June 26th We Arrived in Tokyo!


2016 Tokyo Program just started. We all have arrived at the hotel and had dinner on the 49th floor of the Nomura Building in the West Shinjyuku District in Tokyo. We had gorgeous Japanese style dinner (and a little bit of sake, Japanese whiskey and more) with beautiful Tokyo night views from the window. Everyone is in the process of learning to use chopsticks with a few who should be awarded a masters degree in handling chopsticks. Dinner was accompanied with lots of laughters and peer bonding over heathy Japanese dishes.

Everyone has safely arrived at Tokyo, and we are all looking forward to the new experiences from tomorrow!







Please follow our blog to see our experiences in Tokyo! 

June 27: Chris Santana, Surfing Legend



The thing I was very impressed with on our first day was the hospitality within the Japanese culture. The students at Wasada University were so accommodating and made us feel instantly welcome in their country. I am really interested to observe the elementary schools and see if the same hospitality and friendliness is present thereas well. I want to see if younger students are taught at a young age this overwhelming amount of respect. It will be interesting to  see the roots of their culture, and how it is integrated in to the children's everyday life. 

Another huge piece of today was the action research projects that were presented between Wasada and USD students. Both sides had different feelings and takes on some of the issues within an elementary school and this allowed us to share ideas and beliefs to benefit all of us, as communal discussion and teacher development is highly valued within the Japanese educational system.

Subway Rides

David's Action Research Presentation

Waseda University

June 27: First Full Day In Tokyo by Andrew Swanson

June 27, first full day in Tokyo.

I was really fascinated by the way the city has grown around the temples we visited. I thought it was cool that the they were able to preserve those sites. I also feel like I learned a lot from our discussion with the Wasada students and from listening to Elizabeth, Dave, and Berenize's AR presentations. Listening to the Wasada students' presentations it seemed like they explore very similar topics in their program that we discuss in our courses at USD. I know that we have talked about the differences between U.S. and Japanese lesson study, but from listening to them it seemed like there are probably a lot of similarities as well.


Waseda University

June 28: Manuel Garcia

          We began the day with a visit to Rinsen Elementary School.  Here we had the opportunity to view multiple classes.  The teachers were passionate and students were clearly interested in the lessons.  I found it interesting how in one of the classes, students answered the teacher’s questions by addressing their answers to the class as a whole.  I feel that this action leads to students viewing the learning process as communal and student centered rather than teacher focused.
            After our visit to Rinsen Elementary School, we received two special tours.  First, we received a special tour of an old imperial house situated on the University of the Sacred Heart’s campus.  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and Matsami shared with us a brief example of how one plays the Japanese harp.  For our second tour, we got on a bus and explored downtown Tokyo.  My favorite part of this tour was the time we had to explore Sensoji Temple.  Here, we found tourists, locals, and students visiting the local shops and the temple itself.
            When the tour finished, it was then up to us to navigate our way back home.  Event though there was some confusion and we ended up splitting up into two groups, we all arrived safely back in Shinjuku.  The experience definitely helped us all gain a greater sense of confidence in navigating the Tokyo JR lines.


Sensoji Temple
Rinsen Elementary School

June 29: Allison Sciarretta

While visiting Tokorozawa High School, I was very impressed by the sense of community that exists between the teachers and students. One of the classes we walked into was an English class, and the teacher was so full of life and energetic while teaching. It was very obvious as soon as I walked in that this teacher was effectively engaging his students by continuously making jokes and moving around the classroom. It was quite refreshing to see a teacher so willing to bring laughter and enjoyment to the classroom, since I feel that seems to be lacking in many of the American classrooms that I have observed. I also noticed that the teacher pushed his students to speak in English, even when they seemed nervous and hesitant to do so. Although I would feel uncomfortable speaking a new language in high school, I also feel that discomfort is often when the most learning occurs, so the discomfort that they experience may actually be beneficial in the long run.


After visiting the high school, we went to the teacher development center and had the opportunity to learn from a Japanese schoolteacher who taught us about Japanese lesson study. This part of the day stood out to me the most, because after reading about Japanese lesson study from our book, I was excited to learn more about it from a local teacher. While he was describing his teaching, I was taken aback at first when he said that he carefully chooses what students to call on during the lesson. My first instinct as an American was to assume that that was wrong, because you would be allowing all students to have the opportunity to speak. However, after listening to the speaker, it suddenly all made sense to me. I began to think back to my own learning experiences, and how I could apply this new information to my future teaching style. 

