Teacher's travel in Japan brings lessons for the classroom
“I did not want to leave. Everyone is so giving, nice, and willing to help,” says Danielle R. Miles, a special education instructor from Fred Lynn Middle School, about her trip to Japan as a Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher. Miles was among a group of 200 educators from across the country that was sent to Japan last November.
Miles began her visit in Tokyo with a practical orientation on Japanese life and culture. While there, she also met with Japanese government officials and educators before traveling with a group of twenty to Yanagawa, Fukuoka for the remainder of her stay.
“They loved us so much, they all treated us like we were celebrities,” says Miles. “The Japanese government treated us like royalty and it was so awesome.”
While in Yanagawa, Miles had direct contact with local teachers and students from all school levels, allowing her to see first-hand the differences between the Japanese school systems and those here in the states. For instance, Miles says that the schools in Japan do not hire custodial staff, but instead have the students do the cleaning. Similarly, elementary classes are responsible for serving lunch to one another, while middle and high school 
children must bring their food from home.
Despite the extra work, the students of Japan still found plenty of time to share lessons and stories with Miles and the other American teachers. “They always said hello and always wanted to help us. They even wanted our autographs,” says Miles.
Now that she has returned to Prince William County, Miles will teach her students about Japan and the cultural differences she experienced through a variety of outreach projects. She also encourages other Prince William instructors to take advantage of similar opportunities as they arise.
“This was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone in the educational system,” says Miles. “This will be something I will remember forever.”
2/13/06
