Elementary School Visit

We begin the day with the breakfast buffet at the hotel. We had to be packed and ready to move to a Ryokan tonight.

Yokiko introduces our Fulbrighter of the day.

We offer gifts to Yokiko in thanks for all she has done for us so far.

Yokiko loves the scarf that Dana designed!

The group also presented a gift to Ms. Redman for her translation help.

We leave the sleepy city of Shizuoka City for the last time, with pleasant memories of Monday's events!

We pass by a harbor on the way to Fuji City and our elementary school visit.

We can see why they call this community Fuji City!

We are cordially greeted at the school as we enter.

LOVELY green slippers wait for our feet. We quickly learn how to do the slipper shuffle!

We are served green tea immediately after being ushered into the reception room.

The administrators and English Language Assistants welcome us to the Yoshiwara Elementary School.

Cindy Garwick addresses the group on behalf of the FMF teachers.

Gifts are presented to the school, staff, and students from all the FMF teachers.

Syl Williams presents gifts from her district and school to the principal.

We are given a brochure on the elementary school, and given a copy of the day's English language classes' lesson plans. We then are divided into 3 groups, and head off for classroom observation.

In the fifth grade English Language class, the classroom teacher and the English Language Assistant give directions for the Halloween words BINGO game.

The BINGO card has several Halloween characters on it.

The students mark off each character as they are called, and come up to collect their prizes as they get "BINGO"

In the first grade classroom, students are working on locations. They tell where they are going in a brief conversation - in English.

For individual practice, students go around to various adults in the room, tell where they are going, and have the adult sign their name on a grid as proof they have had several opportunities to speak in English.

In several classes, the FMF teachers give gifts to individual classrooms.

Then, we move to several classrooms very quickly to get a general overview of the subjects and grade levels. We really enjoy being with the students, and it is hard to leave after only a few minutes in each room.

Sharon Ponder delivers gifts to the class- they LOVE Michael Jordan!

Students have calligraphy characters next to textbook to help with Kana calligraphy.

Students working in many different classrooms.

Each student sits on a cushion. We find out that the cushion is designed to provide safety during earthquakes. It makes us aware of the seismic activity of these volcanic islands.

In Japanese schools, the teachers have a common office. The homeroom belongs to the students, and teachers rotate for different subjects, not the students!

Students in their classrooms.

The classrooms cubbies are full of student supplies

This much of the bathrooms look just like ours...

.......until you get inside!!

Click here for more Elementary pictures! and the Ryokan visit