Educator returns from cultural exchange trip

Old Bridge High School Vice Principal Marie Tirrell took this picture of typical Edo period (1603-1867) Japanese thatched-roof homes in the town of Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is about two hours by train from Tokyo. The homes are privately owned and inhabited. Marie Tirrell, vice principal at Old Bridge High School, is a well-traveled woman. She has visited Spain, most of the United States, and much of Central America, but last year she found herself totally charmed by Japan.

Tirrell went to visit her 22-year-old daughter, Elyse, who was working as an actress at Universal Studios in Osaka. She spent two weeks touring that city and seeing Kyoto and Hiroshima.

"The cities are so clean and the people are very honest and respectful. One of my daughter's friends lost her wallet on the subway and it was returned to her intact," she noted.

Tirrell wanted to go back, but the cost was prohibitive. She began exploring other options, and came across the Keizai Koho Center (KKC) on the Internet. The nonprofit organization is affiliated with the Japanese Business Federation, and its mission is to promote a better understanding of the Japanese economy and society. To that end, the organization offers fellowships to educators, journalists and researchers to enable them to visit the country.

Tirrell (r) is pictured with Akemi Handa (l), programofficer in the International Affairs Department of Keizai Koho, Tokyo, and the department's senior analyst, Toshiya Fujiwara. Tirrell applied for a fellowship and was one of only 10 educators from North America chosen for the two-week trip, which took place earlier this summer.

The KKC, which funded the trip, scheduled a whirlwind tour of businesses, schools and tourist sites for the group. Translators accompanied them almost everywhere they went. They rode on the famous bullet railroad.

"It's magnetic, and rides above the tracks and goes over 200 mph. The seating is spacious, and they serve drinks and meals," she said.

They also spent one night in the home of a Japanese family.

"Japanese homes are very small, so rooms have to serve several functions," she said. The room Tirrell slept in also held Japanese musical instruments, which her hostess tried to teach her.

"It was useless," she said with a laugh. Tirrell slept on a tatami roll, which is a kind of rolled up futon placed on the floor. She also had to take off her shoes and wear slippers once she entered the house.

The group toured major Japanese industries.

"Some of the towns are named after corporations," she said. "There is a Kawasaki City where they make motorcycles, and we visited the Toyota plant in Toyota City. ... The name of the man who started the company was actually named Toyoda, but they changed it to Toyota because they thought it sounded better."

At each company, they met with corporate executives. One of the main topics of conversation was ecology and the environment. She noted some differences in Japanese business practices. "They really listen to their workers. They encourage suggestions from everyone and take them seriously. If management uses their idea, that worker receives a bonus."

Tirrell visited Yokohama International High School and Tokyo Metropolitan High School.

"Many of the students wore uniformtype outfits, but some wore clothes like kids here. Public high schools are not free in Japan. Families have to pay privately," she said. Another interesting observation: "The whole junior class was going to Australia for two weeks to practice their English."

The Fellows were each expected to give a talk, and the corporate executives, host families, and students they had met were invited to attend. Each spoke about a different topic.

"I discussed diversity and how it improves the quality of education," Tirrell said. The talk was based on Old Bridge High School and its diverse socio-economic, ethnic, religious, and physical and educational backgrounds. She described the school as a cultural community that, beyond academics, teaches positive social behavior.

"I had very positive responses to my talk from many who spoke to me later. They were very interested in the workings of a diverse school system, because ... with the low birthrate, there is thought [being given] to open immigration to Japan to increase the future workforce," she said. "Japan looks to the United States and Canada as two countries who have always welcomed immigrants and, in their view, do not anticipate future workforce problems."

The next time she goes to Japan, Tirrell may be bringing some of the faculty and students from Old Bridge High School.

"I'm exploring the possibility of Old Bridge High School becoming a sister school to one in Japan," she said. "Of course, there are a lot of things to consider, and it would have to be approved by the Board of Education, but it would be great to be able to do some kind of exchange visits."