Learning both inside and outside the school and taking on challenges with friends led to her path to becoming a nutrition teacher

Ever since I was in elementary school, I loved school lunches, and my favorite was fried cod. When I entered junior high school, I started cooking meals for myself in place of my busy parents. I would decide on a recipe, go shopping with my grandfather, cook a meal for my family of six, and the greatest joy I felt was hearing people say it was delicious. I loved to eat, and before I knew it, I began to enjoy the act of cooking itself, and I think I was naturally drawn to the world of food.

Then, when I entered high school, I began to think that one day I wanted to work in a job that brings smiles to people's faces through food. I learned about the professions of nutrition teacher and registered dietitian, and thought that obtaining a registered dietitian qualification would broaden my future options. Since there were no registered dietitian training facilities in my hometown of Tottori Prefecture, I was gathering information when a friend of my mother's and a high school teacher recommended Otemae University. The reason for this was that the university offers a practical curriculum centered on practical training, experiments, and clinical training. I also discovered the appeal of being able to study not only in school cafeterias and hospitals, but also in public nutrition-related facilities such as health centers, and decided to move to Osaka. However, at the time I hadn't yet decided whether I wanted to become a nutrition teacher.

I started living alone in Osaka when I enrolled, and at first there were many things I was unfamiliar with. Despite my busy schedule with classes, I was always conscious of maintaining my health. I made sure to eat three meals a day, get enough sleep, and talk to someone when I felt tired. I made sure to maintain this rhythm in my life. I made extra food in the evening and used it for breakfast and lunch the next day. My experience of cooking for a family of six came in handy here. I also made friends soon after enrolling, and having friends who were willing to listen to me was invaluable as I lived away from my family.

Also, from my second year, I worked as a staff member at the open campus, explaining what university life was like to high school students and their parents from a student's perspective and offering advice on career choices. I was originally not good at speaking in front of people, but the opportunity to speak in front of visitors at the "Cross Talk" event helped me to feel less reluctant to speak in front of others and to be able to speak confidently. I believe this was a valuable experience that helped me grow as a person.
My favorite class was the "Cooking Practice" that began in my first year. We split into groups and cooked authentic Japanese, Chinese, and other dishes. In my second year, we started the "School Lunch Management Practice," which really made me realize the importance of "planning" before cooking. We had to think about everything from what kind of menu we would make as a team and the order in which we would carry out the tasks to hygiene management and work efficiency. Furthermore, when cooking large quantities, we use large cooking utensils that we don't normally use, so I learned a lot, such as the need to consider things like "how much water evaporates."

While living a busy yet fulfilling life, I was unsure whether I should aim to become a nutrition teacher. A nutrition teacher is a teacher who manages school lunches at elementary and junior high schools and provides nutritional guidance to students. In 2005, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology established the nutrition teacher system as children's poor eating habits became a social problem. Passing the recruitment exam for a nutrition teacher is difficult, and it is said to be even more difficult than other teacher recruitment exams.

When I was in my second year, I consulted my advisor and said, "I'm not sure if I'm suited to being a nutrition teacher." The advisor responded, "There are many fourth-year students who are still undecided, so just try your best and keep going. You can decide when you apply." Those words saved me, and I became more positive, thinking, "Even if I'm undecided, I'll just do my best with what I can do now." Even though I was unsure about my future, I worked hard at each and every class.

In my third year, I attended an information session for the teacher recruitment exam, which gave me a more concrete idea of what the work of a nutrition teacher was like, and strengthened my desire to pursue this career. Then, in my third year, I took the Osaka City Nutrition Teacher Recruitment Exam and passed the first exam (written). While some local governments do not offer exams to third-year students, I took the exam as practice for the real thing in my fourth year, and was surprised to hear that I had passed. I believe that my success was due to the fact that I had worked hard in class and that the questions covered the same content as the previous class.

The various experiences I had outside of school also strengthened my desire to become a nutrition teacher.
At a food education event held at the local community center as part of a university introduction, I was able to interact with people of all ages, from children to the elderly, through food education games and quizzes. I was particularly impressed by the activity that used our university's experiential nutrition education system, the "Food Education SAT System," to convey the importance of nutritional balance. I really felt the joy of communicating with local people through food education.

Then, at the recommendation of my teacher, I volunteered with a type 1 diabetes patient group. I learned about diabetes while cooking and playing with sick children and their parents, and found it rewarding to work with children.

In the spring of my third year, I participated in the "Osaka EXPO Healthy Menu Contest" held at the "Wakuwaku EXPO with the 19th National Dietary Education Promotion Convention," and proposed a "Healthy Shungiku Okonomi Donburi." This menu was later served at our university's freshman kick-off event, and the smiles on everyone's faces as they exclaimed, "It's delicious," really brought home to me the power of food.
Furthermore, at the "Food DEMO LIVE" held at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, I took part in a cooking demonstration and tasting session for a healthy dish, "Kitsune Udon," created by a classmate. The experience of working together with people from Osaka Prefecture and friends from different grades to create the dish has become a lifelong treasure. To be honest, when I decided to take part in the Healthy Menu Contest, I never imagined I would be involved in such a large event. Through these experiences, I was able to experience firsthand the importance of "trying anything."

The biggest turning point came during her teaching practice in June of her fourth year. She taught fifth graders at her alma mater in Tottori, where she gave two research lessons. Although the preparations were difficult, the children's reactions were better than she had expected, and she will never forget the joy she felt when they commented, "I want to talk about diet with my family" and "I've decided to eat more vegetables." Through the lessons, she learned the difficulty and reward of adapting to the children's level of understanding and interests, and it solidified her resolve to "support children's growth as a nutrition teacher."
The day after I finished my teaching practice, I took the Osaka City Nutrition Teacher Recruitment Exam (first interview). The exam date overlapped with the Tottori Prefecture exam, so I was forced to decide which exam to take, but I chose Osaka City and passed without any problems. Osaka City provides its own school lunches, and I was also attracted to the idea of being able to have closer contact with children and provide them with realistic nutrition education. I feel that I have been able to work hard to get to this point thanks to my family who pushed me forward, the teachers who have supported me up until now, and the friends who have encouraged me.

In the future, as a nutrition teacher, I would like to protect the health of children, teach them the joy of eating, and work to prepare safe and secure school lunches. Osaka is a region with a thriving eating out culture and is convenient, but it is also a place where people are more expected to think about their own health. I would like to practice food education that will help children choose their own food and develop the ability to live healthily. I still have a lot to learn, so this is a new start. I aim to deepen my knowledge and become a nutrition teacher that parents can trust.
I am glad that I came to this university because I was able to meet teachers who genuinely supported my dreams and friends who supported me. I would like to continue to cherish these encounters and continue to grow as a nutrition teacher.