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Margaret SiryjI have to agree with you, Kim. Professor Schaede was one of the most interesting and dynamic speakers we had the pleasure to hear. She had such enthusiasm about her content, and being a 12th grade Economics teacher students enjoy discussions. She presented ideas about the Japanese people, their way of life, and the amazing economy of the island nation. Her researched statistics were shared with my students and they were enthralled to learn that Japan was the premier East Asian country to incorporate the "industrial policy" that currently, Taiwan and China have adopted. Professor Schaede provided a platform that opened my eyes to the powerhouse that exists today which was the template in the 1970s and 80s. While the United States was worried and consumed with the Oil Embargo, the Japanese were working on their "industrial powerhouse".
www:factsanddetails.com/japan/cat24/sub155/item903.html
Margaret Siryji totally agree with you, Miriam. I truly enjoyed Dr. Kim's lecture on Korea and she was so kind to share a link for a Korean film that was only available on youtube, but unfortunately, contained no English subtitiles. Dr. Kim's knowledge on Korea was insightful and I gleaned so much information that I have shared with my World HIstory and Geography students. I am in full agreement that the curriculum that is in use in some schools and districts barely stratches the surface when it comes to understanding Korea, the history, and its peiople. My multi-day learning segment includes the information that Dr. Kim shared on the DVD with our class. HIghl school students share the same interest in other cultures as elementary children so, the resources she shared were used to augment the curriculum for 1950s Korea to modern times. My school has a sizable Korean heritage students and this coming semester I will be using my learning segment with my 10th grade World HIstory and Geography students. Students are fascinated with other cultures, and this Professor did an outstanding job sharing her enthusiasm, and needless to say, extreme knowledge of Korean history.
Margaret SiryjHarvard University's website, SHEG is a valuable site for History educators and historians. It is geared primarily to high school students, but I have a colleague that uses it and scaffolds the content for his 6th World History students. The website features many articles and peer reviewed information and curriculum that can be directly used in the high and middle school classroom. They printed a book, "Reading like a historian" that uses DBQ (Data/Document Basaed Questions) that I use in my World History and Geographgy class. Also, the Nanking Invasion is featured on the website with an accompanying lesson plan that includes resources. The Invasion is interesting because the site can be used in my classroom to teach students how perspective works, and how it is vitally important to honor and respect different cultures. I use this website frequently and suggest it to other middle and high school teachers for ideas and content.
Margaret SiryjThe current school year, 2018-19 marks the second year being asked to teach World History and Geography to high school sophomores. In the past, teaching Economics included curriculum that embedded the East Region of the World, but I realized that my knowledge was limited at best. Seeing this course advertised to my school department interested me because I could increase my content knowledge of this region of the world and share valuable information with all my students. Also, I am the Co-Advisor for the Asian Club on campus and we discuss current events and trends in club meetings. Quite a few of my students and club members are of Asian descent so, it is exciting that I can add and bring new information to them.
As a high school teacher, I find that my students are always fascinated with other cultures and parts of the World. In fact, a former student asked me to be the advisor for the Asian Club because she said there was a need that was not being filled. Our student body consists primarily of Hispanic students, but there are an equal number of Asian and Caucasian students. As a result of this class, I enjoy sharing new information about social, economic, cultural, and political views that we discussed in our classes and throughout the posts.
The highest caliber of Professors was brought to East Asia Since 1800, and I am truly grateful for all of the coordination and planning that went into creating and producing this amazing course. I plan to donate my copy of Ulrike Schaede’s, Choose and Focus to the Social Studies Department, and have discussed her ideas and research to my PLCs (Professional Learning Community) that regularly meets with all Economics and World History and Geography teachers. I am excited to continue my studies of this fascinating region, and look forward to gleaning more information to bring to my students.
