NAEA Japan Mitchell

Connecting through Art
and Cultures:
Translating Educational Travel
Experiences in Japan to the Classroom
Lisa N. Mitchell, PhD, NBCT
Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program Participant 2007
National Art Education Association Convention 2009
Cultural
Connections
in the Classroom
Intercultural understanding is a goal of the Japan
Fulbright Memorial Fund (JFMF) Teacher Program
which provides opportunities for professional
development for American teachers and
administrators in Japan fully funded by the
Japanese Government. My experiences in 2007
resulted in multicultural integrated lessons and
discovering new instructional and informational
technology. Information about opportunities with
the JFMF Teacher Program as well as my own
experiences while in Japan and the resulting
lessons will be shared.
Wiki address http://arteducator.pbwiki.com
How does a study of
Japan impact
student learning?
K
W
What do What do
you know you want
about
to learn
Japan?
about
Japan?
Sushi
How
does it
Kimono
connect
Origami
to NC?
L/H
How will
we learn
about
Japan?
JFMF
Follow-on
Plan
Activating
Prior
Knowledge
Memoirs of
a Geisha
vs. Lost in
Translation
Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund
Teacher Program
Information
Sponsored by the Government of Japan
400 1st-12th grade teachers and administrators participate each
year in 2 cohorts (August and October)
JFMF Teacher Program award includes
Orientation in San Francisco
Travel to and within Japan
3 weeks accommodations
1 night with a Japanese host family
1 night in a traditional Japanese Ryokan
Most meals and a meal allowance provided
Opportunities for professional development in small and large groups
“It aims to increase the understanding of U.S. educators who will
help shape and educate the next generation. The program is
designed to provide educators with first-hand opportunities to
experience Japanese culture and education through school
visits, interactions with teachers and students, seminars, and
home stays.” http://www.fulbrightmemorialfund.jp/index.html
As of the end of 2008, the JFMF program has ended after over
6500 teachers and administrators participated in over 10 years
My travels:
Week 1 – USA to Tokyo, Japan
Sunday: Konnichiwa
Orientation in
San Francisco
Monday/Tuesday: Travel
to Tokyo 東京
During the first week
we participated in
large sessions to
introduce us to the
economy,
government,
education and
culture of Japan
On our own time…early and late
Time on our own was spent
discovering all Tokyo had to
offer. Often in small groups we
experienced everyday
occurrences, culture, shopping
and subway systems.
Saturday – Exploring
on our own
Travel
in
Japan
After a
week in
Tokyo, we
dispersed
in our
groups of
20
teachers to
10 different
prefectures
My group
went to
Tainai –
“Snow
Country”
Week 2 – Prefecture Traveling
Sunday: Shinkansen
(bullet train)
新幹線
Monday: Niigata
Niigata University
Sea of Japan
Tuesday – Sunday:
Tainai City
Elementary School
Junior High School
High School
Host Family
Back to Niigata
Ryokan旅館stay
Japan’s Educational System
Compulsory education – 9 years
Primary School (Elementary)
6 years
Secondary – Junior High School (Middle School)
3 years
Non – Compulsory education
Upper Secondary School (High School)
3 years
Colleges and Universities
varies by degree
98% attend High School
Entrance Exams exist at ALL levels
School Year/Day
April – March (Two 2 week holidays)
Monday – Friday 8:00-3:30 (with Clubs)
Teachers are Prefecture employees
Well paid, above City Hall employees
Teachers and Principals transferred every 3+ years to
other schools in the prefecture
Education in Japan
“Japanese children are taught a
reverence for learning and are trained
in the traditional arts both within the
school system and outside. Instruction
in music, calligraphy, flower
arrangement, and the tea ritual may
begin at home, but soon the child
studies with a skilled practitioner. Only
the martial arts, such as judo or
Japanese fencing (kendo), are
generally limited to men. Men often
practice the other arts as well. Such
early introduction to, and widespread
participation in, different expressions of
Japanese heritage lead to support for
traditional cultural values and the
appreciation throughout society of
artistic qualities.”
