Teacher and program manager at World Academy (an English school
for children)
Sponsored by the Higashi-Osaka-Higashi RC
Thanks to my being sponsored by the Higashi-Osaka-Higashi R.C., I was able to go to the United Kingdom as a member of the GSE team to D-1030. I am sure that the friendships I was able to build and the interchange I had with so many wonderful people will be an invaluable treasure in my life from now on.
I am thankful to the members of the 1999 GSE team to Canada and to everyone in the Rotary for all the advice and assistance they gave me.
I first learned about the GSE program in April this year. One of my old friends received a scholarship from the Rotary (International Goodwill Scholarship Program) to go to graduate school in Canada. She called me in the middle of April and told me that there was another Rotary program called the Group Study Exchange program, and asked me if I was interested in participating. At that time, I knew absolutely nothing about the GSE program. At first, I thought she was just asking me if I was interested in going to England, but as we talked more about the program, I learned that the purpose of the program is not just cultural exchange, but vocational study as well.
I had been wondering if there was such a program for some time, and when she told me about it, I suddenly felt a very strong desire to go on this trip at all costs. And even more, the destination was the United Kingdom! I had traveled to a number of different countries as a tourist, but never to Europe, and one country I definitely wanted to see was England.
But it wasn't so simple as just saying I was interested in going. All the applicants had to have an interview with the GSE committee. Maybe it was because there wasn't a lot of time between the team member selection and departure, but while I was happy things went well and I was selected, I was also uneasy because of all the preparations I had to make before leaving.
The biggest worry I had was my job. It goes without saying that in order to participate in this one-month long program, I would need the approval and permission of my boss.
Regarding my selection, I was not recommended to apply for acceptance in the program by my boss (some team members are encouraged to participate by their boss), but rather by a friend. So, getting permission from my boss was something I worried about. And it would be hard for a private company like mine to look favorably upon such a request at this time because Japan is in an economic recession. I didn't really intend to bring this up, but I think there are many people who really want to participate in this fine program, but cannot because their company will not give them the time off. I would like to see those who are in charge of the GSE program try to improve this situation in some way, because there are so few companies that understand its importance and allow their employees to participate.
We only had a short four months before departing for the United Kingdom to get our GSE team presentation ready, and we rushed from start to finish to get it done on time. We used OHP's and slides in our presentation, but I had absolutely no idea how to go about making these things, so in the end, most of the original ideas and preparation work was done by one member of our team, Daisuke Sakuma. I am so thankful for all his hard work. With advice from team members from the Canada GSE trip, we put together our own presentation that reflected our own individual tastes and personalities. We had English conversation lessons four times prior to our departure, and in our last class we were given the chance to practice our presentation. I think this helped us get our hearts and minds ready for the real thing.
Before leaving, we were given the following information about our destination. We would be visiting D-1030 in the northeast part of the United Kingdom, which consists of Scotland in the north, and Durham in the east (this area is on the North Sea shore). This year's Canada team was able to spend a whole week with each of their host families, but in our case, we moved every three or four days. Since we didn't have any information about our host families or our vocational training before arriving in the United Kingdom, I was a bit uneasy about how things would actually go. But, in the end, I realized that there was nothing I could do about it but keep my chin up and go resolutely to England. The time between selection and departure passed quickly, and we left for the United Kingdom.
The image I had of the United Kingdom before our departure wasn't very good -- bad weather, impalatable food, terrorism and the Northern Ireland problem, etc. But as a result of all the people I was able to come into contact with during my one month there, I was able to experience for myself how wonderful a nation the United Kingdom is, and I would like to share with you now some of the things I experienced there.
Our itinerary had us staying in nine places, from Harrogate (in the south), where the District Conference was held, to Alnwick 300 km (to the north), where we were able to see a number of castles built by earls and lords, the most magnificent being Alnwick castle, which rose up above the quaint, Middle Age-ish town of Alnwick. In between Harrogate and Alnwick, we were hosted by eight Rotary clubs, and had a truly fulfilling and meaningful program prepared for us. We were able to experience things we would never have been able to experience on a personal trip, and I am so thankful for the opportunity we had to actually meet and get to know the local people. I was deeply touched by the warmth and kindness of the Rotarians in D-1030.
