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Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program
Japan sore wa SUBARASHI! Japan was FANTASTIC!
By: Shawna J. Southern - Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar - June/July 2002
The Fulbright Memorial Teacher Fund Program provides 600 American elementary and secondary school teachers and administrators the opportunity to travel to Japan for three weeks to study the education, government, industry, and culture of Japan. The FMF program's objectives are to increase the understanding of United States educators who will assist in shaping and educating the next generation.
Teachers awarded the FMF are presented with first hand opportunities to experience Japan. This is achieved through visits to schools, interacting with Japanese students and teachers, seminars with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry, etc., a home stay, a stay at a traditional Japanese Inn, and other cultural activities.
Once back in the United States, the participants share what they have learned and seen with students, colleagues, and community members. Through this design, Japanese students and teachers also have the opportunity to learn about education in America. From the meetings with American educators they also have the opportunity to begin communicating with their American counterparts and their students.
My experience began with the full group of 200 American educators meeting in San Francisco. After the full group meetings, we then attended a meeting with the 19 other teachers in our prefectural groups of 20. That same evening in San Francisco, we were invited to the home of the Consul General of Japan - San Francisco, Shigeru Nakamura and his wife for a wonderful buffet of authentic Japanese cuisine. This was my first taste of what was to come in Japan.
The next day, we boarded flights for Tokyo. While in Tokyo, we stayed at the Century Hyatt Hotel in the Shinjuku-Chuo area where we attended many meetings with Japanese officials of education, government, and industry, along with other speakers and presenters who gave us an understanding as to what Japan is about, what we could expect, and some reasons why. We attended Kyogen and Kabuki performances, had discussions about Japanese schools, students, teachers, curricula, etc. We visited national historic landmarks, shrines, and temples. During the evening hours, we had a lot of time to do as we pleased. Several teachers I know went to baseball games in Tokyo and some attended the 2002 World Cup Soccer games. Other teachers walked the streets, took taxis, subways, etc., to experience Japanese culture in their own way. Shopping was essential. While in San Francisco in a meeting, a former Fulbright Memorial Fund awardee gave some very good words of wisdom to us all. She said, "Don't not do something because you are tired, and don't not buy something because it costs too much". They seemed like great pieces of advice, so I followed them!
During breakfast, we would meet and have time to discuss what we did the previous evening, and possibly get ideas for what we would do that evening. Ideas abounded as to how and what we were learning would fit into our respective disciplines.
I loved Tokyo. A city of more than 28 million people, Tokyo is bursting with energy. It didn't matter what time of the day, or night, there were people on the street. One of the first things I happened to notice was there were a lot of bicycles. All along the sidewalks they were sitting waiting for their riders. As I looked closer, I noticed none of them were locked to prevent theft. That took me by surprise! At that point, I couldn't understand how they could leave their bikes there with no protection. However, as I experienced more and more of Japan throughout my time there, it all became clear and made sense.
The Japanese people for the most part are a culture of honorable people. They pride themselves in their honesty. I found them as a whole to be very trustworthy. An American teacher lost a wallet while we were in Tokyo. It was full of money and credit cards. The next day, the wallet was returned to the hotel with nothing missing! This was the rule, not the exception! As the days rolled by, I found the people of Japan and their culture more and more enchanting.
I met a man in Tokyo. I call him my hero, his real name is Amamoto. He was a refugee worker in Ruwanda and came back to Japan to stay and help his people. Homeless people, there are a lot of them in Tokyo. They sleep in the subways, streets, and in the parks. The government provides no assistance for them. They are on their own. It's sad, and my compassion went out to them. From my hotel room I could see Shinjuku-Chuou Park. Through the trees, blue and green tarps were visible. Michele Daniels, the other teacher from Rhode Island, and Bridey Bellamare, a teacher from New Hampshire, and I went to visit the park. We saw a group of people wearing yellow hats. In this group, we also saw a man cutting hair, and a group of people cooking a big pot of something. We inquired what was happening. Amamoto told us that he comes to this park three times a week, and he feeds them. He explained that the homeless received no assistance from the government and that they were totally on their own. Many of them having mental illnesses and unable to hold a job. I asked him who paid for the food and the barber. He said, he did! I then asked him if he was rich. He said, no. He explained that he writes articles for newspapers, and writes books, and uses the money he makes from that to feed the homeless. In return for the food and haircuts, Amamoto asks that the homeless people clean the park. Amamoto stole my heart. It was just another example of the honor and compassion that are part of the Japanese culture. It is inherent in their society. I applaud Amamoto, and hold him in high esteem.
After about a week in Tokyo, we left for our respective prefectures. Our tour coordinator Ishisan Hisae, explained some of what we could expect in the prefecture of Okayama. What she didn't explain is that we would be treated like royalty! Everywhere we went we were welcomed with standing ovations, and we were given the undivided attention of those with which we were meeting.
