JAPAN
TODAYJAPAN
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Japan Today was a three-year program
offered by the Global Awareness Program, College of Education, Florida
International University (FIU) designed to:
Japan Today was made possible by
a grant from the U.S.-Japan Foundation for $179,664 in 1995, with annual
renewals for two additional years for a total of $556,390.
Sixty (60) social science teachers and administrators from M-DCPS were selected -- 20 each year-- from the district to receive training and to
provide instructional leadership. Previous training in global education was a criterion. The participants
reflected the ethnic and racial
diversity of the school district itself--the nation's fourth largest with
318,000 pupils and 20,000 teachers--and included teachers who had
skills in working with Limited English Proficient students. The participants developed appropriate lessons and curricula and
infused subject
matter and concepts about Japan into the existing curriculum.
During the initial year, Japan Today's
schedule was: selection of participants (January 1995), in-service seminars
(spring 1995), travel-study trip to Japan (summer 1995), and follow-up
activities in the classroom (fall 1995). Upon their return from Japan,
a cadre of 8-10 participants was selected from the first group of 20 to
undergo advanced leadership training. During the second and third years
the cadre undertook a program of pilot testing, revision, implementation,
evaluation, and dissemination. The cadre also mentored the second and
third groups which followed in 1996 and 1997.
Content about Japan was introduced also into the pre-service elementary
and secondary social science education programs at Florida International
University (FIU) as part of the overall global and multi-cultural programming
of the College of Education. Since1996, students from FIU were placed for field experiences and student teaching with classroom teachers
who had received training in the Japan Today
program.
The training and the curriculum development was guided conceptually
by the Hanvey Model of global education, using content from Japan Studies.
The Hanvey Model comprises five (5) dimensions of understanding needed
to acquire a global perspective: Perspective Consciousness; State of the
Planet Awareness; Cross-Cultural Awareness; Knowledge of Global Dynamics;
and Knowledge of Human Choice.
Miami serves as a global hub for trade, commerce, technology, and culture
in the Caribbean and Central and South America. For example, Miami's international
airport had more international flights than any other in the United States,
most of them to and from the Caribbean and the Americas. Metropolitan Miami
is the most international and multi-cultural area in the country. Nearly
two-thirds of its residents speak a language other than English in their
homes. More than 140 nations are represented in the Miami-Dade County Public
Schools.
Despite its international character, Miami-Dade County's awareness about Japanese
culture, economics and history has been severely lacking. Fortunately,
knowledge about Japan is increasing. Japan established a consulate in Miami
in 1992. The city of Miami has a strong relationship with Kagoshima, a
sister city. Miami was featured in a recent television program produces
and telecast by a company from Kagoshima. A student exchange has been organized
under the aegis of the Sister Cities program. Japan
Today will make its own strong contribution to the growth of
consciousness about Japan in South Florida.
Japan Today supplements and strengthens
the global, multi-cultural, historical, geographic, and economic strands
that are featured themes of the recently revised M-DCPS Competency Based
Curriculum for the social science program from kindergarten thru grade
12 (K-12). It also contributes significantly to the global and multi-cultural
commitment of the social studies pre-service teacher training program at
FIU.