Since there were no Kumon schools in the area we were visiting (I was hoping to visit Kumon schools to see how they teach in the United Kingdom), the clubs would call ahead and ask the next club to look for one in their area. In the end, the last club we visited was finally able to locate one in their area, and I was able to visit it for vocational study. I am very thankful to everyone in D-1030 who worked so hard to help fulfill my wish.
In Japan, most people call the United Kingdom "England," and that is what we are taught in school. Before I knew better about the United Kingdom, I also called it "England." But the more you learn about the nation, you realize that it has a complicated history and make-up, and I think Japanese education should make it clear that England is not synonymous with the United Kingdom. Officially speaking, the United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And this means, then, that the United Kingdom consists of the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The region we visited is in the northeastern part of England. Since it is located next to Scotland, I was able to visit Scotland one day during my vocational study. I think I was very lucky to be able to also visit Scotland's main city, Edinburgh, during my trip. There were some people in my host families from Scotland and Ireland. In this way, I could see how the countries of the United Kingdom are united.
The United Kingdom has given birth to a number of sports, and one which is popular with everyone from young children to adults is soccer (which is called "football" in the United Kingdom).
There are two popular soccer teams in the region we visited. North of the Tyne River is home to Newcastle United F. C., and to the south of the river, Sunderland A. F. C. Both teams' uniforms have either red and white stripes or black and white stripes. The rivalry between these two clubs is something like the rivalry between Japanese baseball's Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants.
At present, I am working in children's English language education, and I am interested in early language learning. I wanted to know how foreign languages are taught in the United Kingdom, how the children of Japanese living and working there learn English, and how they are getting along with the local people. At the same time, I wanted to see how widespread computer education in the schools is in the United Kingdom, since we now live in an age where computers are necessities.
We had vocational study trips planned once or twice a week, and I was able to visit primary and secondary schools from the first thing in the morning until school let out in the afternoon. I also visited some schools for just half a day. I was able to visit six primary schools, two secondary schools, and even a school for special needs children. The schools differed to some extent from area to area, but I would like to share with you the main things I learned.
1) The education system
In the United Kingdom, children go to school from age five through eighteen. From age five through eleven, children go to primary school, and from twelve through sixteen, secondary school. Compulsory education ends at age sixteen, and all the students must take and pass the GCSE, or General Certificate of Secondary Education, test. After this, those who desire may continue to study for two more years.
There are also primary schools that contain nursery schools for children aged three and four. There are also schools that have reception classes for four- and five-year-old children. The British form of secondary education is a complicated, two-track system that reflects the unique traditions, social system and past political conditions of the United Kingdom.
In general, most people who speak the English language call government-run schools "public schools," but this is due to the American influence. In the United Kingdom, government-run schools are called "state schools," and "public schools" refer to private boarding schools (junior and senior high school) attended by those who have set their sights on getting into a famous university.
Education is free for the children and students attending nursery, primary and secondary state schools, and textbooks and all the necessary writing materials, etc. are also provided for the students.
2) Curriculum
In the United Kingdom, the government did not used to give schools teaching guidelines, as the Japanese Ministry of Education does, but allowed schools to decide for themselves what their curriculum would be. In 1988, however, educational reform laws were passed, and the government introduced a National Curriculum that provides a standard curriculum for every school in the nation. The subject materials were all made into books, and goals and educational programs were established for every level of education. However, in reality, there are some teachers who say that there are some points in the new curriculum that make it difficult for their classes to proceed smoothly.
3) School atmosphere
Primary school: Students come to school before 9:00 a.m. and have morning assembly. Classes start at 9:00 and there are two subjects in the morning. After that is lunch, followed by two more subjects. There are about 30 students in one class, but the students do not sit at desks and face the blackboard, as they do here in Japan. Instead, they are broken up into groups of five or six students. In one English class I attended, I was shocked to see some students lying on the floor while copying the alphabet into their notebooks! The classrooms are quite colorful, with posters hanging all around the room.
Secondary school: In Japan, the teachers move from classroom to classroom between classes, but in the United Kingdom, it is the students who change classrooms. When I saw that they had a class on theater and acting, I thought how British it was.
Both primary and secondary school students are required to wear school uniforms. State schools and public schools have different uniforms, but state school students were wearing sweatshirts with their school logo on it. The same can be said in Japan, but some of the students were wearing rings and pierced earrings, and some had pink and purple hair. The atmosphere in the classroom varied depending upon the school I was visiting. In areas where there is a high unemployment rate and many students come from lower income families, the school buildings were rundown. The teachers themselves are quite troubled by this.
