Miho Izumi: The Power of Language is the Foundation of Everything—Expressive Activities in NY

2024/11/27

As Zoom classes were coming to an end and students were about to return to Keio Academy of New York, I thought about creating a club unlike any before. I wanted to talk to students I had only met on screen outside of class hours. The response from students was significant, and three years have passed since I started a club called "Creative Workshop." We produce a club magazine once a year (twice last year). Members decide on a theme, and as long as it fits that theme, they can write anything: essays, short papers, novels, poems, tanka, haiku, rap—anything goes. It can also be in either English or Japanese. They choose their preferred method of expression. Headmaster Takayuki Tatsumi and I, as the advisor, also write alongside the students. I wanted to leave something behind in "print" that goes beyond texts and chats. That was my hope. One member said that when they took the booklet home, their family was reading it relaxedly in the living room. I want to create moments like these.

I also became involved with the NY school's newspaper, the "Keio Journal." Students write about school events, sports, or issues in modern society in both English and Japanese. An increasing number of students write articles while participating in sports clubs, making match reports feel more immersive. Articles analyzing world affairs in English have also increased. We include special features in the newspaper and put effort into the editing; among them, the "Fukuzawa Speech Day" feature became something special. This is a school event held every February where student representatives give speeches in either English or Japanese. As the lead advisor, I collaborate with students to manage the speech day. Soon, the time will come to recruit students for this year's speeches. I enjoy "building" something together with students, so I am grateful for these opportunities. The same applies to my Japanese literature classes. I want to learn from my students. This summer, the Japanese Department assigned a reading log project that included a list of teacher recommendations. Thanks to this assignment, I was able to read 20 books myself. Based on these results, the Creative Workshop is planning to collaborate with students to publish a "Reading Newsletter." Of course, we will also report on reading English books.

"learning while teaching, teaching while learning." At the NY school, keeping the teachings of Yukichi Fukuzawa in my heart, I intend to continue enriching expressive activities together with students, remaining conscious of the venues for expression in English and Japanese—the three cultures: Keio, Japan, and New York.