Japanese teachers study Everett schools

By Pamela Brice

Enterprise writer

Japan, a country famous for its educational system, is ready to do things differently.

So a delegation visited schools in Snohomish County recently to learn how to help individual students succeed.

They learned that freedom of choice is key.

Marie Axman, principal of Mill Creek Elementary School, took the visitors to every classroom.

"We showed them the classroom setting, our students working in buddy groups, parents working with children, our library, PE, music.

"They were very interested in how we have the children so motivated," she said.

"They were very surprised that every classroom was not doing the same thing at the same time," Axman said.

In Japan, the education environment stresses extremely competitive elimination exams and attempts to bring all students to one level of education, said Izumi Kuroiwa, an interpreter with the delegation. Interested in learning more about how American schools foster individuality, the 21 Japanese educators from Iwate Prefecture wanted to observe how teachers, the schools and the district operate.

"Japan is in the process of reforming its education system," school board member Takashi Takahashi said through Kuroiwa.

"We want to focus more on individuality, and although this is not new to your system it is relatively new to Japan, so we have come here to see how this is done."

They visited Heatherwood Middle School’s math and science, language arts and social studies, lifestyle fitness, art, industrial technology, music and home technology classes, principal Chuck Booth said.

"They were very surprised with the facility we have, especially for home and family life," Booth said. "They made the comment that when they have classes like home and family life, there are 60 students to one stove."

The educators also visited Everett School District administrative offices, View Ridge Elementary School, North Middle School and Everett and Jackson high schools. They also stopped by Everett Community College’s Nippon Business Institute, a Japanese Cultural and Resource Center, participated in a Japanese language class and toured the college.

Their visit to Heatherwood fell on Halloween.

"We had to do some explaining," Booth said.

Kazuko Takahashi, an elementary school assistant principal and teacher in Iwate Prefecture, said: "In Japan, young students are moving away from traditional things, but in school we are trying to nurture traditions, so if Halloween is a tradition, then it’s not too far from what we do in Japan."

At Jackson High School, Principal Fred Dahlem told them about "live reflections" and "culminating exhibition." Both are long-term projects in which students must make presentations to the community.

Genjyu Matsumura, a middle school physical education teacher in the prefecture three hours north of Tokyo, said: "We knew that America respects freedom, and I saw that in the classroom. American students set their goals based on freedom of choice."

Takahashi said, "I used to be a social studies teacher in high school, and I learned that what you are doing is teaching the ability to analyze material, express it in your own words, and be able to communicate it and present it.

"In doing this, you are not just educating people, but producing American citizens. I was impressed."

Pamela Brice is the education writer for the Enterprise weekly newspapers. You can call her at 425-673-6522 or send e-mail to brice@heraldnet.com

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