Japan : a country study / Federal Research Division, Library of Congress;
edited by Ronald E. Dolan and Robert L. Worden. 1994. chapter 3
Nakajo Elementary School
Nakajo Elementary School (Grades 1-6)
Elementary students remove their “outside” shoes and wear inside
slippers (sneakers) at school
Elementary teachers teach ALL of the subjects – What planning time?
Art was taught in the classroom, lots of paint!
Students use the library independently
Lunch is served in the classroom with real dishes and chopsticks
Teachers had a little time to catch their breath while students played
after lunch – seemingly unsupervised
After lunch and recess ALL students help clean the school in teams
There was no technology or computers in the classrooms
Teacher are provided a laptop by the prefecture government. No in the
classroom, but on their desk in the teacher workroom.
Photos by
Mara
Gano
Tainai City Kurokawa
Junior High School (3 years)
Junior High School students change their
shoes at school and wear uniforms – formal
“sailor like” and gym – track suits which are
different colors for the 3rd year
Students stay in their classroom except for
special classes like art or gym
Teachers come to them, when the teacher
begins class they all address verbally
There was no technology in the classrooms
There was a library and computer lab – but
it was not in use while we were there (I saw
students climbing out of the computer lab
window during recess)
Students each in the cafeteria all together,
play unsupervised for recess, then ALL
clean the school in teams
Nakajo High School (3 years)
High school is not compulsory
Students take exams in their last spring semester
of junior high to apply to high school
The high school we visited had many sleeping
students and students on their cell phones –
similar problems to frustrations in US schools
Students stay in the same classrooms – teachers
come to them, except for special classes
Teachers taught lecture style on a raised platform
Students were working on computers in a
computer lab using spreadsheet program
The library had many books and a librarian!
The
last
few
days…
Monday: Back to Tokyo
A bit more shopping and
touring – trying to
squeeze everything in
Tuesday: Sessions
Wednesday: Sharing
Each Prefecture group shared
their experiences
Thursday: Travel to the US
Sayonara
Follow-on Plan…
How does a study of Japan
impact student learning?
As part of the continued learning, each
JFMF teacher creates a follow-on plan
How can students benefit from my
experiences in Japan?
What can I bring into the classroom,
school and community to foster an
appreciation and understanding or
Japan as it connects to NC?
http://arteducator.pbwiki.com/
http://arteducator.pbwiki.com/
Japan Fulbright
Memorial Fund
Teacher Program
Follow-on Plan
Art from
Japan’s
Prefectures
Student work 2007 – 2008
Lisa N. Mitchell, PhD, NBCT
Meibutsu: Art from Japan’s Prefectures
Students will be exposed to the traditional
arts and crafts of Japan which includes:
Origami, Gyotaku - Fish Printing, Haiku,
Calligraphy, Fiber Arts - Shibori and
Kimonos, Pottery and Ceramics. We will
ground these studies in a multicultural unit
focusing on the Japanese aspects of art and
crafts created in different parts of the country
and compare these to traditional arts and
crafts of the United States and North
Carolina and our community.
Research in Japan
As part of my follow-on plan,
I asked participants in each
prefecture group to be on
the look out for art projects
and crafts in each
prefecture. I sent $5 or 500
Yen with each group and
invited them to write and
share their experiences.
Each prefecture group
shared in Tokyo and were
invited to share on my wiki
Objectives – aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study
Students will understand that arts and crafts are created by individuals and
that there are different materials (media), techniques and processes used in
different parts of the world.
Students will have an opportunity to learn not only about Japan and its
history but also how artists work and create. Students will understand a
variety of influences including cultural and historical that impact the types of
art created.
Students will perceive a connection between the arts and crafts of their
region, the United States and Japan.
Students will know how to use different media for different techniques and
effects.
Students will know that different materials are used by different types of
artists.
Students will know art is created by individuals and influenced by
communities and traditions.
