“Perception Gaps” Revealed in Survey of 907 Elementary School Teachers, Childcare Workers, and Parents: “Invisible Misunderstandings” Among the Three Parties Brought to Light

Shogakukan Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) conducted an "Education Survey" in collaboration with three of its media outlets: "Minna no Kyoiku Gijutsu," an educational information medium for school teachers; "Hoikuru," a platform for childcare workers; and "HugKum," a parenting medium (226 elementary school teachers, 132 childcare workers, 549 parents, total 907 people).

This survey revealed the structure of discrepancies in perception, or "invisible misunderstandings," existing among teachers, childcare workers, and parents during the important transition period before and after elementary school entry.

1. Gap in Priority Order of "Skills Desired to be Developed" at Elementary School Entry It was found that the priority order of skills emphasized by teachers and childcare workers differed significantly. Figure 1: Priority Order of "Skills Desired to be Developed" (Teacher vs. Childcare Worker Comparison) There was a clear difference in perception between teachers and childcare workers regarding the skills children should acquire by the time they enter school. Teachers emphasize basic behaviors and discipline in school life, such as "self-reliance in daily routines (88.1%)" and "ability to listen to instructions and act (67.3%)." On the other hand, childcare workers prioritize emotional and interpersonal foundations, such as "ability to express emotions in words (70.5%)" and "ability to cooperate with friends (47.7%)." This difference in priorities was shown to be the starting point of the perception gap in school transition.

2. Teachers' Expectations for Nurseries: "Understanding Rules of Group Behavior" Rather Than "Academic Ability" It was found that there was a large discrepancy between childcare workers' perceptions and teachers' actual expectations regarding childcare content evaluation. Figure 2: Comparison of Childcare Worker Perceptions and Teachers' Actual Expectations 50.8% of childcare workers felt that "elementary school teachers think childcare is play-centered and lacks instruction," and 27.3% felt anxious that "they are considered to disregard academic ability." However, the actual percentage of teachers who expected "foundational academic ability" from nurseries was only 1.3%. What teachers actually seek is not an acceleration of academic ability, but "understanding of rules for group behavior (45.6%)."

3. Discrepancy in Teachers' and Parents' Perceptions Regarding "Causes of Learning Difficulties" This point showed the largest perception gap in this survey. Figure 3: Comparison of Perceptions Regarding Causes of Learning Difficulties 57.5% of teachers speculated that parents "might be blaming the school for their child's learning difficulties." On the other hand, only 0.7% (4 out of 549 people) of parents actually responded that "it's okay to leave it to the school." Many parents clearly recognize the role of the family, such as "emotional support (81.8%)," "discipline (75.2%)," and "study habits (61.4%)." Despite the reality that parents are not shifting responsibility for learning aspects to the school, a structure where mutual perception gaps arise was confirmed.

4. Parents Recognize Nurseries as a "Place of Living" More Than Childcare Workers Think Regarding the evaluation of nurseries, there was also a difference in perception between childcare workers and parents. Figure 4: Evaluation of Nurseries (Comparison of Childcare Worker Perceptions and Parent Reality) Only 20.5% of childcare workers perceived nurseries as being evaluated as a "place of living." On the other hand, 50.6% of parents evaluate nurseries not just as a place for temporary care, but as a "place of living" alongside the home. In free-response comments, many parents expressed gratitude towards nurseries. Parents tended to highly value nurseries as a place of living.

5. Three-Layered Structure of Anxiety Regarding the "First-Grade Problem" It was found that even with the same issue, the three parties viewed different layers of the problem. Figure 5: Structure of Anxiety Regarding the "First-Grade Problem" (Teachers, Childcare Workers, Parents) Regarding the challenges in school transition, it was found that the three parties held anxieties from different perspectives. Teachers felt challenges in adult cooperation, such as "gaps in developmental understanding (27.4%)" and "lack of information sharing (22.6%)." Childcare workers were mainly concerned about "handover of support systems (42.4%)," particularly regarding the lack of information sharing on emotional and interpersonal aspects. Parents were most anxious about "friend relationships (51.9%)," significantly outweighing concerns about "keeping up with studies (20.8%)."

The survey results suggest a challenge of "lack of dialogue" This unique survey, which synthesized the voices of teachers, childcare workers, and parents, revealed that the discrepancies among the three parties are not due to conflict, but to a "lack of dialogue." Teachers expect parents to be equal partners, and parents place high trust and gratitude in schools and nurseries. Childcare workers are dedicated to education while emphasizing children's emotional growth. However, because there are not enough opportunities to share their respective perceptions and expectations, understandings different from reality are born, and misunderstandings arise.