Our students visited Syracuse University, elementary schools and Pre-K schools in the area of Syracuse. Three undergraduate, five graduate students and a post-doctoral fellow participated in the tour to study inclusive education. Syracuse University and many of the schools in Syracuse are famous for inclusive education. Professor Eiji Tsuda and Associate Professor Kazushige Akagi supported their activities.
Their activities were divided in three parts. Frist, they visited some centers whose research and practice were the forefront of inclusive education. In addition, they presented the differences of textbooks in U.S. and Japan in the seminar that Sharon Dotger and her colleague held.
Second, they visited some elementary school and pre-K schools in the area of Syracuse. At one of the private schools, called the New School, that was famous for inclusive education, they taught the students Japanese traditional games. They enjoyed playing with the students.
Third, they had lectures by a Japanese teacher who worked at a public school and a Japanese parent in Syracuse. Their talking helped the students reflect deeply inclusive education at the schools they visited.
Through this study tour, each of them seemed to be surprised at the difference of inclusive education between Syracuse and Japan, As a result, the tour led them to rethink inclusive education in Japan. Their visiting was introduced on the web of Syracuse University (http://news.syr.edu/school-of-education-hosts-student-group-from-japans-kobe-university-14321/).
Thank you all for supporting our tour.
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