Line Connecting Heart to Heart

In the previous article I wrote about loneliness, quoting from Jakucho Setouchi’s ‘Live Loneliness.’
Men, without exceptions, are all lonely. That’s why they talk with others, want others to understand them and try to communicate with others, using any means possible. The main tool for that communication is a language.

NHK’s “Professionals―How to Work” is one of the few TV programs I watch. “Sumikichi’s Open Talk: No.46” introduces Mayumi Kashima, a junior high school teacher, encountering her pupils.

Just as she does, I’ve worked as a high school teacher for over 30 years and had a lot of similar experiences. At any time I tried hard to communicate with my students. If I failed to communicate in the first trial, I tried in the second trial. If I failed again, I challenged for the third, fourth, fifth… Anyhow I tried again and again, patiently, using every possible method I could think of. Not only with the communication with the students, but also with the communication with the teachers I used every thinkable means. And I cannot forget how strongly I was moved when I felt the oneness with my students and teachers, just as Ms. Kashima did with her students.

I had two big problems to solve when I became the principal of Chuo High School in 2001. One was to promote the Super English Language High School program designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The other was to remodel Chuo High School into a completely new secondary school. I was at a loss. “Even one problem is too big for me. I wonder if I can solve two at the same time.”
Anxiety prevented me from sleeping. Sleepless nights continued from April through June. I could not sleep but my brain was sharp enough to think. I said to myself, ”I cannot solve these problems by myself. I need the staff’s help. How can I have heir understanding and cooperation? Soldiers move with orders, but teachers won’t. I will fail if I try to persuade the teachers. I’ve got to appeal to their hearts.”

I began to move. I sat in front of the microphone every Wednesday morning to address my speeches in English. I asked my music teacher to select the theme music for my speech hour. The students would be ready to listen to my speech when the music started. One of the English teachers was asked to study by the MECSST for three weeks. I taught English in his place. I had 16 classes a week. The teaching material was about how Steven Spielberg had became a movie director. I grew whiskers and beard and wore jeans and a pink shirt. The students liked my performances and studied hard.

I used mass communications. I worked on the local newspaper companies, the telecasting company and the NHK. I wanted many Japanese people to know how hard the teachers and students were working at my school.

“Oh, our principal is enthusiastic! We’ve got to work hard.” The staff said to themselves.
Now I was free from anxiety. The teachers began to think for themselves. They proposed new, good ideas. I had only to carry out their ideas.