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Health Physical Education Recreation Dance
Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program
My name is Shawna J. Southern. I teach elementary health and physical education at the Lillian Feinstein School at Sackett Street, in Providence, RI. From June 16 to July 5, 2002, I had the opportunity to visit Japan on a Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program Award. It was the best professional development experience I have ever had the pleasure in which to be involved.
I have written an article for the RIAHPERD Newsletter which will be put into circulation for membership shortly. Please return to this site shortly to be able to read it.
Here are some pictures of things I thought were interesting:
This is one form of school transportation! The only other choices are to walk, or to be dropped off by someone. There are no school busses in Japan!
This was a sign that was posted on the teacher bathroom door. In Japan they have the kinds of toilets we have in America, and also the eastern style toilet, and toilets that are very technologically advanced. In order to use a toilet in the school, school slippers must be taken off and bathroom slippers must be put on your feet. The bathroom slippers are then taken off when leaving the bathroom.
These are some bathroom slippers that are kept in the bathroom for people to utilize when needed.
Kendama is an eye-hand coordination skill activity. These children showed their skills to our group. They were fantastic!
In the computer lab slippers are not worn, students wear just their socks!
School lunch! In Japanese schools the students serve lunch themselves. They darn white coats and masks while serving lunch to other students. After lunch, all students have chores to do. Cleaning up after lunch, sweeping floors, washing floors, stairwells, boards, walls, etc. There are also no custodians in the Japanese schools. This lunch was good, if you like cold squid, and it seemed very healthy.
Another physical education class. This time it is at a middle school. There are approximately 40 students to a class. This class had one teacher.
This amazed me. This is a class of first graders. They are in the gymnasium after putting on their caps and sneakers, and they are doing their warm-ups. Their teacher has not arrived to the gymnasium, she is changing into her physical education clothes. These boys and girls had no adult in the room to monitor them. They were on task and monitoring themselves.