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Show I December 25, 2003 Utah teachers For School about FMFiie.org. Two hundred American and administrators arrived in Tokyo on Dec. 17. Four days were spent in orientation meetpractical ings, attending classes on traditional Japanese cultural and Donald Link, principal of Valley High School in the Jordan School District, recently returned from a teachers cultural and educational experience in Japan. The program is administhree-wee- k arts and meeting with leaders in education and government. Teachers compared and discussed the differences in the education system, the government and the economy of the two countries. Several tered by the Japan-Unite- d States Educational Commission (JUSEC) and the Institute of International Education (HE), which cooidinates Fund Fulbright Memorial (FMF) activities in the U.S. It was first launched in 1996 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. governments officials of Prime Minister Koizumis government spent time lecturing and discussions with the teachers. The teachers then visited high-rankin- Fulbright Program, begun by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. The Japanese government the FMF Teacher Program in appreciation for thousands of Japanese stufunded g several cultural and historical sites, industries, regional schools and enjoyed a Japanese home-staOne ot the highlights of Link's experience was a visit to the Peace Park. Seeing the relics of the atomic bomb blast and the accounts of the survivors was a sobering y. dents who have been sponsored by the U.S. government since World War II for research and other graduate programs here in the states. The aim of the FMF Teacher Program is to foster friendship between the two countries as well as promote intercultural understanding. In the last eight years, more than 4,000 U.S. teachers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have participated in this program. Last December, Principal Link and Suzan Rasmussen were chosen from a national pool of more than 2,500 applicants. Each had to submit a resume of references along with proposals of how they would use the information gained on this trip. The only obligation to participants for enjoying the is to Japanese hospitality share their knowledge of the J aptmege fulture and t,educk- dents and communitiess' more information the program, visit experience. Rasmussen visited Oita prefecture or state, in rural Kyushu. "The highlight for me was the visit to Teruoka Elementary School in Hita City," said Rasmussen. "The children were so polite and They wear slippers in school to help keep things clean. There is absolutely no litter because the kids take great pride in their school. The kids themselves ate in charge of serving lunch in their classroom and after lunch they all spend a half-hocleaning the school. Students begin class by thanking their teacher for teaching them. This was the first time western guests had been d. wrestlers came to the school to perform a demonstration of their sport. I had never seen real live Sumo wrestlers in action, and believe me, it was fascinating! Later w'hen we talked with PTA leaders I found out that the PTA is a very proactive and important support of the schools. They are in fact, the sponsors of many such cultural experiences because they want their children to learn pride in their heritage." The school Japanese system has traditionally had a very highly centralized ad- Students hum loin High School in Japan, receive teacheis from the I ulbright Memorial True lie i piogram. Sunn Rasmussen, North Sanpete High School, was one of the teachers who attended the cultural and educational exchange. ministration. The National Ministry ol Education, Culture, Sports, and Science Technology prescribes the course ol study, authorizes text books, organizes teacher training programs, subsidizes construction and pays half of teachers salaries. Currently Japan is undergoing a massive educational reform movement which encourages more regional autonomy. Their goal is to educate "creative" individuals and piovide more diversity and flexibility in the educational system. s Statistics from the Intel tor Association national Evaluation of Educational Achievement and Programme I for International Student I I Assessment, ranked Japan second out of 38 countries in and mathematics reading Suau R.isnmssi n. Ninth Sanpete High es between the Japanese and American comprehension in their 1999 School, in of. orcussing the differene- - education sv stein with educators. research report and first m lliui" . .el uiiu scientific literacy. ipan and the Ui 'li. d St a li 'ii k! Icai n Finland was first in readMost hot springs result ing comprehension, which is a loi Iit'in l n ui Adopt the pace of nature; water passing through from is .lined small attributed hci secret to then ,i"i inlv apph patience. 2 or near cable ku stuclasses of about Emerson kd limn this recently formed, hot rock. s n n Ike k dents per teacher. igneous l expc musen, 'Inn a have for how that of can bioadu 27th was lie time wlw patience Japan Absence is one of the deal with sum lai can have what he will. spent doing homework and otlieis most useful ingredients of Franklin voluntaiy study outside ol pioblems m education life, and to dose it i class. Japan newimmeml tins tup " Av ith a "the 'rules fdraeV 100 percent sense"'6f" Peace' rate.' ""anyJ'teti:1i.cfs 'day.tfghTlyMs an art like any i other. where reason rules the mind, Whatever can be implied adventuie and a curiosity " Collins one about the woild from these statistics, Freya Stark :A -- i i i 10-1- , 1 mC 'and . 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