There are locks on the doors of all the primary schools in the United Kingdom. In the secondary schools, there are also locks on all the classroom doors. The reason for this is that several years ago in England and Scotland, there were some school shootings where several students were killed. Since then, all the school buildings are locked during school hours.
4) Support teachers
There was one school I visited in which about 70% of the students were non- Caucasian. Some of the students were from families who had fled their homeland and emigrated to England because of political upheaval there (for example, from the Czech Republic and Pakistan). Students who are unable to speak any English when they enter school are given special English lessons once or twice a week by a support teacher who comes to their class and works with them in one corner of the classroom. These special lessons continue until the child's English is good enough to more or less allow them to follow what is going on in class. The government desires all the children living in the United Kingdom to receive an education, so they give money to the local governments so that they can afford to hire these support teachers. These support teachers do not teach just immigrants, however. They also teach those whose mother tongue is English, but are unable to keep up in class, and also the children of traveling entertainers and gypsies.
5) Second language education in the United Kingdom
Of course, the mother tongue of the United Kingdom is English, but when the students enter secondary school at the age of eleven, they must choose a second language as one of their elective courses. In state schools, the languages offered are French and German. In parochial schools, the students may also choose Latin and other languages. One public school I visited offers German to their primary school students (from age five), but unfortunately, I was unable to sit in on the first grade class. I did sit in on the third grade class, however, and the teacher spoke mostly in German throughout the class. I was very impressed to see the 7-year-old children listening to and answering questions in German.
I was able to visit both state schools and public schools, and I noticed that second language education in the state schools is similar to that in Japan. I think the classes were geared toward helping the students pass the GCSE test, emphasizing reading and writing. Both state and public schools used the target language predominantly during the class, but it appeared to me that students at public schools were more earnest and studious in class.
6) Computer classes
In the United Kingdom, every classroom has at least one computer. Even the youngest children (four or five years old) use computers. At first, they learn how to use the mouse, and type with just one finger so that they can begin to get used to using a computer. By listening to the teacher, the six- and 7-year-old children are able to type something and print it out all on their own. I think that Japan is lagging behind other nations when it comes to computer classes for primary school students.
7) Happening
I was able to visit about ten schools during my vocational study. There were a number of times when I was surprised by sudden requests to do things, such as teach the children how to fold origami cranes, and talk about Buddhism, etc. Also, I had one "happening" at one of the schools I visited. One of the Rotarians I met at a club meeting the day before I was to visit the school where he taught said to me, "If you come to my school, you'll be shocked for sure."
I had no idea what he meant as I was being taken to his school the following morning, but when I got there, I saw that the school building was quite rundown. The teachers appeared to be quite upset and troubled. While I was visiting the school, the fire alarm went off two different times, and everyone had to go outside. It seems that some of the students had pulled the alarm as a prank, and I happened to be there at the time.
In this way, I was able to see not only the good side, but also the bad side (the problems they are facing) of education in the United Kingdom. It was a very valuable experience for me, and one that only those in the GSE program could experience, I think.
In one of the places we visited, Sunderland, there is a Nissan automobile factory, in addition to a number of other Japanese ventures. As a result, there are many children who are living in England because their fathers have to work there. These children attend state or public school from Monday through Friday, but on Saturdays, they attend Japanese language classes. This program was established so that the children of Japanese working overseas will be able to make a smooth transition into Japanese schools when they return to Japan in the future. The supplemental education these children receive at these schools is primarily in the Japanese language.
When I first met the girl who was showing me around the school grounds during one of my school visits, she spoke such beautiful English that I did not realize at first that she was Japanese. This girl had come to England three years before, when she was seven. Small children are able to adapt and pick up a new language very quickly. But, when I think of what it will be like when such children return to Japan, I can see that these Saturday Japanese language schools are fulfilling a vital role. I also think that we in Japan need to give such returnee children all the support they need, both environmentally and emotionally, so that they can quickly adjust to studying at Japanese schools.
