“Manabiya Yumenomori” aims to seamlessly teach children from 0 to 15 years old by combining a certified childcare centre (Kodomoen) and a compulsory education school. We asked the Designers Sakuma and Niitsuma, who currently work at the Kodomoen, what they feel about the day-to-day life of childcare.
※「学び舎 ゆめの森」では教師・保育教諭を「先生」ではなく「デザイナー」と呼んでいます。
*At Manabiya Yumenomori, the teachers are called “Designers”.
Profile
Kayako Sakuma Designer/Homeroom Teacher (4-year-olds) has worked as a nursery teacher in Okuma since 2007, before the earthquake. After that, she worked in administration as an employee of Okuma Town Hall, and in 2023 she returned to being a nursery school teacher, and now works at Yumenomori. When she was a child, she loved to play all over in the mud. She is also a mother of three children.
Niitsuma Mizumi Designer/Homeroom Teacher (2-year-olds) was aiming to become a nursery school teacher during her junior college days. She spoke to Watanabe Hayase, the manager (vice-principal) of the “Manabiya Yumenomori” campus briefing session, and felt a sense of “freedom”. A sense of “certainty”. While she enjoyed her own days during kidnergarten, she still thinks “I still want to play, is this why I decided to work in a kindergarten?”
少人数だからできる多様性あふれる保育
A unique kind of childcare that can only be done with a small number of children
―デザイナーとして大切にしていることは何ですか？
– What do you value as a designer?
佐久間デザイナー：子どもが遊びに集中できる環境をつくることを意識しています。「探究」モードになる瞬間を見逃さないで、熱中し続けられるようにサポートしたい、と思っています。子どもを遊びに熱中させたい、ドキドキわくわくのある保育をしたい、と。
Designer Sakuma: We are conscious of creating an enviroment where children can concentrate on playing. I want to support you so that you don’t miss the moment when you enter “exploration” mode and you can continue to be enthusiastic. I want my children to be enthusiastic about playing and I want to provide exciting childcare.
「今日の保育はこれをやろう」と私なりに計画していても、私がやりたいことと、子どもが興味を持つことって必ずしも一致しないんですよね。だから計画にこだわらず、子どもの興味や探究したいことにできるだけ合わせています。
Even if I have my own plan for what to do today’s childcare, what I want to do and what my child is interested in don’t always match. That’s why I don’t get hung up on the plan, and I try to match the children’s interests and what they want to explore as much as possible.
私は4歳児の担任ですが、船や車が大好きな男の子がいて。暑い季節と言うこともあり「船を作ってみようか」と声をかけたところ、毎日夢中で作り続けて……。
I am in charge of a 4-year-old child, and there is a boy who loves ships and cars. Since it was the hot season, he said, “Let’s try building a ship.”
そうすると、1隻目、２隻目、3隻目、作るたびに新しい工夫が増えていくんですよ。誰も教えていないのに、本当に子どもってすごいな、って。
Then, every time you build the firs, second, third ship, new ideas will increase. Children are really amazing, even though no one has taught them.
他にも、いま虫に夢中な子がいて、「今日もダンゴムシ探しに行こう！」と4日連続で言うので、4日連続で一緒にダンゴムシを探しました。連続で探しに行くと、昨日居たところにダンゴムシがいない、って気づいたり。その子に「なぜ？」が生まれます。あと、天気がカラカラの日はダンゴムシが居ない、それも「なぜだろう？」って。大きいダンゴムシはどこにいるのかとか、ダンゴムシの飼い方や不思議を子どもと一緒に図鑑で調べたりしています。
There is another child who is obsessed with insects, and he said, “Let’s go looking for pill bugs where I was yesterday!” When I went looking for it in a row, I noticed that there were no pill bugs where I was yesterday. “Why?” is born to the child. Also, when the weather is dry, there is no pill bugs. With my child, I look up where the big pill bugs are, how to keep pill bugs, and wonders in the picture book.
これまでの保育では、図鑑で調べるまではいかなかったんですよね。子どもたちに影響を受けて、私の探究心も伸びているみたいです。
Until now, in childcare, I didn’t have to look it up in a picture book. It seems that my curiosity is growing under the influence of children.
