December 2020

NewsletterIn this Newsletter:
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Notice Regarding 2020 NCSS virtual conference
Articles from Past KKC Fellows
About the 2021 Japan Study Tour

Contact us at: fellowship@kkc.or.jp

Japan Study Tour：
http://en.kkc.or.jp/programs/stj/
Japan Lesson Plans can be downloaded from here:

Second KKC Fellowship Online Program 2020
November 23, 2020
The Second KKC Fellowship Online Program for KKC Alumni was held on November 23, toexchange views on “Feedback to local communities” and “Cooperation of alumni to NCSS
Virtual Conference.”
Ms. Linda Lindsey, based in St. Louis, presented her experience related to Asia, her KKC
reflection, volunteering and activities related to Japan. She participated in the KKC fellowship program in 1990 and has been contributing to the mutual understanding between theU.S. and Japan for three decades (See the next page for more details on her story). The
attendees are also shared their impressions on visiting Japan.

2020 NCSS Virtual Conference
December 5 and 6, 2020
Keizai Koho Center will be hosting a virtual booth at the 2020 NCSS virtual conference on December 5th and 6th.
KKC Japan Information Online Mini Sessions will be held on Dec. 5th and 6th. Please join andhear from past fellows about how the KKC fellowship has affected their teaching and learn
about what kind of Japan related activities fellows have continued after the tour, at theirschools and in their communities.
Alumni are also welcome to join and share your experiences with us!
The Agenda (Tentative)
1) Introduction (live)
2) KKC introduction3) Application process summary (live)4) Alumni comment (Ms. Michal Jensby, 2019 Fellow, Best Lesson Plan Award of 2019)5) Q&A
The ZOOM Meeting ID and Passcode of each sessions are below, we look forward to your participation! *Please note that you can join our zoom session without registering to attend the NCSS virtual conference
Saturday, December 5
9:20-9:40 AM (Eastern Time)
Saturday, December 5
12:20-12:40 PM (Eastern Time)
Saturday, December 5
3:20-3:40 PM (Eastern Time)
Sunday, December 6
9:20-9:40 AM (Eastern Time)
Sunday, December 6
12:20-12:40 PM (Eastern Time)

Meeting ID: 815 4792 6217 Passcode: 633920
Meeting ID: 833 2489 3150 Passcode: 279511
Meeting ID: 860 0924 8833 Passcode: 375851
Meeting ID: 874 4976 6647 Passcode: 158189
Meeting ID: 837 4103 9459 Passcode: 386923

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A KKC Legacy
Linda Lindsey, 1990 Fellow

The year 2020 marks the 30 year
anniversary of my extraordinary
KKC program to Japan. In 1990
KKC hosted the tenth year of fellowships for social science educatorsfrom the U.S. and Canada, with myprogram including Australian educators. KKC was a springboard for theacademic, professional, and volunteer activities to follow throughout
my career. My fellowship project
was the development of curriculum
guides with modules on Japanese,history, culture, and social institutions, focusing on the family, economy, and education. Faculty ofMaryville University’s School of Education, student teachers, and educators in surrounding school districts accessed material that could
be tailored to students at variouslevels. Called on frequently to present Japan material to classes ineducation, sociology, history, andglobal studies, content and slides
were updated and moved to digitalformat which could be easily shared
to a wider audience. It was clearthat interest in Japan was strong,and remains so today.
In 1995, an NEH institute on Japanese Culture and Civilization sponsored by the Asian Studies Development Program (ASDP) – with a mission to infuse Asian studies into theundergraduate curriculum – convened at the East-West Center(EWC) in Hawaii. The institute allowed for my next intense foray into
Japan through five weeks of interdisciplinary readings and activities
capitalizing on Japan scholars fromthe University of Hawaii and Honolulu’s vibrant Japanese community.
KKC primed me for this highly competitive program that delved into
foundational historical and contemporary sources on Japan. Readings
on Kyoto, World War II, and family
life in Japan, for example, were situated though a KKC lens from visits
to the Golden Pavilion, Hiroshima
Peace Park, and my homestay withan entrepreneurial couple whoowned a small sushi restaurant.