Margaret SiryjI was entralled by Professor Schaede's presentation on Japanese business. Her article that was published in Asia Pacific Business Review spoke to "New Japan" and how large Japanese companies had to make a change, a "shift" from their post-war priority of sales and market shares to profitability. It was fascinating how she discussed that "New Japan" is more tightly controlled by the government vis a vis the "Old Japan" and traditional familial structured business and business models. In recent times, the Japanese business must report profits and losses. In the past, a family had a large and substantial control over a given business, and this formation does not lead to transparency. Needless to say, it is difficult to adjust to this new way of doing business. The article suggests that the 1990s was a time in history that innovation became critical for survival in the marketplace. Professor Schaede mentioned that Japanese companies are all about quality. Innovation brings diversity, and the ability for Japanese companies to compete on a global scale. Her article stated that the 1990s were a challenging decade because this Asian nation had tremendous difficulties with the concept of change. The article further stated that "straightjacket" effect was in place and easy organization was out of the picture. Along with this effect, profitability was challenged by globalization. This ushered in a problematic situation because the "Old Japan" was cluttered by politics and "vested interests". The attached link could be used in an Economics class or World History to spotlight the 1990s in Japan. Students would view the video and have a DBQ (Document Based Questions) pertaining to the information featured in the video clip.
youtube.com
Margaret SiryjI agree with you, Lindsay. The development of the Japanese military is quite impressive. Dr. Dube's presentation slide that reflected the warship increase in tonage demonstrated explosive growth. Not only was their military growth impressive at the beginning of the twentieth century, but it reveals their strong sense of economic development. The Japanese were not only committed to development, but the growth displayed a sense of resilency from these people. During WWII, Japanese were stereotyped and looked down upon by other countries, including the United States, but to their credit impressive growth ensued. Now, United States and Japan are strong allies and no longer adversaries.
Margaret SiryjI could not agree more to the overwhelmingly resiliency of the Japanese people during the 19th century. As it was shown on Dr. Dube's presentation slide the first session, Japan was featured as an overlay on top of the Eastern United States, in particular, the east coast. As he explained, our two countries, eastern region of the US is laterally and longitutely the same as Japan. This being said, the climate is relatively the same throughout the year. Having said this, right now we are having snow in Pennsylvania where my family hails, and it is difficult to get around with the inclement and snowy weather and all the things one must do to live and work. One must resiliency to manage in these circumstances, but the Japanese went far above basic survival measures during this highly tumultuous time in their history. Persecution was highly evident throughout WWII, and this Asian country persisted and now, considered one of our top allies in the twenty-first century.
Margaret SiryjAnime is so popular with many students, and in my high school there is a large Korean student population. We have a club that students dance after school to many popular Korean (K Pop) music. One of my colleagues and I are co-advisors and the students dance every week to such music as BTS and CrayonPop. What I love about Korean music is that the majority of it is extremely positive with strong character elements which are the lyrical focus. I am adding Professor Miyake's anime section to my classroom and plan to give a second copy of the bound edition my librarian is making to my Korean club members. As a teacher who has taught for twenty years, reading seems to be declining over time, and students are reading less and less. This generation of high school students become engaged with graphic style presentations and anime can deliver this message to our classes. I have many artistic students who have shared their creativity with me and my "student wall" that highlights creativity through various art mediums. This wall has been a compliation over the years, and when colleagues or visiting students come to my classroom, they are amazed at the variety of art mediums. Manga is a common art form that many students enjoy drawing. With Professor Miyake's generous additons, my students have become even more interested in Japanese culture and art.
Margaret SiryjI have to agree with you, Jen. "Barefoot Gen" was a good read, but the youtube video is a bit "over the top". We need to be congnescent that we are teaching children, even though my students are tenth and twelfth graders and think they are grown up, they are minors. There are many creative ways that I teach WWII, but gorey stuff can be "risky business". I think as a parent and a teacher, a teachable moment can send a strong message to teenagers. For example, R rated movies are for audiences 17 and over, but many of my students have said over the years that their parents are "OK" with them watching a movie that is R. As a mom, my kids were allowed to see their first R movie when they turned 17, and not before then. The horror of Nakazawas' experience as a Hiroshima survivor is tough enough for adults, let alone minors. Students look up to us as educators and when we tell them personal experiences, such as the one that my kids don't watch R rated movies until they are 17 helps students realize that you stand for wholesomeness. Not that we sugar coat things, but we exercise caution with what we show.
