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2004

MAY 2004


Japan Society Embarks on New Paths

by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.

Recently appointed as the President of the Japan Society, Dr. Frank L. Ellsworth is a staunch believer in public education. Leaving his position as President of one of the Claremont Colleges in California, Ellsworth has the strong support of Michael Sovern, Japan Society chairman, who states that Ellsworth's leadership will enrich an understanding of Japan at a time when geopolitical issues and cultural trends are evolving in East Asia.

At a recent meeting at the Japan Society, Ellsworth discussed plans for opening two public schools: one in Manhattan and the other in Tokyo. The school in Manhattan would emphasize Japan and would teach Japanese. The one in Tokyo would emphasize the United States and would teach English. Both would be community-based public schools because, according to Ellsworth, a significant portion of what students learn today is outside of school. Both would focus on what teachers need to succeed with an emphasis on exchanges between teachers and students.

Elaine Vukov, Director of the Education Department for nine years, has focused on professional development for teachers in New York, first by taking them on annual summer trips to Japan, creating haiku contests and now, reaching out to the wider education community through a cutting edge, interactive, informative website. The material on the website comes from experts and scholars to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Vukov introduced two teachers, who had been to Japan and were incorporating their knowledge into courses at Columbia Preparatory School and at the Institute of Collaborative Education. David Morss from Columbia Prep started teaching Japanese History several years ago. In his words, “Our school has a pretty extensive Japanese language program, so I thought there would be a natural interest and a need for a Japanese History course. Luckily, my school gave me the freedom to invent a Japanese History course. And I was fortunate that the Japan Society Education Department existed as an incredibly wealthy resource of materials and advice I could draw on as I constructed and taught the course. Every couple of weeks I would make a pilgrimage down here to visit their resource center and draw on the various materials they had—slides, lesson plans, books, videos, you name it. After that, I was invited to go with 11 other teachers from a variety of different schools, on the Educators Study Tour to Japan, which proved to be one of the most fantastic experiences of my life as a person and as a teacher.”

Grace Kin Raffaele from a public school, the Institute of Collaborative Education, told the group, “I teach a 6th grade interdisciplinary course titled “Language and Communication.” About 7 years ago I did my graduate work at Teachers College and then became an active participant in the NYC Writing Project of Lehman College. Not since then has my teaching been so inspired and informed as it has been this past year through the Japan Society. There were many things that I brought back from my hands-on experience from Japan that was not available in any other way. My first trip to the website brought me a wealth of information, a timeline, pictures, everything that I could bring right into my kids—it was amazing how much information was there, and how accessible it all was.”

Vukov summed up the riches now available on the new website: “Over the past 8 or 9 years, we have been bringing the wealth of the Japan Society to a greater audience. For educators, we know they don't have time to look around and find stuff so we are here to help them and to make it easier for them.”

Education Update looks forward to revisiting the Japan Society, an exciting new place under exciting new leadership behind the tranquil entry of stone and soft sounds of flowing water.#

www.japansociety.org/journey

Education Update, Inc.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of the publisher. © 2004.