新妻デザイナー：私は２歳児を担当していますが、子どもたちの興味の対象を広げる手助けをしたい、と思っています。先日も、遊びを思いついて提案したんです。「たんぽぽ」、「アリ」など昆虫や植物を９つ挙げてスタンプラリーにして、教室の外で探す探検がしたい！って、ひらめいて。（笑）
Designer Niitsuma: I work with the two-year-olds, and I want to help them expand their interests. The other day, I came up with a game idea and proposed it. I want to make a stamp rally for insects and plants such as “dandelion” and “ant” and explore to find them outside the classroom! I had an epiphany. (lol)
「いいじゃん、やってきなよ」と、渡辺マネージャーや他のデザイナーから後押ししてもらって実現。子どもたちが夢中で探検している様子が嬉しくて！
Manager Watanabe and other designers encouraged me to make it happen. I’m happy to see the children enthusiastically exploring!
ゆめの森では、子どもはもちろん、デザイナーである私のことも、一人の人間として見てくれて、個々の考えや意見に向き合ってもらえる、そんな風に感じています。
At Yumenomori, I feel that not only the children but also myself as a designer are seen as a human being, and their individual thoughts and opinions are dealt with.
「学び舎 ゆめの森」だからできること
―「学び舎 ゆめの森」ならではの魅力をおしえてください。
What you can do only at “Gakusha Yumenomori”
―Please tell us about the unique charm of Gakusha Yumenomori.
佐久間デザイナー：0〜6歳のこども園の子が、ごく自然に小学生と鬼ごっこできる環境ですね。学年が違うと話しづらい、という雰囲気がまったくなくて、気付いたらお姉さんお兄さんとすーっと交わり、一緒に遊んでいます。
Sakuma Designer: It’s an environment where children aged 0 to 6 can naturally play tag with elementary school students . There is no atmosphere at all that it is difficult to talk to each other because we are in different grades.
こども園の中でいうと、各年齢に担任を置く担任制ではあるんですが、クラスの垣根がなく全員の成長が見渡せます。年長児が１歳児に合わせて遊んだり、身振り手振りだった子に言葉が増えたり、日々驚きと喜びの連続です。
In Kodomoen, there is a homeroom teacher system for each age group, but there are no class barriers and you can see the growth of everyone. Older children play along with 1-year-olds, and children who used to be gesticulating with their hands have more words.
新妻デザイナー：認定こども園と義務教育課程の関わりは、ゆめの森ならではですよね。子どもたちがお兄さんお姉さんを真似したり、お兄さんお姉さんが給食を食べる様子を見て影響を受け、今まで食べなかった食材を食べはじめた子もいます。
Designer Niitsuma: Yumenomori is unique in the relationship between the Center for Early Childhood Education and the compulsory education curriculum. Children imitate their older brothers and sisters, and seeing how their older brothers and sisters eat school lunches has inspired some children to start eating ingredients that they had never eaten before.
佐久間デザイナー：デザイナー同士も、こども園のデザイナーと義務教育過程のデザイナーがしょっちゅう顔を合わせたり、研修を一緒に受けたり。こども園だけ、義務教育過程だけ、ではなく0歳から15歳まで先を見越して、広い視野で保育できるのが面白いです。
Sakuma Designer: Among the designers, the designer at the kindergarten and the designer in the compulsory education process often meet each other and receive training together. It’s interesting to be able to take care ofchildren from 0 to 15 years old from a broad perspective, not just at the kindergarten or the compulsory education process .
「やってみたい」を後押ししてくれる場所
―デザイナーとして取り組みたいことはありますか
A place that encourages you to “try”
―Is there anything you want to work on as a designer?
佐久間デザイナー：全身を使ってドロドロになって遊んだり、ボディーペインティングしたり。私が子どもの頃にやりたくてもなかなかできなかった遊びを、取り入れたいです。
Designer Sakuma: Using the whole body to get muddy and play, and body painting. I want to incorporate play that I wanted to do when I was a child but couldn’t do it.
「遊びって楽しいな」と感じてほしい、今だけしかできないことに、とことん熱中してほしい、って思います。たとえば砂場を使って水路をつくる遊びをするなら、次の日も、その次の日も「やりたい」と言ったら続きをする。そうして1週間くらいかけて熱中できる環境があると、砂場の外に水路を広げたり、水路の深さを変えたり。工夫する力、深く考えられる力がつくのではと思うんです。
I want them to feel that “playing is fun,” and I want them to be completely absorbed in what they can only do now . For example, if you are playing with a sandbox to create a waterway, the next day and the day after that, if you say “I want to do it”, you will continue. Then, when I had an environment where I could get absorbed in it for about a week, I expanded the waterway outside the sandbox and changed the depth of the waterway. I think it will give you the power to be creative and the power to think deeply.