Margaret SiryjProfessor Miyake has such enthusiasm for her content area. I was entralled by her knowledge and her zest for presenting Japanese literature and history. I plan to use her graphic Japanese pieces with my 10th grade World History students. Currently, my school librarian has generously offered to bind the pages of graphics into one book. This book is going to be placed in my class library to encourage my students to read as a reward for doing a good job with their daily assignment or assigned homework tasks. I teach my sophomores throughout the whole school year, and next semester we dive deeply into WWII, so this is going to be quite a treat for my students. Professor Miyake has taken interesting graphics that will catch the attention of my students in a unique way. Graphic novels are a great way to encourage reading for high school students.
Margaret SiryjWorld War II is focused in my World History and Geography course. I notice that over the years, I have been in the education business for twenty years, unfortunately, students seem to be reading less and less. I have developed a graphic novel library in my classroom, and when students are finished with their daily learning task or activity, they are allowed to spend five minutes on my couch checking out and reading historical graphic novels. I plan to use all of these awesome Japanese graphic in my classroom library. My tenth grade World History students will have additional perspectives from other countries, not just US. I am currently working with my school librarian to spiral bound these graphics and so excited to bring this valuable insight to my sophomores.
Margaret SiryjThere is something to be said about work ethic. The Ebrey article suggests that "the second industrial revolution" was focused on Japan's electrical technology was considered top notch, and had no close competitors in the world. I regularly discuss with my students how Asian students differ from American students in certain ways. Having a son who went to USC (Fight On!) as an undergrad as well as a Masters' in Bio Med Engineering, I shared conversation with him regarding the work ethic of his classmates. The Chinese students who hailed from China worked tirelessly and had tremendous tenacity. There is no doubt in my mind that work ethic plays a major factor in success. The chart featured on pg 374, chapter 22, "The rise of Modern Japan" reveals a telling fact regarding real national income produced 1878-1936 that clearly shows three industries and the tremendous, off the chart growth that occurred. What could happen if American students had the zeal portrayed compared to their Asian counterparts?
Margaret SiryjNot only was Japan engrossed in world affairs involving unrest with everyday lives of their citizens during the early twentieth century, but United States was, as well. The early 1920s ushered in European immigrants including Irish and Germans, with Southern Europeans coming a little later. Simiar to Japan's modern rise, Americans were experencing growing pains. Ebrey discusses that workers were growing dissent among the working class. One of the examples he used was the miners in Manchuria. As an American History teacher, an assigned read is Upton Sinclair's, "The Jungle" which chronicles an immigrant family living in a tenement, a single room housing twelve to fifteen members of multi-generations doing their best to "survive". Japan experienced similar issues involving overcrowding and increasing population. Sinclair's protagonist works in a meat packing and processing slaughterhouse (an image is above)where he experiences long hour work days, usually around 15 and poor, dangerous, and unsanitary conditions. The Japanese miner had a similar existance. In my class, I will be asking students to draw parallels with Japan and the US during the beginning of the 20th century to highlight the rise of Japan and America.
Margaret SiryjCard #2
This card grabbed my attention because everyone is so happy! The girl on the left is carrying a rucksack, backpack and ready to go to school. The environment of China in the 1950s and 60s was to perform to the best of your ability. The caption mentions intellectuals were at the countryside being reeducated peasants who were living at poverty level. During this era, Mao Zedong strongly influenced Chinese to immerse themselves in learning. The oder gentleman and younger male are both sporting books, and clearly intellectual pursuits were highlighted. The background is possibly suggesting an uprising, divisions seem apparent.
Margaret SiryjHow interesting and fascinating that Chinese people were taught to worship Chairman Mao. In the 1950s and 60s the Chinese Chairman's goal was to reform agriculture. With the worshipping of Mao Zedong throughout the country, he actually was selling his people "down the river" and into more poverty and famine. You certainly have vivid childhood memories that have stayed ever present in your mind. My mother in law mentions that it was the same for her in Germany during WWII. She was quite young and in school all the children sang songs to glorify Hitler. She did not know then what would ultimately happen, but the propaganda was the same in Germany during WWII as it was for you as a youth during Mao's regime. Qui Shaoyun became the ultimate hero and payed the ultimate price for his countrymen and women. How ironic that the savior of Mao turned out to be their undoing.
