelligence can perform increasingly advanced tasks, what we need most as humans is humanity and originality.
Insight, empathy, and creativity—qualities unique to humans—are the only true strengths we have over AI.
That is why, instead of giving instructions or directives, I pose questions designed to draw out students’ ability to think.
At the high school level, students design and carry out projects based on their personal interests.
Invited by my students, I decided to take on my own challenge: sharing my abstract calligraphy with the world.
I began by researching the current state of calligraphy and learned about the shortage of successors among traditional tool artisans, as well as young people’s growing distance from their own culture.
I wondered if sharing my work in English might allow appreciation and recognition from overseas to return to Japan—perhaps helping younger generations rediscover pride in their cultural heritage.
When I began sharing my work on social media, opportunities followed: collaborations with overseas galleries and brands, as well as workshops at United Nations schools.
The key to success was turning the idea into a structured project and not being afraid of new challenges.
What I hope students gain are non-cognitive skills such as initiative, problem-finding and problem-solving abilities, goal-setting, and cooperation.
These skills strengthen self-esteem and resilience, enabling students to persevere through difficult situations and thrive in society.
Ultimately, they lead to well-being and meaningful careers.
True strength for the future lies not in comparing oneself to others, but in believing in oneself and taking action.
Engaging with art also nurtures this strength.
Through the five senses, art develops observation, imagination, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving skills.
It helps us see the world from multiple perspectives and adapt more flexibly to society.
This is the true learning I wish to share—growth fostered through classes that do not teach, and through art education.
Even at 55, I continue to learn and challenge myself alongside my students.
My nickname, earned for embracing risk, is “the risk-taker.”
Why not begin your own “personal project” as an adult?
You may just discover a new version of yourself.
Profile
Calligrapher (Abstract Calligraphy) /
Teacher at Gunma International Academy Secondary School.
After working as a high school teacher, studied fashion in Italy for four years and later worked as a kindergarten teacher in the United Kingdom.
Graduate of Ota Girls’ High School and Jissen Women’s Universit
上毛新聞が企画する「オピニオン21」は、
郷土の発展と未来のために、各分野から選ばれた有識者が提言を行う連載企画です。
このたびご縁をいただき、
私もオピニオン21委員の一人として選出していただきました。
表現者として、また一人の生活者として、
日々感じていること、現場で見てきたこと、
そしてこれからの地域や社会に対して大切にしたい視点を、
自分なりの言葉で発信していきます。
本日、第一弾となる提言が上毛新聞紙面に掲載されました。
こちらでは、その内容をご紹介します。
小さな問いかけではありますが、
郷土の未来を考えるきっかけの一つになれば幸いです。
教えない授業 考える力引き出す問い
現代書道アーティスト 天海敦篤（とんとく）
英語で他教科を学ぶイマージョン教育を進めるぐんま国際アカデミー中高等部で、家庭科を教えて8年になる。ここでの授業は私が学んだものとは全く違う。家庭分野をテーマに社会・環境問題を調査し、解決策を考え形にする授業だ。私は条件を提示するだけで、生徒は自ら課題を発見し、試行錯誤しながら、自分なりの答えを見つける。教師は教える人ではなく、伴走者であり助言者だ。
「教えない授業」とは、何も教えないという意味ではない。学びの土台と環境を整え、生徒が自ら考え行動することを支える教育である。指示がなくても、放課後、自主的に実地調査のために街頭インタビューを行う生徒も多い。自分の頭で考え、地域に寄り添った解決策を生み出す姿は、まさに教えない授業の醍醐味（だいごみ）だ。与えられた課題をこなすのではなく、自分の責任で選択・決定する経験が「生きる力」を育てる。
人工知能（AI）が高度な処理を担うこれからの時代、私たちに必要なのは人間味と独創性だ。人間にしかない洞察力や共感力、創造力が唯一、AIに勝てる武器となる。だから私は生徒に対し指示・指導するのではなく、考える力を引き出す問いを投げかける。
高校では生徒が自分の興味をテーマにプロジェクトを立案し、実行する授業がある。私も生徒に誘われ、趣味の墨象の海外発信に挑戦した。
まず書の現状を調べてみて、書道具に携わる職人の後継者不足や若者の「自国文化離れ」を知った。そこで、英語で自作品を発信することで海外からの共感や称賛が日本に返り、若者が自国の文化に誇りを持つきっかけになるのではと考えた。交流サイト（SNS）での発信を始めると、海外のギャラリーやブランドから声がかかり、コラボや国連学校でのワークショップにもつながった。成功の鍵は、計画的にプロジェクト化したことと、新しい挑戦を恐れなかったことだ。
私は生徒に主体性、課題発見・解決力、目標設定力、協調性など非認知能力を身に付けてほしい。自己肯定感を向上させ、困難な状況でも粘り強く、社会で生き抜く力を高めるからだ。結果的に幸福度やキャリアへとつながる。人との比較ではなく、自分を信じて行動できる力が、これからの時代を生き抜くための本当の強さだ。
アートに触れることも、その力を高める。五感を通して、観察力や想像・創造力、共感力、問題解決力を育み、世界を多角的に捉える力と社会での適応力を養う。
教えない授業とアート教育で育つ力こそ、私が伝えたい本当の学びだ。55歳の今も、私は生徒と共に学び、挑戦を続ける。リスクを取って挑戦する私の愛称は「リスクテイカー」だ。あなたも「大人のパーソナルプロジェクト」を始めてはどうだろう。きっと新しい自分に出会えるはず。
【略歴】書家（墨象）、ぐんま国際アカデミー中高等部教諭。高校教師を経てイタリアで4年間ファッションを学び、英国で幼稚園教諭を務めた。太田女子高―実践女子大卒