I recognized that learning from your peers is an extremely useful tool. Not only are you learning the information from someone that is similar in age and experience to yourself, but it also empowers students to recognize that they can do it too. The speaker stated that he calls on students when they know the answer, because they can provide useful knowledge to their peers. However, he also made sure to recognize all students’ abilities and to praise their achievements. I was also inspired when the speaker showed us the newsletter that he writes for his class every week, in which he features student’s abilities and takes pictures of their work to show all of the classmates. I would love to do this in my own classroom, because it is an amazing way to celebrate the students and their abilities while also deepening the feeling of a classroom community and showing your students how much you really care about them.  



High school English language class

One of the high school gym classes

Sensei teaching us about Japanese Lesson Study
Waseda/USD Panel Discussion

One of the high school gym classes that we observed:


June 29: Compulsory English Education in Japanese High Schools


While I could easily write 500+ words describing the delicious delicacies of our bento boxes, I was most struck by what I learned in one of the English classrooms at Tokorozawa high school. I really loved seeing Tokorozawa high school today- right away I was surprised by the warm welcome we received from an age group that is infamous for their apathy in the United States, and especially enjoyed seeing English classes to take advantage of the opportunity to ask the students some questions as well. 

From the international students in my cohort along with the Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese students from Miramar this past semester I learned that ESL courses in Asia (and perhaps other places, but I do not have that knowledge) are geared towards solely passing the TOEFL or other entrance exams. It seems that Japan is trying to make a shift towards communicative English language instruction focusing on speaking and listening skills in order to provide students with a more practical model for language instruction. This shift appeared justified to me because students were unable to speak or understand 60% could do just fine with worksheets. I really liked that the teacher I saw today had the students turn to their partner to grade their work- how constructivist! #piagetisbae

I hope the above, reformed model of English instruction would provide learners with more useful (will be used beyond the entrance exam,) material that could actually benefit their daily life instead of serving only for a University’s entrance exam would be more practical and authentic for students, in the way that they are equipped with the language they need to “get by” and live their life. From that foundation students easily reach grammar concepts, not solely because of my personal opinion, but because of a small Q&A conversation a few of us had in an English classroom today.

Compulsory English education seems to be just that: compulsory, and therefore somewhat meaningless.

When asked who wanted to learn English (in both English and Japanese, so there was no language barrier), not a single hand in a room of almost 30 students was raised. Granted that this is based off of a small interaction with one group of students, it still echoes a larger issue (which we can all relate to) of learning solely to pass a test. Students are preparing for the University Entrance Exam, and must perform well in order to attend their preferred school. When I asked why they wanted to learn English, or even if they had a desire to learn English, the overarching response was silence and "no," respectively. Consequently, I think learning a language must be very boring and tedious for these students if they have different linguistic goals than their school or professor. I must say, the teacher was instructing an extremely difficult lesson topic calmly and effectively: the dreaded modal auxiliary verbs…(can/could/may/might/will).

One thing I found to be very special about Tokorozawa school is that the school’s leadership values the students’ freedom of expression and therefore does not impose uniforms and allows students to show their individuality and identity through fashion, hair dye, etc. On a deeper level, I liked this because, to me, it sent the message that someone does not have to look a certain way (wear a uniform, suit and tie, etc.) or fit a certain “type” to be well educated and driven- they can simply be themselves.


We were welcomed with gifts and tea upon arriving at Tokorozawa high school:


We had the opportunity to observe two separate English language instruction classes:



Two of the ESL books being used:



But, alas, some days you do what you gotta do (aka sleep through class) which shows some things about high school are universal.

June 29 Sarah Hicks

We started off the day with what felt to me like a long train ride to get to Tokorozawa High school, which I later found is the oldest high school in Tokorozawa hosting around 1,000 students total. Once we arrived and put on the slippers provided by the school, we proceeded to a lecture room where a notebook, fan, and folder were waiting for us at each seat. I could not help but chuckle at the sight of Andy’s large feet falling out of the too-small slippers. The sight of a Japanese flag crisscrossed with an American flag on the desk at the head of the room immediately caught my attention. This image struck me as very eerie and unfamiliar, as my perception of Japan most of my youth was that they were not a friend to the United States. I am so pleased that I was able to snap a picture of these two flags as it is a great representation of how much this trip has affected my view of foreign relations and their ties with their educational system. Once we sat down to begin our introduction to the high school, we were poured hot green tea to sip on during our time in that room. It was my first time ever trying green tea!

Just from the hour we spent in that room listening and asking questions to both the principle and vice principle, I learned so many new things about the Japanese high school system that I need time to organize and gather my thoughts on. The phrase that stuck with me the most was the principle’s informal motto about the school, “let the students have big dreams and high aspirations. We want students to be active worldwide.” I think this is such a beautiful statement and one that I think many educators could in the United States could use as the foundation of their teaching.

