Aiming to become an educator who can help people anywhere in the world From elementary school teacher to Japanese language teacher in India

 

After five years of experience as an elementary school teacher in Japan, Aya Dobuchi began a new career as a Japanese language teacher in India in June 2024. She says that the turning point in her life began with an exchange program to India in her third year of university. We spoke to her about how she was able to take on the challenge without hesitation when she encountered such a life-changing opportunity, her university life, and how she envisions the future.

 

What kind of schools are Soka Ikeda University India and Setu Bhaskara Academy, where you work?

Soka Ikeda University for Women, India is located in the city of Chennai, a little way out of the city in southern India. The chairman, Dr. Kumanan, said, "If women can receive an education, they can have a huge impact on both the family and society. This impact will extend to children and become the foundation for creating a better future." Soka Ikeda University for Women, India was founded with this idea in mind. Every year, Japanese language teachers visit classrooms in each department to teach all first-year students basic Japanese, such as greetings, and Japanese culture, such as origami. In addition, several times a year, a Japanese presentation competition is held, mainly for students studying Japanese.​Setu Bhaskara School is a school that provides integrated education from kindergarten to high school. We provide classes for students who want to learn Japanese, from the first year of junior high school to the third year of high school, among those who are studying to pave the way for a bright future.​Both Soka Ikeda Women's University and Setu Bhaskara Academy use the same study materials, and aim to pass the N4 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, which is classified as "able to understand basic Japanese." Many Japanese companies have expanded into Chennai, so I think there are many students who want to use Japanese as a tool to get a better job.

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Did you know you wanted to work in education from your student days? What was your student life like?

I learned about Soka education at Soka High School and thought, "If this education spreads, the world will become even more peaceful," which is what originally inspired me to pursue a career in education. When I went on to university and heard the founder's message to "become people who can play an active role on the world stage," I decided to study abroad while I was at university in order to become such a person. I stuck to my "study first" attitude and did not participate in club activities, but instead stayed in the study room at Graduate School of Teacher Education until late at night, focusing on studying English in particular.

I also participated in a JICA study program towards the end of my first year. I stayed in Cambodia for three weeks and learned about how the Japanese government and NGOs support countries that are trying to grow. During this time, I think I started to feel that I wanted to be involved in education in developing countries, rather than studying education in developed countries.

In my third year, I studied abroad at St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi as an exchange student. It was a very stimulating experience, as it was a university where excellent students from all over the world gathered. However, it was a complete change from my life in Japan, where everything was expected and things went as expected, so at first, I struggled just to get by. I was the only Japanese person there, in a place with a different climate, different food, and completely different ways of thinking. I was full of anxiety, but I made up my mind that I had to do it. India is a large country with a population of about 1.4 billion. There are many people living there who are far more diverse than in Japan. Therefore, it is natural that others are different from me, and everyone has a spirit of helping each other, and there are many warm people. There were also many people who were fans of Japanese anime and manga, and they were interested in me as a Japanese person, so before I knew it, I was able to get used to life there. However, there were still strong vestiges of the caste system, and I realized the importance of education, so I wanted to become an elementary school teacher who would provide the primary education that everyone has a right to.​​

Please tell us how you ended up working as a Japanese language teacher in India after graduating from Soka University.

First, I decided to become a local elementary school teacher after graduating from university, and was assigned to Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture. I was enjoying my days there, but gradually I began to feel that I wanted to work at an educational institution based on the philosophy of Soka. While I was discussing my next steps with various people, an Indian person I had met while studying abroad in India approached me about a Japanese language teaching position. I hadn't thought about returning to India, but I was willing to try anything and was happy to be able to work in a place where I fulfilled my mission, so I decided to become a Japanese language teacher in India.​After deciding to go to India, I decided to obtain a Japanese language teaching qualification and started studying through e-learning in November 2023. Before being assigned to Japan in June 2024, I passed all 13 subjects that I had to take in Japan, and I am currently taking my final teaching practice online. There are many people like me who aim to become Japanese language teachers while working, and we have to study in our busy schedules, so I am very grateful for distance learning that allows me to study at home.

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What do you think is the best thing about being a Japanese language teacher?

It has been about 25 years since the Soka Ikeda Women's University of India opened. People who have studied Japanese here are gradually starting to see results, such as working for Japanese companies or studying abroad in Japan. Learning a language other than your native language can change your life for the better. I think the appeal of this job is being able to witness such things. The Japanese I teach will become a weapon for my students' future and help them increase their options in life, so I feel that this is a very meaningful and wonderful job. I never thought I would become a Japanese teacher, but I'm glad I took the plunge without hesitation.

Please tell us your future goals and what kind of person you want to be in the future.

The big theme of my life remains the same as it was when I was in high school: "I want to become an educator who spreads Soka education to the world." I haven't decided what the future holds yet, so I might continue teaching Japanese in India, or I might return to Japan, or I might go to another country. Whatever my choice, my life theme will remain the same, so I want to be someone who can help others wherever I go in the world.

Please give a message to your juniors studying at Soka University.

Soka University is a university that allows you to achieve what you want to do. If you think about what you want to do and find something that you think is "this!", the staff will do their best to help you, so the possibilities will expand as much as you can. Therefore, during your time as a student, I want you to challenge yourself toward your dreams and goals.