Professional work on Japan continued with presentations to theJapan Studies Association, ASDP
and EWC venues, and social science conferences in the U.S. andabroad. I am active with theenergetic volunteers of the Japanese and Japanese- American
community in St. Louis, including
the Japan America Society, Japan America Society Women’s
Association, and St. Louis-Suwa
Sister City program. Working
together, these groups also bring
middle and high school students
from Japan to St. Louis, with Japan hosting our students in alternating years.
Another key activity of theseorganizations and our cadre ofvolunteers is fielding the annual
Japanese Festival at the Missouri
Botanical Garden (MOBOT),
home to Seiwa-en, the “gardenof pure, clear, harmony, andpeace,” one of largest Japanesegardens in North America. The
Festival draws thousands to experience authentic music, art,
food, dance, and culture of Japan. Alas, for the first time in 44
years the iconic event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Media referred to it as “cancellingsummer in St. Louis.” Volunteers are galvanized, however,as they are already planning forthe 2021 Japanese Festival.
Built on the KKC foundation,
early retirement from Maryville
University transitioned me toWashington University (WU) topursue my passion for specialized work on Asia and Asian
American studies. Through WU
and ASDP field seminars I havetaken high school teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and America based college faculty to important Asian
cultural locations in the US, andto Japan and East Asia, with aneye to understanding the historical and cultural connections in
the regions.

Teaching and other scholarshipare, of course, never separated. Japan figures prominently in my coedited anthology, Women of Asia(2019), and the seventh edition ofmy book, Gender (2021), both published by Routledge. Material includes the partnership approach inJapanese Style management, cultural continuity in the wake of massive
social change, and glimpses of Japanese families navigating the demographic pitfalls of contemporary society. During the KKC program, I vividly recall a conversation with myhomestay family on how our parentsand grandparents maneuvered theirlives during World War II. It struck
me how women in both cultures recount similar experiences and emotions on keeping their families safein these perilous times. Japanesefamilies faced the destruction of
their homes. Japanese Americans
faced internment. My ongoing workand volunteer life focus on internment narratives, exploring new dataand presentations in high schools,
college classes and to communityaudiences. A field seminar in theU.S. took my students to Japanesecultural sites in San Francisco andHawaii, and to the internment campat the Manzanar National Historic
Site in Owens Valley, California. Every presentation prompts further conversations from those who sharefamily stories. I expect this work tocontinue as I move into retirement.
As an educator, scholar, andvolunteer, KKC opened the pathfor exploring Japan that I certainly did not envision in 1990. I
expect that my chronicle parallels the KKC legacy for a generation of alums and speaks to theirown career opportunities andenduring friendships that resulted from their programs. Given
that my writing, teaching, travel toJapan, and community work willcontinue for the foreseeable future, I
will never be “retired.” There is toomuch yet to learn and share aboutJapan.

2Congratulations to Ms. Michal Jensby
Winner of the Best Lesson Plan of the 2019 Fellows

The KKC fellowship is one of thehighlights of my teaching career thus
far. Each day brought new experiences, interesting meetings, and wondrous cultural sites. The amount ofcare and consideration that went into
the trip planning was evident in eachmeeting we attended, and I am privileged to call myself a KKC Fellow
Alumni. Not only were we able totake part in discussions on education in Japan and visit JapaneseHigh Schools, we were also exposed to the nuances and complexities of every facet of Japanese life. I truly felt like I cameaway from the fellowship with abetter holistic view of Japan andexperiences that have made me abetter teacher and global citizen.
Going to Japan has brought an expanded world view to my classroom.
In my AP Macroeconomics class, weconsistently compare the macroeconomic policies of Japan to that of theUnited States. I frequently share stories of our visits to the Bank of Japan,
Japanese corporations, and government offices, and how each is operating and working towards strengthening Japan’s economy. We have evenlooked at Japan’s economic story
since the 1980s and discussed solutions to Japan’s deflation issues. My“Current Issues” class has been enhanced with stories of my visits todifferent high schools in Japan, as
well as the lectures we received concerning the education system of Japan. We have spent time discussing
the differences I saw in JapaneseHigh Schools verses American
schools, and what we can learn fromother countries’ education systems.
In addition, they have spent time debating standardized testing in education after stories and readings on theeffect of high stakes testing in Japan.
More than just anecdotal examples,my travels have encouraged my students to broaden their own horizons,
pursue study abroad opportunities incollege, and prepare them for an increasing globalized and multicultural
world.
Being able to share personal stories
about my KKC Fellowship trip has not
only given me global examples in theclassroom, it has also piqued my student’s interest in travel. Later thisspring, my “Current Issues” class will
be planning a mock trip to Japan tolearn about Japanese culture, food,and transportation systems, as wellas practicing exchange rates,budgeting, and organizing a trip.
Many of my students when asked
if they are interested in travel,
respond with timid questions
about safety of traveling beyond
the borders of the United States.
Because they don’t know anything
about the world outside their community, they are fearful of newexperiences. This exposure andpractice will give my students theconfidence to travel that theylack. As the sponsor of the International Club, I am excited topartner with the Japan-America
society of Georgia to bring a Japanese culture caravan to our highschool. This will take place at theend of February during our International Week and give our students the opportunity to interact
with Japanese culture. I have also
been asked to share my lessons
and experiences with KKC at theJapanese Consul General’s officewith the Georgia Council on Economic Education. This is an exciting opportunity to share what I
have learned in Japan and giveteachers the resources and opportunities to bring Japan to theirclassrooms as well!
The lesson I conducted with mystudents this year (2019) gavethem the chance to learn about
the UN Sustainable Development
Goals and compare the progressof countries with different economic systems. Students wereimpressed to discover how othercountries like Japan are working
towards achieving these Sustainable Development Goals. My students do not spend much time
considering communities outsideof theirs, and with this lesson they
were able to see how Japaneseculture and consideration for thenatural world achieves reverence
and care for the environment in a
way that American culture doesnot. We spent time in class dis-cussions debating the affects that
our cultural values have on our human rights, environmental, social,and economic policies and how weas Americans can learn from theJapanese. This lesson was a greatvehicle to expand my students’ research skills as well as educate
them on how the state of Georgia
could be doing better to accomplish
the SDG goals. My students also
saw that generally other market
economies are accomplishing their
SDG goals at a higher success rate
than the United States, but many
developing countries and command
economies do not see the level ofprogress that developed countries
are achieving. They were able tohighlight goals they felt were mostimportant and also draw interestingconclusions about how some of theSDGs are more difficult to accomplish than others. Can systems
grow economically while also improving environmental conditions
and promoting social and economicequality? These questions sparked
interesting discussions on the trade-offs of economic growth and prosperity in free market economies.
Overall, the lesson was successful
and a chance for not only my students to learn about Sustainable
Development Goals, but also share
their findings with the school
through our Media Center. Many of
their presentations were posted forother students to see whichsparked a recycling initiative by theStudent Government Association topromote heightened environmental
awareness within our school.
The KKC Fellowship was an incredible learning experience that I
draw from daily. It is an amazing
opportunity for teachers and I’m
grateful for not only the memories
made, but also the lasting friendships I have formed with teachers
from across North America. Thankyou for continuing to provide thisinvaluable fellowship.

