Japanese Pre-service Teachers’ Concepts of Gaman (Enduring Hardship): How Gaman Relates to the Education of Preschoolers

The purpose of this study was to examine Japanese pre-service teachers' concepts of gaman (enduring hardship) and how it is related to the education of young children.Japanese people consider this concept to be a very important skill that should be learned early in life.The data came from written responses of pre-service teachers majoring in early childhood education.The data analysis revealed that gaman was related to developing self-control, to understanding others' feelings, and to developing interpersonal relationships.The participants gave both self-oriented and others-oriented reasons for endurance.The implications for education and teacher education resulting from the study were presented.