Meguro UNESCO Short News
Friendship Members Become Guest Teachers
at Elementary Schools
Meguro UNESCO Association's friendship members visited Nakameguro Elementary
School and Ochiai Dai-San Elementary School.
This is the 2nd time for us to visit Nakameguro Elementary School. This
time, classes lasted 5 days
Ms. Takeko Hashimoto, a coordinator, reports. |
Nakameguro Elementary School asked us to visit its classrooms for a cross-cultural
training program. They wished to invite the same friendship members who
visited the school last June. Their ideas were to hold classes for the
6th grade students to deepen cross-cultural understanding through experience
of music, sports, traditional cultures and children's games of the guests'
countries. Also, in their plan, the classes would last 5 days, but because
of the schedules and Japanese speaking abilities of the friendship members,
it was hard for us to accept every demand from the school.
The friendship members who visited the school were: Mr. Rangarajan (India), Mses
Kasmai Maria and Safi Samsam (Iran), who visited the school last June,
too. Also, newly joined members were Mr. Bambico (the Philippines), Ms.
Kihira-Jarfas Zsuzsanna (Hungary), Ms. Demmy Herfina (Indonesia), Ms. Zhang
(Taiwan)and Mr. Akramul (Bangladesh). Although the schedules were hard,
the members enjoyed the program very much. Some of them said that they
wanted to learn more Japanese.
In February, we were invited by the 5th Junior High School. I wish these
activities would give Japanese children to enjoy knowing foreign cultures.
After the program, we received a lot of letters from the children. Friendship
members wish to write to them, but the letters are too many to write back.
We asked the members to write their impressions here. |
Letter 1: from Kasmai Maria
"In the class, I talked about Iran, such as where it was and how
the things were in the country. Iranian dishes and foods are different
from Japanese. We eat a lot of beans. Children listened to me and then
asked me many questions. They tried Iranian costumes, too. I wrote their
names using Iranian letters. They enjoyed Iranian homemade food, called
Kuku that I cooked using potatoes. Children helped me so much in grating
potatoes and mixing them. I visited the school 5 days and found their classes
were amazing. This became a good experience for me. On the last day, the
children wrote down what they learnt about Iran on a paper as big as a
newspaper. It was clear to me that they were very confident about themselves.
We should cherish the young people who will create Japanese future.
The other day, I received letters from the children. They made me very
happy and warm in my heart although it was cold outside. I also wish to
see them again."
Letter 2: To the children of the 6th grade of Nakameguro Elementary School.
from Safi Samsam
"Thank you so much for writing to me. I am so impressed by reading
your letters one by one. It is wonderful that you worked so hard to express
your thoughts in your letters.
Although I spent only 2 days with you, this experience became so important
to me. You helped me a lot in cooking. That was your effort which made
delicious dishes.
I will never forget your kindness. Thank you again. You are so wonderful
because you are clever and hard working children. Good luck in your coming
life. Take Care!"
Letter 3: Personal Impressions
from Kihira-Jarfas Zsuzsanna
"The program consisted of 5 classes, 2 hours each and lasted from
November through December. The net time spent with the students was 1 hour
each time.
Participants were asked to choose from a list of topics designated by the
teacher in charge i.e. toys, music, games, singing, cooking, sports, crafts,
dance. 5 to 13 children were assigned to each topic and the guest lecturer
was to stay with the same group of children.
Not being an expert in any of the above fields in particular, I found
it overwhelming to fill out the allocated time and keep the boredom away
from the classroom. In order to do so, I sometimes introduced topics that
were very distantly related to the assigned profile of the group, if related
at all.
Due to a lack of foreign participants, I got luckily appointed to two
alternating groups, which relieved my burden considerably.
The children were eager to establish an easily flowing communication
with me. Even the shy ones opened up and gave voice to their ideas.
They contributed to the classes with materials from the library, the
Internet and even from home from their own initiative. What touched me
most is how much they appreciated my efforts. I had a really wonderful
time with them."
We would like to find a chance some day to show you the letters from the
children, too.
--- For our experiences at Ochiai Dai-San lementary School, see next
page.