Four vibrant virtual exchange sessions with a high school in Okinawa via Zoom, where we delved into the intricacies of each other's school life, marveled at the captivating beauty of Taichung and Okinawa, and explored the fascinating world of traditional musical instruments.
The exchange
between students from Taichung Municipal Kuang-Ming Junior High School and
Ryukyu University Faculty of Education Affiliated Junior High School was a
blast, all thanks to the connection between Professors Hong and Fukazawa. The
students enjoyed engaging presentations, interesting follow-up questions,
educational cultural guessing games, and impressive talent shows. The exchange
was a meaningful and enjoyable experience for everyone involved!
In collaboration
with my Japanese counterpart, Nagisa, we meticulously discussed the exchange
time frames, video call platform, and the overall process. I then extended an
invitation to the school's FET, Nicole, and her co-teacher, Cathy, to join us
in this exciting endeavor. While the looming midterm exams limited our time to
thoroughly prepare our students, their enthusiastic participation and
insightful feedback afterward were truly heartwarming surprises.
KMJH students
enjoyed watching videos about school life in Okinawa and asked engaging
questions about club activities, school lunch, uniforms, and favorite anime
characters. Following this, students from my ICE club, Class 805, and 809
presented information about our school, Taichung, and their hobbies. The
presentations were followed by entertaining cultural guessing games, featuring
questions like, "What is the biggest wild animal in Taiwan?" with
three choices. A touch of humor was added with a question featuring a poorly
taken picture of me, asking, "Who is the president of Taiwan?" It was
a lighthearted moment that brought laughter to the session.
The talent shows
from both schools were truly impressive! One Japanese student showcased the
traditional Okinawan instrument, the Nahanavi. In response, a girl from our
Traditional Chinese Music Club played the Erhu, a two-string fiddle. Another
Japanese student demonstrated an old children's game, aiming to toss a piece of
string-attached wood block on top of another. While it might seem easy, it
actually requires a lot of practice, and after a few nervous attempts, he
finally succeeded with his classmates cheering him on. Last but not least, with
the guidance of their homeroom teacher, Lu, students from Class 809 created a captivating
video featuring their playful dance moves, providing a delightful surprise for
everyone.
A virtual exchange
like this not only encourages our students to use English but also fosters an
appreciation for differences from both sides. It warmed my heart to witness
some students gathering around the webcam, enthusiastically trying to get a
Japanese girl's Instagram account for a boy who seemed interested in her.
Overall, it was a fun and meaningful virtual exchange. To see those smiles on
my students' faces again, I hope we can have another exchange in the near
future.
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