まだまだ寒い日が続きますが、皆さまいかがお過ごしでしょうか。気がつけば、もう1月も最終日となりました。

この機会に、保護者の皆さま、スタッフ、市や県の関係者の皆さま、会計士の先生、英語や体育の先生、幼稚園写真館の方、保険屋さん、電気屋さん、歯医者さん、遊具の業者さん、そしてその他たくさんの方々に、心より感謝申し上げます。皆さまのサポートがあってこそ、諏訪幼稚園は成り立っております。

先日、写真館の方から「少子化の影響で、多くの幼稚園が園児数減少に苦労している」と伺いました。確かに、これは避けて通れない課題です。しかし、まだまだ勉強中ではありますが、諏訪幼稚園をより活気ある、魅力的な場所にしていく決意です。

写真館の方から、かつて諏訪幼稚園には1学年2クラス、100人を超える園児がいたともお聞きしました。その話を聞いたとき、映画『ニュー・シネマ・パラダイス』のライスを投げるシーンが思い浮かびました。あの懐かしく、美しい光景のように、幼稚園にも輝かしい時代があったのです。

今はそのような大規模な運営を目指すわけではありませんが、少人数だからこそできる、温かみのある保育を大切にしながら、新しい価値を加えていきたいと考えています。

もちろん、簡単な道のりではありません。しかし、伝統を大切にしながら、新しい教育の価値を提供し、地域の皆さまにとって持続可能な付加価値のある教育を幼稚園を目指します。また、多くの方から「もっとアピールしたほうが良い」とのアドバイスをいただきました。ありがとうございます。

そこで、1月から園庭の整備や、食育・農業体験の拡充、ホームページでの活動紹介の充実など、新しい取り組みを始めています。今後、これらの活動をさらに加速させ、諏訪幼稚園の魅力をもっと多くの方に知っていただければと思っています。

もし、入園募集の広告を目にする機会がありましたら、どうか温かい気持ちで見守っていただけると幸いです。また、もしお知り合いの方で諏訪幼稚園にご興味をお持ちの方がいらっしゃいましたら、お声がけいただけると嬉しいです。

皆さまと一緒に、新しい美しい思い出を作れる日を楽しみにしています。

— 月の終わりに、一つお願いをさせていただきました。皆様、何卒よろしくお願いいたします。

A Note from the New Kindergarten Manager

The cold days continue, and I hope you are all staying warm. Time flies—it’s already the end of January.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the parents, staff, local and city officials, accountants, English and physical education teachers, the kindergarten photography team, our insurance agent, the electrician, the dentist, the playground equipment suppliers, and many others. Thank you for your invaluable support. It is truly thanks to all of you that Suwa Kindergarten continues to thrive.

Recently, our kindergarten photographer mentioned that, due to the declining birthrate, many kindergartens are struggling with lower enrollment numbers. This is indeed a challenge we must address. Although we am still improving, I am committed to making Suwa Kindergarten an even more vibrant and engaging place.

I have heard from the photographer stories of Suwa Kindergarten in the past—back when each grade had two classes and over 100 students filled the classrooms. It reminds me of the rice-throwing scene from Cinema Paradiso—a nostalgic, beautiful image.

While we may not aim for the same large-scale operations of the past, we are focused on building a warm and close-knit learning environment. We cherish our small, attentive classes and are dedicated to creating a unique educational experience tailored to each child.

There will undoubtedly be challenges along the way, but by adding new educational value rooted in tradition, we hope to continue serving the community in a meaningful and sustainable way. Many of our supporters have pointed out that we need to increase our outreach efforts. Thank you for that insight. We’ve already started this journey, beginning in January, with playground improvements, expanding our farm-to-table educational program, and revitalizing our website to showcase our activities.

We plan to accelerate these efforts so that more people can see the unique value that Suwa Kindergarten offers. You may come across our enrollment campaign announcements, and if you do, we would greatly appreciate your warm support.

If you happen to know any friends or families who might be interested in Suwa Kindergarten, we would be deeply grateful if you could help spread the word.

We look forward to creating new, beautiful memories together with you all.

— A final request as we close this month. Thank you for your continued support.

Scene Image : https://sora.com/g/gen_01jjqzdpeyekh8tzwseg4xc8zk

— A Note from the New Kindergarten Manager

Yesterday, I wrote a blog on our English class, so today I would like to focus a bit on our native language.

The Connection Between Language and Thinking

Language is deeply connected to cognitive development. Logical reasoning and critical thinking are essential skills for functioning in society, and language plays a vital role in cultivating them. Professor Imai from Keio University, a researcher in cognitive science—particularly in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and psycholinguistics—has conducted extensive studies on vocabulary (lexicon) and the mechanisms behind the mental representation and acquisition of word meanings.

Enhancing the Quality of Dialogue in Small Group Settings

At Suwa Kindergarten, we emphasize meaningful dialogue in small group settings. Children acquire language through rich and engaging conversations, deepening their thinking skills in the process. Our teachers are also trained to enhance their dialogue skills, fostering high-quality verbal interactions. We believe that the cognitive development process can show significant differences depending on the quality of dialogue experiences.

Additionally, I am particularly interested in how storytelling and fairy tales expand children’s representations. Broadening their imagination through stories plays a crucial role in their development. This is an area I intend to explore further as we refine our approach to early childhood education at Suwa Kindergarten.

Expanding Representations Through Nature-Based Education

One of Suwa Kindergarten’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on expanding children’s cognitive representations through nature-based education. Experiencing the natural world helps foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and a deep connection with the environment. By integrating nature into our educational philosophy, we continue to provide unique and meaningful learning opportunities for our students.

Moving forward, we will strive to create an even better educational environment that supports children’s futures to the fullest.