Many working adults are studying at Tokyo Mirai University's distance learning program, aiming to acquire teaching licenses and specialized knowledge while balancing work and studies. Ms. Odajima, who says, "I didn't want to give up on my dream because of my age," is one of them. In her 40s, she decided to become an elementary school teacher and enrolled in the distance learning program of the Department of Child Psychology at Tokyo Mirai University while continuing to work and raise children. Supported by her classmates and teachers, and with the support of the university, Ms. Odajima has moved forward. We asked her about what motivated her to enroll, her thoughts on elementary school education, and her goals after graduation.
"Age doesn't matter"—those words gave me the courage to take a step forward.
It was more than five years ago that Ms. Odajima decided she wanted to become an elementary school teacher, while she was working as a recruitment officer for a company.
"I've had job seekers tell me, 'I decided to join the company because of you, Odajima-san.' It makes me really happy when my interactions with people help them become more positive or bring them joy, and that's where I find my work rewarding."
Around that time, she witnessed her own elementary school-aged child growing positively through their interactions with their teacher. "Until then, as a recruitment officer, I had been working with university and high school students, but my desire to become an elementary school teacher and work with children during the crucial period of their development gradually grew stronger," she says.
The decisive push came when I obtained a career consultant qualification to use in my recruitment work. When I received counseling from a career consultant, I casually confided, "I'm interested in becoming an elementary school teacher, but it's too late, isn't it...?" to which the consultant encouraged me by saying, "Age doesn't matter."
Thus, Ms. Odajima began her journey to obtain an elementary school teacher's license. The first thing that came to mind was Tokyo Mirai University, which offers a distance learning program. "It's a university I've been interested in ever since I started thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher," says Ms. Odajima. "I wanted to study while continuing to work, so I considered universities from the perspective of how easy it would be to continue studying, and I transferred to Tokyo Mirai University's distance learning program, where I could acquire credits in a short, intensive period."
Work, childcare, and studying—the reason I was able to balance all three with limited time.
The "two-semester, eight-term system" adopted by Tokyo Mirai University's distance learning program divides the year into six-month semesters, which are further divided into terms of approximately one month each, allowing students to focus on studying two subjects per month. Ms. Odajima said she was helped by the "high degree of freedom" that allowed her to decide which subjects to put into which terms. "Because I was able to control my own schedule, such as not scheduling demanding subjects during busy periods at work, I was able to study in a way that wasn't too stressful. Studying at Tokyo Mirai University was like a stamp rally, and it was fun. Every time I earned credits for one subject, then two, I felt like I was getting a stamp and moving forward towards my goal," she said.
Furthermore, regular exams can be taken online, and checking course registration status, credit acquisition progress, and report submissions can all be completed through the web system.
"The web system is very easy to understand, and I can check how many credits I've earned so far and how far along I am in the courses I'm currently taking. I can study smoothly without getting lost or worried."
Even so, there were difficulties right after starting school. Work, childcare, and now "studying"—I had to balance all three. Because it was difficult to find uninterrupted study time, I made full use of "spare time," dedicating early mornings before the children woke up, travel time, and the time before bedtime to studying.
"The hardest part was when university classes, studying for the elementary school teacher certification exam, and raising children all came together. The deadlines for class reports, work deadlines, and studying for the certification exam all piled up, and it was a really tough time," says Odajima, recounting her struggles, but her expression is surprisingly bright. That's because she had an encounter that made all the hardships worthwhile.
The friends and teachers I met during the schooling sessions supported me when I was about to give up.
It is said that distance learning universities can easily lead to a lonely learning experience. In this context, Ms. Odajima says that the on-campus courses were a great source of support for her.
Schooling subjects are courses in which students receive direct instruction from teachers through face-to-face classes or online classes. Tokyo Future University offers "text-based schooling subjects" for some courses related to obtaining an elementary school teacher's license, where students learn the basics from textbooks and then learn practical content in face-to-face classes.
Initially, Ms. Odajima only intended to take the bare minimum of required courses through text-based learning, but her mind changed after actually visiting the campus. This was because she met many like-minded individuals who shared the same goals. Among them were many working adults, just like herself, who were studying while working. Some were even retiring and returning to education. A sense of camaraderie developed, a feeling that "we're all working hard," which became the driving force to overcome difficult times.
Furthermore, she was able to learn about the perspective of "standing at the front of the classroom" from teachers with extensive experience as elementary school teachers. "The mock lessons were especially fun. We worked in groups of 3-4 people to plan lessons, actually conducted them, and received feedback, which allowed me to concretely imagine what it would be like to teach children." She said she was able to get a real feel for what is required in education today, such as initiative and life skills.
Through my teaching practice, I developed the ability to see the "root cause" of children's behavior.
One of the reasons I'm glad I chose to attend Tokyo Future University is that I was able to study "child psychology." For example, let's say there's a child who behaves in a way that makes adults think, "Huh?" and feel something is off. At first glance, it might seem like problematic behavior, but if you look at the background, you can start to see the cause of the behavior.
In fact, Ms. Odajima studied "child psychology" in a class at Tokyo Future University before undertaking her teaching practice. As a result, she says she naturally began to consider the background behind children's behavior. "When I interact with my own children, I no longer immediately say, 'Do it this way.' Even if they don't do their homework, I now tend to first think, 'I wonder if something happened,'" Ms. Odajima told us.
Now in her second year at Tokyo Future University, Ms. Odajima has already earned most of the necessary credits and has completed the first stage of the teacher recruitment exam, steadily approaching her goal of becoming an elementary school teacher.
"Looking back, I feel that everything I've experienced has led me to where I am today. I was able to apply the attitude I developed as a recruiter—listening to people and engaging in dialogue—to my teaching practice. I want to use what I've cultivated throughout my life to help children grow in a positive way."
"I don't want to regret not doing it" - What I want to tell everyone who is hesitating.
Having been a working adult for over 20 years, Ms. Odajima is facing a major turning point in her life. "If I become an elementary school teacher, I want to interact with children in a way that creates a safe environment where they can think positively, like, 'I want to try doing this,'" she says, expressing her aspirations for the future.
Finally, we asked for a message for working adults who are considering retraining.
"I myself struggled many times with whether I could balance work and childcare. I had a stable job at a reputable company, and I had no complaints about my life at the time, working while raising children. But I wanted to become an elementary school teacher. And I thought that if I missed this opportunity, I would never be able to try again." It wasn't smooth sailing, nor was it easy. But small steps accumulated and led to big results. Ms. Odajima has moved forward with that feeling in mind. "So I want everyone to think about 'how they want to live their lives.' And if you're hesitating, I want you to try. I want you to move forward without letting age be an excuse."
Tokyo Future University, Faculty of Child Psychology, Department of Child Psychology, Distance Learning Program
Mr. Odajima
After graduating from a vocational school specializing in tourism, I worked at a hotel. Later, I changed jobs to an automotive company, where I was in charge of recruitment. Aiming to become an elementary school teacher, I enrolled in the third year of the distance learning program at Tokyo Future University in October 2024.