Along with attending Okayama University, in Okayama, we visited an elementary school, junior high school, and high school in the city of Bizen. Bizen, a city of approximately 30,000, has a declining population. Many people are leaving the smaller cities and towns to move closer to Tokyo for jobs. Bizen was wonderful, our prefectural group bonded during this time. Spending 8 days with 19 other teachers gave us time to get to know each other. We walked through the little streets, looking at the famous Bizen pottery, shopping at the Hundred Yen store, and many nights were spent at the local karaoke club. Yes, we did experience Japan!
Nearing the end of our time in Bizen, it was time to stay with our host family. Luckily, my host family had an exchange student from New Zealand. His name was Sam, and he spoke Japanese and English. This made my home stay much easier and more comfortable than some other American teachers. Once again, the Japanese hospitality that I had experienced in Tokyo was displayed. My host family was eager to please me. We went on a wonderful hike in the mountains to a shrine, we visited a sword museum, and they took me all the way into Okayama to find a Japanese phrase book! Traditional food was cooked for all meals, and we ate sitting on the floor using hashi (chopsticks). The traditional Japanese Inn was wonderful. We all dressed in the yukatas provided, and had a complete traditional Japanese dinner, including sake, along with learning a traditional Japanese dance with the mayor of Bizen, Shiro Kuriyama.
After Bizen, we headed back to Tokyo for our final wrap-up. I was extremely happy to be back in Tokyo. There we met again as a group of 200. Each prefectural group presented what they had seen and experienced while in their respective towns and cities. Afterwards, we would go out to get the last bits and pieces of Tokyo culture.
Nearing the end of week three, I missed the United States, Rhode Island, and West Warwick, I missed my family and friends. I missed coffee milk, American food, and the many varieties of foods we have available here. But, I was also beginning to miss Japan, and its people. What I have experienced has opened my eyes, mind and heart to a nation that I had only read about before. It has also given me the opportunity to integrate what I have learned into my health and physical education classes.
There are many more memories that I have from my time in Japan. It is impossible to list the three weeks worth of the experiences I had here. They will be told to people as time goes by, and I will always feel so appreciative to the Japanese government for sponsoring this program. I would love to have everyone apply and be able to experience Japan as I have.
In order to be awarded the Fulbright Memorial Fund, and experience this wonderful professional development, I had to apply. The application process was something that I spent quite a bit of time writing, but the directions are specific and easy to follow. I had some ideas that I thought were worthy of consideration. One thing that is necessary is to provide many ways of how you are going to disseminate the information you have learned once back in America. The Japanese government wants the most bang for their yen. I had many opportunities. I planned on presenting information to students in my health and physical education classes, presenting to classrooms at the school in which I teach, presenting to our PTO, presenting at the RIAHPERD Conference By the Bay, writing articles for newsletters, posting to the Rhode Island Teachers and Technology Initiative (RITTI) list serv, etc.
The time I spent in Japan has impacted my teaching. I teach at the Lillian Feinstein School at Sackett Street in inner city Providence. My elementary school students are learning about Japan in health and physical education. One part of my follow on plan is to have my health students compare and contrast the American and Japanese nutritional diets. While doing this, they are also learning some Japanese language and culture. Video and pictures are shown to help them understand the people and the country. We will be discussing how the diets affect the obesity rates in each country, and learn about disease and mortality rates between the two countries. After this, each student will be presented with a pair of chopsticks. They will have the opportunity to learn how to use them. They can take them home and practice with them. This should initiate discussion between parent and child about what they are learning in health if they haven't already been talking about it.
I have lunch duty everyday with all the fourth and fifth grade students. I am presently working on funding the last part of my follow on project, which is to have a Japanese luncheon for these students. The students are eager to learn about Japan, and at the same time, I am teaching essentials from the Rhode Island Health Frameworks. This activity will culminate my unit on Japan with my students, however Japan will be a part of my teaching for the rest of my career.
More information about the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program can be found online at http://www.glocomnet.or.jp/fmf/index.html . Information about the deadline for the completed application can be found at: http://www.glocomnet.or.jp/fmf/masterteacher/index.html . If you would like to get in touch with me, I may be reached by sending an email from the www.riahperd.org website.
My webpages:
Ms. Southern's Child Abduction and Prevention Page
I made this webpage while I was a participant in the 1999 Rhode Island Teacher and Technology Initiative. The page is about child abduction and prevention. One day at the end of the school day, a third grade student was walking home when a car pulled up to him. The man in the car wanted this boy to get in his car to go play video games. When I found out about the incident I knew I had to help my students better understand what child abduction was, and how to prevent it. I use this webpage during health classes. The page can be used by children at home, or in school, individually, with a partner, or with their parents.