Students will be able to apply different kinds of media in their art making.
Students will be able to compare arts and crafts in the United States and
Japan.
Students will be able to perceive connections between visual arts and other
school topics such as language arts using Haiku.
Using the Web
Why reinvent the wheel… These
WebQuests have already been completed
and could be used in whole or parts to
introduce or activate prior knowledge
Japanese Arts Festival (4th grade)
http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/Kirby/webquest/template.html
Becoming Japanese (artist role)
http://edtech.suhsd.k12.ca.us/inprogress/gjh/becomingjap/bejap
Discover Japan – informational
http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/for_lang/Japanese/WebQuest/discover/DiscoverJapan.html
Japan culture study – Informational
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/cornelia/teach/webquests/japan/japan.htm
A Voyage to Japan –informational
http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests/JAPAN%20WEBQUEST/Index.html
Students also used http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/gallery.html
to view pictures of Japan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marinaowens/2235994898/
Japanese Craft Information
The many and varied traditional handicrafts of Japan enjoy official recognition and protection and, owing to the folk
art movement, are much in demand. Some enjoy status as a meibutsu or regional specialty. Each craft demands a
set of specialized skills. Textile crafts, for example, include silk, hemp, and cotton, woven (after spinning and
dyeing) in forms from timeless folk designs to complex court patterns. Village crafts evolving from ancient folk
traditions also continued in weaving and indigo dyeing in Hokkaidō by the Ainu peoples, whose distinctive designs
had prehistoric prototypes, and by other remote farming families in northern Japan.
Silk-weaving families can be traced to the fifteenth century in the famous Nishijin weaving center of Kyoto, where
elegant fabrics worn by the emperor and the aristocracy were produced. In the seventeenth century, designs on
textiles were applied using stencils and rice paste, in the yuzen or paste-resist method of dyeing. The yuzen
method provided an imitation of aristocratic brocades, which were forbidden to commoners by sumptuary laws.
Moriguchi Kako of Kyoto has continued to create works of art in his yuzen-dyed kimonos, which were so sought
after that the contemporary fashion industry designed an industrial method to copy them for use on Western-style
clothing. Famous designers, such as Hanae Mori, borrowed extensively from kimono patterns for their couturier
collections. By the late 1980s, an elegant, handwoven, dyed kimono had become extremely costly, running to
US$25,000 for a formal garment. In Okinawa the famous yuzen-dyeing method was especially effective where it
was produced in the bingata stencil-dyeing techniques, which produced exquisitely colored, striking designs as
artistic national treasures.
Lacquer, the first plastic, was invented in Asia, and its use in Japan can be traced to prehistoric finds. Lacquer
ware is most often made from wooden objects, which receive multiple layers of refined lac juices, each of which
must dry before the next is applied. These layers make a tough skin impervious to water damage and to resist
breakage, providing lightweight, easy-to-clean utensils of every sort. The decoration on such lacquers, whether
carved through different colored layers or in surface designs, applied with gold or inlaid with precious substances,
has been a prized art form since the Nara period (A.D. 710-94). (See lacquerware.)
Papermaking is another contribution of Asian civilization; the Japanese art of making paper from the mulberry plant
is thought to have begun in the sixth century A.D. Dyeing paper with a wide variety of hues and decorating it with
designs became a major preoccupation of the Heian court, and the enjoyment of beautiful paper and its use has
continued thereafter, with some modern adaptations. The traditionally made paper called Izumo (after the shrine
area where it is made) was especially desired for fusuma (sliding panels) decoration, artists' papers, and elegant
letter paper. Some printmakers have their own logo made into their papers, and since the Meiji period, another
special application has been Western marbleized end papers (made by the Atelier Miura in Tokyo).
