Wednesday, August 29, 2001
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Wednesday, August 29, 2001 |
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Trip to Japan helps local teacher understand students' background Each year, Japanese students enroll in Fayette schools with little or no knowledge of the English language and receive an American education while learning to speak a second language at the same time. Jannelle Smith, who teaches English speakers of second languages at Rising Starr Middle and Starr's Mill High schools, now has a better feel for living and going to school in a foreign country. She was one of six teachers from Georgia who recently toured Japan as part of the International Educators to Japan program. The program sends foreign teachers of Japanese expatriate children to Japan every year. It enables teachers to develop a better understanding of Japan by visiting the many attractive and cultural sites, interacting with local people and experiencing daily Japanese home life during a two-day stay. Smith visited several Japanese schools, meeting with students and teachers. She learned there are a number of differences between Japan's school system and Fayette's. In Japan, school is conducted six days a week, the typical classroom has around 40 students and students learn through memorization. "Their educational system is quite different from ours, but it is changing to more closely resemble what we have," Smith said. "They are going to reduce school days from six to five and they are going to start teaching problem solving skills." Other activities included teaching a sample English lesson to Japanese students, a visit to the American Embassy, a Japanese language lesson and several cultural experiences such as a Japanese tea ceremony and Japanese poetry reading. Smith got a more personal treat when three of her former students traveled three hours by train to visit with her. "I was surprised that they traveled such a distance to see me," Smith said. "It was wonderful to talk to them again and to know that they had a great experience in my classroom during their stay in Fayette." Smith, who expects approximately 10 Japanese children in her class this year, said she thinks the experience will help her relate better to those students. "I came away from my trip with a deeper appreciation for the Japanese people and culture," Smith said. "I also have a better understanding of the way of life that the Japanese child has prior to transferring to a new country and school system, and I can empathize with them in their lack of communication skills. I hope my experiences will enable me to provide a smoother transition for those Japanese students who enter my classroom." Smith qualified for the program by writing an essay explaining why she wanted to go to Japan and how she would use what she learned in the classroom. The trip was funded by several companies in Peachtree City including Fitel Technologies Inc., Hoshizaki America Inc., Matsushita Communication Industrial Corporation of U.S.A., Shinsei Corporation and TDK Electronics. Other Fayette teachers and administrators have participated in the program in the past, including current Superintendent John DeCotis.
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