Tokyo Teacher Instructs Local Students Via Internet
Dec 1, 2006 05:14 PM EST





By Leslie Olsen
News 8 @ 5:00
The world has become a much smaller place for some Wayne Township students at Mary McClellan Elementary. They travel to Japan every Friday for their foreign language lesson.
Its 9:00 Friday morning and Wayne Township 6th graders are starting their school day. But for their teacher, it's past bedtime at 11:00 pm. The internet and web cams make it possible for a teacher in Tokyo to instruct students in Indianapolis.
The partnership is the result of a National Fulbright Master Teacher Grant that Misang Han received. She has traveled to Japan twice to broaden her experience as an educator. Two teachers from Japan have also been to Wayne Township. Now the partnership continues through technology.
"It's kind of hard to pronounce and say the words, but it's pretty fun to pronounce them and try to figure out what they are," said sixth grader Nichole Comella.
"They learn a little bit about English as they learn Japanese because they see how things work in a language and they can say 'oh, that's how English works too,'" said principal Eric Webb.
The principal couldn't be more proud. "Some of the students who haven't been able to be totally successful in other areas see that they may have a natural inclination toward languages and that's a wonderful thing for their future."
Sixth grader Quincy Hurt admits he wasn't sold in the beginning.
"Because I'm not really a person to speak Japanese, that's why," he told us.
We asked him how it's been so far.
"Good. I've learned more and more everyday," said Hurt.
And it appears they're learning more than a new language. They're learning about a gentile culture.
"They're very polite. They're nice, kind. It's just different," said student Alyssa Burke.
Before they know it, it's time to say "sayonara."
Along with the daytime language lessons, evening video conferences allow students in both countries to get acquainted. We're told they've been sharing things that are unique to their own culture such as the Thanksgiving traditions and children's games here and drumming and clapping games popular with Japanese children.