Metalwork is epitomized in the production of the Japanese sword, of extremely high quality. These swords
originated before the first century B.C. and reached their height of popularity as the chief possession of warlords
and samurai. The production of a sword has retained something of the religious quality it once had in embodying
the soul of the samurai and the martial spirit of Japan. For many Japanese, the sword, one of the "three jewels" of
the nation, remained a potent symbol; possessors would treasure a sword and it would be maintained within the
family, its loss signifying their ruin.
There are many traditional handicrafts which involve fiber arts, one of them being the ancient craft of temari.
Temari means hand ball in Japanese. Japanese Temariis a folk craft born in ancient Japan from the desire to
amuse and entertain children with a toy hand ball. Today, the lovely thread wrapped temari balls are given as
tokens of good luck and they are displayed and enjoyed as works of art. As Buddhist missionaries traveled east
from India through China via Korean peninsula to Japan, they spread not only religious beliefs but culture. Temari
is said to have its origins from kemari (football), brought to Japan from China about 1400 years ago. Making temari
grew as a pastime for noble women in the early part of the Edo Period (1600 -1868). Maids of the court made
temari balls for princesses. They would sit on the floor with the children, rolling a temari between them. Bouncing
and tossing games followed. Over the years, region by region, the women of Japan explored the craft and
improved it. They added noisemakers to the inside to delight the ear. They added Japanese designs and copied
the colors of nature around them, and they used the brilliant colors of kimono silk to stitch eye-catching patterns.
Ever changing, becoming more and more complex, each new ball was a delight to behold, an embroidered puzzle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_handicrafts
Traditional Craft websites:
ttp://www.kougei.or.jp/english/facilities.html
Tainai – Niigata:
Gyotaku – Fish Printing and Lacquerware
Inforamtion on Tainai, Niigata
http://www.city.tainai.niigata.jp/
I visited Niigata on the
west coast of Japan at
the Sea of Japan. It is
across the Japan Alps
and called “Snow
Country”. It is north of
Nagano, where the
winter Olympics have
been held. It is
famous for
Lacquerware, but also
famous for salmon
Gyotaku – Fish Printing
Gyotaku (Japanese 魚拓, from gyo
"fish" + taku "rubbing") is a traditional
form of Japanese fish printing, dating
from the mid 1800s, a form of nature
printing used by fishermen to record
their catches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyotaku
Students created fish prints
using Nasco’s plastic fish
replicas. We finished ours’ by
printing them adding in sea
habitats when the print was dry
Fish Prints
at the Salmon
Museum
Student work –
Fish Printing
After printing their fish and letting it dry,
students completed the art work by
adding in backgrounds in creative or
realistic ocean habitats
Lesson plan on-line: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3436/
and ttp://www.gcms.k12.il.us/gcmsms/art/sixth_grade_printmaking.htm
Lacquerware
The city of Murakami in Niigata Prefecture is
an old castle town. Tradition has it that about
600 years ago, a lacquer craftsman invited from
Kyoto for the construction of a temple began
making lacquerware here. Murakami-bori-tsuishu
carved lacquerware appeared around 200 years
ago, when a samurai who was transferred to Edo
(now Tokyo) learned the technique of choshitsu
(lacquer carving) involving the carving of items
coated with multiple layers of lacquer. Nowadays,
lacquer workers here produce tiered boxes, trays,
vases and confectionery dishes, all characterized
by detailed carving on their surface. Murakami
carved lacquerware was designated a traditional
craft in 1976.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/attractions/facilities/traditional_handicrafts/83dn3a000000ektu.html
Lacquer
ware
can be
ornamental
or
functional
Chiba – Chiba: Pottery & Ceramics
Amy went to Chiba and brought back a piece of
pottery from a museum they visited. The piece of
pottery was decorated by imprinting something, such
as rope, into the clay to create texture and pattern.
Japanese ceramics are among the finest in
the world and include the earliest known
artifacts of their culture
dating back to 10,000 B.C
possibly the oldest pottery in the world
Use of natural clay and firing techniques vary
in regions and prefectures
Ancient-style kiln in Uji
photo by Judith Dieckman
Tea Bowls
Ninsei Style 1574-1666
Tea
Bowls
Tea
Ceremony
Student Work in Pottery
Students looked a
Japanese food and
sweets used in the tea
ceremony. They created
their own fruits,
vegetables and other
foods out of clay that
were then fired and
painted.