3Notice about the 2021 Japan Study TourDue to COVID-19, the KKC Fellowship Program 2020 has been cancelled and details of theProgram 2021 are to be announced. Though we will open the application on December 15,
please note the Program 2021 might be different and could be cancelled depending on theCOVID-19 situation.
For further information, please visit our website http://en.kkc.or.jp/programs/stj/
or contact us at fellowship@kkc.or.jp

How to Cope with the Coronavirus
in the Educational Field
KKC Fellowship Program Online Meeting, August 21, 2020

The 2020 KKC Study Tour toJapan was cancelled, becauseof COVID-19. To continue
providing content about Japan
to North American teachers, theKeizai Koho Center held thefirst meeting of a series ofonline programs.
Four teachers from both theU.S.A. and Japan made presentations on their current situations.
Ms. Naomi Oyadomari reported that her district has three
options for learning: virtual
academy for Grades 2-12, distance learning for Middle andHigh School, and the operationof a hybrid schedule, consistingof alternating days of in-person
learning and distance learning
for the Elementary School. Asof the day of the event, her district was the only one in her
county to get approval to reopen school. Ms. Alyssa McLean

presented how her district plansfor school re-entry. Currently,
her district is planning that students will return to school twodays a week, other three days
will be remote. She stated that
this pandemic situation has allowed teachers and students tobe more creative and connect
with people online from all over
the world.
Mr. Kenichiro Shinoda presented that his school has already re-opened with shortenedperiods. He shared his students’reactions during the school closures that they seemed to enjoy themselves and did theirbest with remote learning independently even though they
were anxious about the risk of
COVID-19. Ms. Mai Yoshidaspoke about how her school
dealt with remote learning during the school closure. She also
shared that she was relieved tohave all of her students in herclass again and was able toteach them in person. She realized that she should be gratefulfor the things she took as ordinary before now.
After the presentations, theattendees exchanged views on
their challenges, such as how tolook after their students in theuncertain situation and which
platforms they recommend tofor distance learning.
The presentations and discussion emphasized the common
difficulties teachers are facing
in dealing with remote learning
the current pandemic, regardless of location. The discussion
seemed to give teachers a feeling of solidarity with each otherwhile exchanging practical ideas.
Keizai Koho Center will hold aseries of online meetings on
various themes of political, economic and social issues.

Our Upcoming Online Meeting Schedule
To continue providing content about Japan to North American teachers, Keizai Koho Center willhold a series of online meetings on various themes of political, economic and social issues in2021. If you are interested in our upcoming online meeting, please resister your e-mail address
with us at fellowship@kkc.or.jp
The schedule (Tentative)
・ Date & Time: Mid to end of January, Late afternoon and Mid to end of March, Late afternoon
・Themes: TBC (”Japanese economy after COVID-19" would be one of them)4