新妻デザイナー：ゆめの森は「やってみたい」を実践できるなって。通常は、子どもの人数が多かったり、「これはできないよね」と決めつけざるを得なかったりする場面があると思うんです。でもゆめの森なら、工夫次第でできちゃいます。
Niizuma Designer: Yumenomori is a place where you can put into practice what you want to do. Normally, I think there are situations where you have a lot of children, or you have no choice but to decide, “I can’t do this.” But with Yumenomori, you can do it depending on your ingenuity.
私自身も幼稚園児の頃、「決められたことを毎日する」のが嫌だったんです。なんで毎日繰り返してるんだろう、って。だからこそ、ゆめの森の子どもたちは自由に、やりたい遊びにとことん集中してもらいたいです。
When I was in kindergarten, I didn’t like “doing what was decided every day”. I wondered why I was repeating myself every day. That’s why I want the children of Yumenomori to be free to concentrate on the play they want to do .
子どもと自由に関わりたい……そんな夢が叶う場所
―デザイナーを志望した理由を教えてください
I want to interact freely with children…a place where such a dream comes true
―Please tell us why you wanted to become a designer.
佐久間デザイナー：もともとは、大熊町の保育所で保育士をしていました。その後は大熊町役場の教育総務課で事務職を経験。いま３歳、5歳、7歳の子どもがいて、産休や育休が多かったんです。ゆめの森から「デザイナーとして保育教諭に戻らないか」と声をかけていただいた時、12年ぶりの復帰になるので、正直迷いました。でも、大好きな子どもと関わりたい、という想いが勝ち、デザイナーになりました。
Designer Sakuma: Originally, I was a nursery teacher at a nursery school in Okuma Town. After that, he experienced a clerical job at the education general affairs section of the Okuma town office. I have children aged 3, 5, and 7 now, and I had a lot of maternity leave and childcare leave. When Yumenomori asked me if I wanted to go back to being a nursery school teacher as a designer, I honestly hesitated because it would be her first return in 12 years. However, my desire to interact with my beloved child won out , and I became a designer.
新妻デザイナー：大熊町は母の地元で、思い入れのある町でした。保育教諭を目指して短大に行き、就職先を考えているときに、説明に来てくださったのが渡辺マネージャーです。「生涯幼稚園児」という理念や、「時間割がない」などのお話を聞き、パンフレットを見ているだけでワクワクしました。実際に働いてみて、イメージしていた通りで、ギャップを感じることはなかったです。
Niitsuma Designer: Okuma-machi was my mother’s hometown and was a town that I had a special affection for. I went to a junior college with the aim of becoming a nursery teacher, and when I was thinking about where to find a job, Manager Watanabe came to give me an explanation. She was excited just by looking at the pamphlet when she heard about the philosophy of “lifelong kindergartener” and “no timetable” . When she actually worked, it was exactly as she had imagined, and she didn’t feel any gaps.
個性あふれる子どもたちと、元気に楽しく遊びませんか？
―これからデザイナーを目指したい人へ、メッセージをお願いします。
Would you like to have fun and play with children full of individuality?
―Please give a message to people who want to become designers.
佐久間デザイナー：2023年4月から仮の校舎で始まったこども園ですが、子どもたちもデザイナーたちも、日々活発に活動していて、園内外に子どもたちの元気な声と笑い声が響きわたっています。「遊び」を大切にしながら、子どもたちのためにやってみたいことを実現しやすい環境です。私たちと一緒に保育のデザイナーになりませんか？
Designer Sakuma: The Children’s Center started in a temporary school building in April 2023, but both the children and the designers are active every day, and the cheerful voices and laughter of the children resound inside and outside the school. It is an environment that makes it easy for children to realize what they want to do while valuing “play” . Would you like to become a childcare designer with us?
新妻デザイナー：2023年9月から新校舎での保育になります。いよいよ始まる0〜15歳が共に学ぶ学校のスタートに、私自身もわくわくしています。子どもたちと一緒に、毎日元気に遊びましょう！
Niitsuma Designer: From September 2023, childcare will be provided at the new school building. I am also very excited about the start of the school where 0 to 15 year olds can learn together . Have fun playing with your children every day!
子どもたちの遊びを通して、自身も遊んでいるかのような佐久間デザイナーと新妻デザイナーのお話。今後、さらにたくさんのドキドキ、ワクワクが生まれるんだろうなと感じました。
A story of designer Sakuma and designer Niizuma who seem to be playing through children’s play. I felt that more excitement and excitement would be born in the future.
「学び舎 ゆめの森」では、子どもたちの遊びと学びをデザインする「デザイナー」を募っています。保育の「やってみたい！」を、デザイナーの仕事で叶えてみませんか？
At Gakusha Yumenomori, we are looking for designers to design children’s play and learning. Would you like to make your childcare dream come true through the work of a designer?