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~eLearning/wagashi.htm
Sakai – Fukai: Fiber Arts
Phyllis
went to
Sakai and
brought back a
bamboo Kokeshi
Doll. The doll has a
bamboo body and
wooden head - the
kit looks a bit like a
puzzle, but dressed
in a kimono-like
design
Information on Sakai
http://www.city.fukui-sakai.lg.jp/
http://www.city.sakai.osaka.jp/foreigner
_en/spot/spot5.html
Kokeshi Dolls
traditional wooden dolls
Began in Tohoku district of
Japan (Sendai area)
Brightly and intricately painted
Traditional folk art
(Folk village)
Students creates paper
dolls using origami
papers patterned with
traditional Japanese
patterns.
Papers were cut to
specific sizes for student
use and ease of
instruction, but could be
more individualized with
older students.
Origami
Japanese
Dolls
Origami Dolls
Mara
Gano
1st Grade
Teacher,
Alaska
Fiber Arts in Sakai
Sakai has a Fiber Arts
craft with the
“Wazarashi” and
“Yukata” industry
creating beautifully
dyed cloth. Dying
techniques in Japan
use resist methods
such as paste with
the Yukata.
http://www.city.sakai.osaka.jp/foreigner_en/sangyo/sangyo5.html
Ishisan
and Koy
in Yukata
Kimonos –
Traditional
and Modern
Shibori Techniques
I took a Shibori workshop at
Sawtooth School of the Arts in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
by Jen Swearington
We learned traditional and
modern dying and resist
techniques
From this…
to this…
Student work – Fiber Arts
Shibori Dying
1. Fold the baby-wipe
and use rubber
bands or a clothes
pin to hold in place.
2. Color sections with
watercolor markers
3. Open and reveal!
4. We discovered you
could print them by
laying it in between
2 pieces of white
paper and rubbing
Shibori dying is a traditional Japanese method using
resist to create texture and patterns in the design.
Lesson Plan online: http://www.kinderart.com/painting/tiedye1.shtml
Shimada – Shizuoka: Mount Fuji
Madge went to
Shimada and brought
back a piece of
volcanic rock from
Mount Fuji!!! and a
kimono/obi piece.
Shimada is known for
Obis, Tea growing and
Roses. Mount Fuji is
the symbol for
Shizuoka and Japan
Inforamtion on Shimada
http://www.city.shimada.shizuoka.jp/his
yokouhou/English.jsp
Student work – Mount Fuji
Japanese Landscapes
Students first folded an
origami Mount Fuji with the
teacher modeling
Then students looked at
photographs and paintings
depicting Japanese
Landscapes during different
seasons
Students created their own
watercolor landscape and
glued in Mount Fuji
Origami Mount Fuji – Interactive!
1. Fold the origami square in half corner to
corner (like a triangle)
2. Fold in half again for a smaller triangle,
open back to large triangle
3. On the folded side, tear a jagged link
from the fold to the center fold
4. Open the triangle and fold back in half so
the torn flap is up and the color is on the
outside
5. Fold the white flap down over the colored
triangle
6. Fold the triangle back in half so the flap is
on the outside
Himeji – Hyogo: Himeji
Indiana went to Himeji and brought
back a white leather bookmark from
Himeji Castle
Information on Himeji
http://www.himeji-castle.gr.jp/index/English/
http://www.city.himeji.hyogo.jp/english/himeji/index.html
Students took a
virtual tour of
Himeji at
http://www.himeji-castle.gr.jp/index/English/
Himeji Castle
The town of Himeji has been since long times an important place for the maritime and
terrestrial traffic and has developed as a castle and post town. The history of the castle
began by the construction of a fort by Governor Akamatsu Norimura of Harima county
(Himeji region) in the first year of Genko era (1331). Then, his son, Sadanori
transformed it to a castle of his habitation in the 3rd year of Shyohe era (1348).
