Hitomi Nakamura

Art Education for Children Beyond Conventional Schooling in Japan: Art Education Support in School Refusal Facilities in the Kanto Region

Hitomi Nakamura – Wako University, Tokyo, Japan – attending the congress and presenting the paper virtually

Abstract:

This research investigates the current state of art education in Japanese school refusal support facilities through a questionnaire survey, exploring methods to provide artistic experiences for children. While school refusal stems from multifaceted factors including medical, economic, and psychological dimensions, the study focuses on three educational institutions providing environments for children diverging from conventional educational systems (in Japanese context): Diversified Learning Schools, Educational Support Centres, and Free Schools. In navigating the ‘Unexpected territory’ beyond conventional schooling, this research examines the ‘Shifting ground’ of contemporary educational approaches based on the ‘Permanence in art education’. Over the past decade, the researcher has investigated art education through extensive educational experiences across elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels, and through personal creative and physical expression practices, examining the fundamental significance, content, and methodological approaches of art education in human development. Against the backdrop of Japan’s declining birth rates, school refusal among elementary and junior high school students has followed an exponential growth trajectory since 2011, reaching 346,482 in 2023. The underlying reasons are complex and deeply personal, reflecting intricate interactions between institutional, familial, and individual psychological landscapes. Common threads include interpersonal challenges, environmental disconnection, diminished motivation, and underlying anxieties. A paramount concern of this research is the potential dramatic reduction of artistic educational opportunities for children disengaged from conventional schooling. Art’s unique capacity to help children confront their inner worlds and external realities becomes even more essential in alternative educational contexts. Ultimately, the study aims to illuminate the current state of art education within non-traditional learning environments, investigate existing support structures, and explore innovative approaches to connecting art with school-refusal populations.