Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2009

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Parents of Japanese students at Picadome visited classrooms on Unity Day to demonstrate how to use chopsticks, wear a kimono and fold a paper candy box with the origami technique.

Though Picadome Elementary is a long way from Japan, students are feeling much more connected to that country and its culture these days. As children study the language in class, teachers practice common greetings in the hallways, and a fifth-grader demonstrates karate on Unity Day, Picadome is bridging the gulf between Lexington and Tokyo.

“We have differences and similarities, and we need to appreciate each other,” said principal Darla Simms, whose school has 10 Japanese children this year. “It’s being united and working together.”

Unity Day, a Kentucky PTA initiative celebrated the Monday of Thanksgiving week, is one means to encourage that inclusiveness.

“We’ve probably been doing it six years, so I try to bring in a different culture,” said writing teacher Ricki Rosenberg, who helps organize the activities. “Two years ago we had Appalachian music, and last year was jazz.”

The idea is to encourage children to be open to other cultures and their varying styles of music, clothing, foods and customs.

“We need to learn how to be a friend to someone who is new here,” Rosenberg said in describing a main point of emphasis.

Japan was the theme for this year’s Unity Day, which brimmed with learning opportunities.

The day began with a five-minute video during the school’s morning news show, “Japan: Land of the Rising Sun,” in which first-year teacher Mitsuko Momozono talked about her homeland and its symbols, geography, language, clothing and foods.

“By knowing other cultures, they’ll be able to expand their perspective and point of view,” she said.

Later, Momozono shared artwork, including anime characters like Pikachu of the Pokémon franchise. She also noted that a typical drawing on a Japanese kite represents parents’ wish that their children be strong and courageous like a warrior.

Nine parents of Japanese students rotated among classrooms to demonstrate origami, chopsticks and kimonos. And during an assembly program, guest Tomoko Yonenaga played the koto (a traditional stringed instrument), and instructor James Davenport demonstrated classic karate. The younger students also shared several songs with the whole school.

Children in grades K-2 are learning Japanese thanks to federal grant money from the Foreign Language Assistance Program, which enabled Picadome to launch its program in 2007-08.

This fall, the rest of the teachers are sampling the language, too. Momozono offers a 10-minute lesson at the start of each staff meeting – sharing basic words and greetings the teachers can use throughout the day, especially when interacting with the Japanese children.

“It does give me more connection with my students,” Simms said. “I try to learn all my kids’ names, and I don’t want to leave them out.”

Momozono holds up pictures for review and hands out small cards with new words to learn. The teachers often post the cards in their classrooms as reminders.

“She speaks Japanese and English so fluently, it’s amazing and so helpful,” said Shauna Noah, the ESL teacher.

For now, Momozono concentrates on simple vocabulary such as “hello” and “thank you.” One recent theme was parts of the body: head, shoulders, knees and toes.

“I want the teachers to know what the students are learning and know what’s going on,” she said.