Himeji castle has been chosen first in Japan as a human heritage (of UNESCO).
Beginning from the foot of Mt Hime where is located the main tower, the castle draws a
great left hand spiral with a threefold moat, and its building plan has been considered
one of the most skillful among all the Japanese castles.
The main donjon has 5 stages from the outside view but in reality 6 stories above
ground and 1 underground. It is supported by 2 wooden pillars with the diameter of
nearly 1 meter. Excepting for one pillar of which underground part was replaced during
the great repair of Showa Era (1956-1963), virtually all the parts of the castle still keeps
the initial construction.
Himeji Castle is also called Shirasagi-jo (White Heron Castle) because it looks like a
white heron flying with extended wings. An architecture made of one main keep and 3
ancillary towers, with majestic multi-layer roofs, is called "Renritsu-shiki Tenshukaku"
(simultaneous tower building).
A shrine has been installed at the top floor of the donjon. This shrine, called Nagakabejinja, had been the "guardian god" of Mt. Hime-yama where located the donjon. When
the castle had been constructed, it was moved outside. Afterward, the people reinstalled
it inside because they were afraid of being spelled.
http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/himeji.htm
Hiroshima – Hiroshima: Paper Arts
Claudia went to Hiroshima and
brought back paper toys, a
kaleidoscope and origami.
Hiroshima is known for the Origami
cranes and the story of Sadoko.
– Information on Hiroshima
http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/e/index-E.html
– Lesson Plan using Sadako
– http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/crane/cranetg.html
Paper Arts – Origami
During the 7th century – the
introduction of paper making was
seen in Japan
The art of paper folding is called
origami
from the Japanese words
oru (meaning to fold)
kami (meaning paper)
Origami
Paper
Crane
Origami
Kagoshima – Kagoshima:
A mystery shopper went to
Kagoshima and brought back a cedar
toothpick holder. The Japanese use
toothpicks after meals. The cedar is
stamped with the artist's mark.
Information on Kagoshima
http://www.city.kagoshima.lg.jp/wwwkago.nsf
Calligraphy “Sho”
Introduced to Japan by Chinese buddhist monks in
(600AD)
Used to record religious texts became an art form
Used to write haikus
Kanji (Chinese characters)
Many include brush art next to them (Kamakura
age)
Ink made from the carbon residue from burnt pine
needles. It is compressed into blocks, which are
rubbed with a wet stone to make a liquid ink. Then
a calligraphy brush is used to paint the characters.
One must “feel” the piece of writing first. Some
meditate before beginning to write.
Photo taken by Mary Nettie Szaroletta Rodriguez (October 2006)
Calligraphy
& Haiku
Student work –
Haiku and Calligraphy
Students created Accordion books
using watercolor techniques and paper
folding. Inside the book, students wrote
and illustrated Haiku.
We used Japanese characters to write
student names
Japanese Characters
for names online at
http://www.takase.com/Names/NameInJapaneseA.htm
Calligraphy
Fans
Okinawa – Okinawa: Baskets
Ayodele went to Okinawa and brought
back an Okinawa basket. The basket
is made in natural straw and red and
green dyed straw. It has a matching
lid!
Information on Okinawa
http://www02.bbc.city.okinawa.okinawa.jp/english/english-index.html
Student work - baskets
Students created reed
baskets using a basket kit
from Sax Arts & Crafts
Connecting through
Art and Cultures
http://www.tokyoapartment81.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/rainbow_bridge_odaiba.jpg
Resources
http://www.japaneseart.org/
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/japan/
http://library.thinkquest.org/27458/nf/index.html
A History of the Kimono
http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/index.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html
http://www.jungifts.com/specialcollections/kokeshidolls/kokeshid
olls.htm
http://www.japanese-doll.biz/group/kokeshidoll.html
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/5022/