I had an opportunity to meet a gypsy friend of one of the Rotarians. Before I went to the United Kingdom, I didn't know very much about gypsies. About all I knew was that they didn't live in permanent settlements, but moved around from place to place. I didn't know how the gypsy people live their daily lives, and I don't think there are many people who have a good impression of them in their minds. She was between fifty and sixty years old, and as I talked to her, I realized that she was just a normal person like anyone else. She was very proud of her heritage as a gypsy, and she appeared to be working to make sure that her people's traditions are preserved. When I asked her about this, she told me that the gypsies have their own unique style of music and dancing, and that it had had an influence on the folk customs of Hungary and Spain. I was fortunate that she showed me some old pictures of her when she was younger, and of her home (a camping car). This was also an experience that I never could have had if I had remained in Japan.
Rotary club visits
The district we visited, D-1030, has 67 clubs at present, with a total membership of 2,269. About fifty people attended each club meeting, and we visited fifteen clubs, so we were able to meet quite a few Rotarians during our time there.
Before leaving for England, I was able to attend just one club meeting of my sponsoring club, the Higashi Osaka Higashi R.C. Now, I kind of understand the workings of the Rotary, but at first, I had no idea what was going on, or what was meant by "governor" or "past governor," etc. With that sense of uneasiness, I left for England, but during my five weeks and fifteen club meetings in England, I gradually came to understand the way things work. Some days we attended two meetings, one in the morning at one club and one in the evening at a different club. The suburban clubs have about thirty or forty members, and they met in typical British pubs, which had a great atmosphere. But even though they were pubs, they were the type which also serves food like a restaurant. In the larger cities, the clubs have between fifty and sixty members, so they had their meetings at hotels. The atmosphere of each club was a bit different, but they all were very interesting. Some of the clubs had women members who were very active, but I heard that in the United Kingdom, many are at odds over whether or not to allow women to become Rotarians.
At British Rotary club meetings, they always begin with a prayer before eating. Later on, everyone takes a glass and toasts "To the Queen." There is also a final toast at the end. It was this way at all the club meetings we attended. At Japanese club meetings, everyone joins hands at the end and sings, and when I saw at the first meeting we attended in England that they weren't going to sing, I realized that every country has its own way of doing things. Personally, I liked the British idea of toasting "To the Queen."
At first, I was very nervous during our presentation, but I grew more accustomed to it the more we did it. By the end of our time in England, I had gotten over my nervousness to the point where I was able to speak in a way that was comfortable for both me and the audience. Also, after we finished our presentation, people gave us a rousing round of applause, and when they told me "That was great!", I was deeply moved.
Since our team had to change host families every three or four days, there wasn't much opportunity for us to sit and talk casually with our hosts, but I am so thankful to everyone for all they did for me. Even though we were together for only a few days, they treated me like a daughter, and when we had to say good-bye, it was a very sad time for me. I will value and nurture the friendships I started in England, and I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to my new friends again.
I learned many things about the United Kingdom through my GSE trip, and at the same time, I realized that there are many things I need to learn about Japan.
During the religion class at one primary school, I was unable to answer and explain well about Buddhism. It wasn't a problem with my English, but rather that I didn't have enough knowledge about Buddhism. I thought then that I need to study more about Japan.
The United Kingdom is both a nation rich in old history and one that is progressive. There will be new changes in the future as this generation of people runs its course, but the ancient things in the hearts of the British people will remain forever. Like the United Kingdom, Japan has an ancient history, and I felt that we must also preserve our traditions, culture, and wonderful language for future generations.
We will continue to need English in the international society in which we live, and as one who is involved in teaching English to young children, I see the need to teach not only the ability to speak in English, but also the importance of what we talk about. I have set my sights on providing children with the ability to share their opinions without limitations brought on by language, while keeping in mind what it means to be Japanese.
I don't think the greatest aspect of the GSE program is getting to go to another country and visit places of work that are related to what we do for a living here in Japan. Rather, it is getting to meet those who are involved in work different than our own and building friendships with them. And that also includes the other members of my GSE team and all the fine Rotarians I met here in Japan. I think the greatest thing I got out of this program was the chance to meet and become friends with those I would otherwise have never met, and I intend to treasure all these friendships.
Again, I want to thank all the Rotarians who made this wonderful opportunity available to me.
(Editor's note: In Japan, we begin our Rotary meetings with singing, but the holding of hands and singing of "Hand in Hand" only occurs on special occasions.)