Come with Ms. Strother on a virtual field trip to Japan

sponsored by the

Fulbright Memorial Fund
Teacher Program

Ms. Strother was a participant 
in the June 2001 program

The FMF Teacher Program provides teachers with a three-week fully funded study program in Japan.  This extraordinary professional development opportunity raises teachers'  awareness of and interest in Japan, so that when they return they may directly and indirectly apply their cross-cultural experiences in their classrooms and communities.

As in all sound education, this encounter with Japan will ideally touch all of your senses:  sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing, and even the "sixth sense".  Books  are an excellent source for some of this knowledge, but there is nothing quite like actually being in the culture and communicating with the people who live there.

Samuel M. Shepherd
Executive Director
Japan-U.S. Educational Commission

I encourage you to absorb as much of the Japanese culture as your senses allow and to make the most of the opportunity.  I challenge you to return to your classrooms and share your experiences with your students, encouraging them to take part in an increasingly interdependent world as better educated citizens . . .  in the global community, striving to bridge cultural gaps not only between Japan and the United States, but between all nations and cultures of the world.

The mission of the fund is to honor the memory and ideals of late Senator J. William Fulbright by expressing the continuing commitment to friendship and understanding as well as Japan's appreciation for the benefits which it has received from the Fulbright program.

Our traveling companions were 199 other teachers from schools all across America.  During the second week of travel we divided into ten groups of 20 for our trip to Kanoya City in Kagoshima prefecture.

What's it like to travel with 199 teachers? Entertaining, educational, and fun.   There is real power in group travel.  Teachers shared their experiences.  We got tips, great stories, emotional support, and invaluable companionship.