Due to sweet Madison not feeling well on the tour, we both got to see how well equipped their nurse’s office was! I was very impressed, as my high school nurse’s office was literally a closet in the main office. There were three full-time nurses and there were three to four infirmary like beds with curtains for privacy. I love that this school and other schools in Japan value the importance of student health, both physically and mentally.

Fun statistics I noted on this tour:
·      8% of the students go on to attend University
·      Physical Education, home economics, and swim classes are required
·      Students with mild to moderate disabilities go to a special day school, as the high school is not inclusive


Home Economics Class

June 30: Madison O'Mara

Today was the big day! After a few days of experiencing various aspects of the Japanese school system, we had the opportunity to teach a lesson with the students at Tokorozawa Namiki Elementary School. Before our lessons, we toured the school and watched/analyzed a geometry lesson in a fourth grade class. The tour of the school showcased the pride and care that the students and staff take with their school. There was a strong supportive and nurturing school climate that, even as guests, we could perceived. The teachers welcomed us into their classrooms and we observed how lessons were conducted. 

Our lessons with the students were a huge success! We gained first hand experience working with Japanese elementary students and I loved every moment of my lesson. The students were eager to participate and treated their peers with respect and support. After our lesson, we had lunch with the students in their classroom. I was shocked (in a very good way) to see the students help each other by serving the food and leading a word of thanks before and after eating. The teacher had a passive role and allowed the students to facilitate their lunch and clean up. This is drastically different than American school practices. I would love to find a way to foster this sense of care and love for one another and the school environment that I witnessed at Tokorozawa Namiki Elementary School in my future classroom.

Another significant take away from the day was the Japanese Lesson Study of the geometry lesson we had observed earlier. Together with the Wasada University students, we gathered our notes and collaborated our noticings with one another. We created a chart to represent our thoughts and discovered connections between related themes. From this collaboration, we created a consensus of our findings and presented these findings to our American and Japanese peers. This was a valuable experience for all. Through the Japanese Lesson Study, we each reflected on our own observations and heard our peers' perspectives. It was a powerful experience to create a web of communal thoughts that brought to life the essence of both teaching practices and true collaboration. I am looking forward to implementing this deep form of reflection and collaboration in my teaching practices. 

              

Students engaging in a geometry lesson, part of a larger study of ours on Japanese Lesson Study and Inquiry Based Learning:





June 30: Elizabeth Grant


Today's activities included:

      Elementary School Tour & Teaching Experience
      Japanese Lesson Study with Waseda University students


Today we had the wonderful (.../humbling/amusing...) opportunity to teach a lesson at Namiki Elementary.  The students could not have been more gracious towards us loud, blundering Americans.  Despite the language barrier, we were able to communicate and connect--largely in part to how welcoming, eager, and helpful the students were.I believe I speak for the my all of my USD classmates when I say that on this trip I have been astounded by how conscientious, respectful, self-regulating, and motivated Japanese students are.  I believe there is a stark cultural contrast between Japanese and North American students, and analyzing these differences has been insightful to the degree that it has catalyzed my entire teaching philosophy.

We were lucky enough to get the chance to eat lunch with the students, which was an entirely different experience than eating lunch in a U.S. school cafeteria.  The students did all of the work!  They served the food (wearing very cute hats and aprons while doing so!) and cleaned up after the meal--without any prompting from their teacher.  And they all took out their toothbrushes after eating and brushed their teeth!  We tried to help them clean up but they wouldn’t allow guests to clean.  After lunch we played with the students during their recess time.  I tried playing tag with the 4th graders, but the rules were a bit complicated and I couldn’t understand their explanation...so I basically just ran in circles for half an hour, with a herd of 4th graders chasing after me.  The fact that the Waseda students politely sat next to a big blond sweaty mess for the rest of the afternoon is testament to how polite Japanese people are. 

I am going to try to control myself and not write a page about how cool the Japanese lesson study was.  As many of you have figured out by now, I find containing my excitement to be very difficult.  Or I just don’t really bother to try doing...not sure which one it is.  Back to my point, which I will try to make as concise as possible:  for me, the most interesting aspect of the lesson study was getting a glimpse of education from a different cultural perspective.  The Waseda students approached the same problem from a very different angle.  I admired how reflective and purposeful they were with their thoughts and opinions.  They had no discomfort with pausing to collect their thoughts and mull over ideas.  Americans tend to rush through discussions in a way that is impulsive and shallow, as compared to Japanese lesson discussions.  The Waseda students went much more slowly, but delved deeper into the material than [I believe] American students normally would.  Cutting myself off!   

A few photos...

Dave after reading my blog post
 To and from: 
Before the party with Waseda students
On the way to the party with Waseda students
After the party with Waseda students

Okay, okay, I’m done already.

That's all!



Our journey continues!

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