OXFORD,
Miss. – More than 90 second-graders from Caledonia Elementary School
crowded Butler Auditorium in the University of Mississippi’s Triplett
Alumni Center last week to learn about Japanese culture.
After
lunch at Kabuki, a Japanese steak house in Oxford, the students were
treated to a 90-minute presentation by UM staff members Naomi Yamakawa
and Yukoko Yamada and two volunteers. The team not only shared
interesting facts about Japanese culture but also taught students basic
greetings, a song incorporating the words of different body parts and
even how to write their names in Kakizome, a Japanese form of
calligraphy.
Second-grade teacher Janet McElrath said she saw student interest peak at CES when a Japanese-speaking student enrolled there last semester.
“Our kids became obsessed with Japanese culture, and we felt it would be good for them to learn about other cultures,” McElrath said.
The visit provided an opportunity for the students and parents to broaden their view of Japanese society, and the students were very eager to engage in the different activities, said Yamakawa, coordinator of Japanese outreach programs for the UM Division of Outreach.
“I would definitely like to do more presentations like this and interact with students around the area,” Yamakawa said. “Our Japanese outreach programs and the Supplementary School (program) are currently planning future events to introduce our culture to the community.”
Besides the five second-grade classes that made the two-hour drive to Oxford, more then 30 parents also attended the special presentation.
Parent Richard Thomas said the presentation was a great cultural learning experience for his son, Jed.
“It’s good for him to learn about (his classmate),” Thomas said. “Our nation has grown so diverse that they need to learn more about all cultures.”
For more information about Japanese outreach programs or about the Japanese Supplementary School held in coordination with Della Davidson Elementary School in Oxford, contact Yamakawa at 662-915-5839 or go to http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu.