Peer Support in Action
Peer Support - New Beginnings in Japan
by Trevor Cole.
Trevor Cole is a "semi retired" University instructor in educational Psychology who has travelled extensively over the past three years teaching and giving workshops in Peer Support. He has completed workshops in Thailand, Portugal, United Kingdom and Japan. He is currently doing some sessional teaching at the University of Victoria B.C. as well as operating his own counselling practice in Duncan B.C.
"I really appreciate attending this Peer Support work shop. While I listened to Dr. Cole I felt for the first time at Junior High School I could reveal myself frankly. He encouraged us to open our minds, even though we students feel distrust against adults...
...This work shop is a really good opportunity to open our eyes to a different world. I feel like changing".
This was one of the translated written evaluations from Chihiro a student from Hongo Junior High School Yokohama Japan. This workshop with students was one of the highlights from a week spent in Japan giving workshops on Peer Support. The Yokohama Teachers Union has been actively supporting programs that increase interpersonal relationships and decrease bullying and violent incidents in their schools.
From the information provided by the Yokohama Teachers Union I realised how important the topic of dealing with bullying was. For example about 500 people attended the initial lecture. Approximately 30 teachers attended the workshop. Peer Support is one of a number of interventions the teacher's union is exploring.
It was an honour for me to be invited to Japan by Mr. Izumi Osabe from the teacher's union. The purpose of the visit was to give a lecture to interested teachers and parents about Peer Support in Canada and to do a workshop with students and teachers. What transpired was an array of wonderful experiences that enhanced my learning both personally and professionally.
Working with students from Hongo Junior High School was an exciting challenge based on cultural differences; from a teaching perspective would the students understand the concepts presented? Even though we did not speak the same language it was evident from their enthusiasm, from the translated feedback and from student evaluations, that the workshop was enjoyable and the level of understanding was not much different from that of Canadian children participating.
As noted the challenge for me was helping the students understand the concepts. So I had all the overheads translated into Japanese and when we were brainstorming topics I would also write down the English translation, while a teacher helper was writing down the Japanese answers.
When we initially brainstormed what they knew, understood or wanted to know about Peer Support, I assumed that their answers would be very different because of culture.
What I found was that the answers were very similar and that there is a universal similarity in that we all believe friendships are very important. It became clear that Japanese students would like to talk, and support each other when a problem exists. . It was also noted that when defining the attributes of a person (peer supporter) they would share a problem with, the words understanding, warm, good listener, etc., were cited. It was then very easy to justify teaching communication and problem solving skills when they already understood the foundation of peer support.
Having only one day to train students and having to do everything through an interpreter the skills were just touched upon and further training would need to be done. Mr. Toru Saki the students' counsellor and peer support leader is a very skilled individual and I know under his leadership the program will be very successful.
The teacher's workshop was also well attended and included teachers from other districts as well as a number of Educational leaders from the National Institute for Educational Research and Yokohama School Board. The previous day work with the students was revisited and also included the components needed to facilitate a program; implementing, managing, training students, supervising and evaluating their program. The workshop was centred not around how peer support functions in schools in Canada, but how peer support might function in Japan, namely their individual schools where each teacher would be familiar with their school's organisation, uniqueness and culture.
Like the trend in many other parts of the world there has been an increase in bullying, violence amongst students and violence towards teachers. The Yokohama Teachers Union along with counsellor Mr. Toru Saki at Hongo Junior High School have taken a leadership role in researching and developing programs that address the issue of bullying and violence in schools. Peer support was one such program they would like to use to enhance their present anti bullying program.
Dr. Mitsuru Taki of Guidance and Counselling for the National Institute for Educational Research is also supporting this program.
The teachers and students in the Yokohama school district are very hard working people with high expectations for success. The children attend school 5 days a week. However every second Saturday is also a school day, meaning every second week is a six day week. Students are required to take exams for progression on to the next level and the transition from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school are very important exam times. Because of the expectations to succeed parents also enrol their children in "cram schools" which offer specific tutoring for the various exam levels.
The Japanese education authorities are at present redesigning the curriculum to decrease the number of school days and working toward learner focused and social skills training for the students. The new curriculum will be fully integrated by the year 2002.
On a personal note I found that my hosts and all the Japanese people I had contact with, went out of their way to give me a warm and enriching experience.
One of my most exciting challenges was dining out. My host always asked what I would like and the phrase "When in Rome......" always came to mind. So I would tell them to order what they would normally eat. When the order arrived it was generally an exciting visual array of various raw fish and delicacies that I could only wonder about. I did recognise a whole sardine and waited to see how this tasty morsel was to be eaten. Well I am a fast learner and I must tell you that a sardine, head, tail and all is very crunchy!!! My learning curve was also high when using chopsticks. My host always smiled politely at the pile of food I managed to drop on the table for every piece of food I managed to get into my mouth!
I found the summary and celebration of the three days of workshops to be very heart warming. The President of the Yokohama Teachers Union,
the conference organiser, representatives and Head Master from Hongo Junior High School as well as individuals from National Institute for Educational Research all gave short impressions of the experience. Each honoured the individuals within the group for their leadership, dedication and hard work. What was being emphasised were the successes, what had worked well and the exchange of gifts to remember the occasion. It was truly an elegant way to culminate such an undertaking.
Yokohama is a beautiful city much like Vancouver with a similar busy harbour and a back drop of mountains that always makes the experience more memorable. I have many fond
memories from this experience. The new friendships, learning, exchange of ideas and insight into a very different culture from my own will leave me a richer person.
A special thanks should also go to my friend and interpreter Ms. Mariko Matsuda my friend and teacher while in Japan.
I continue to look forward to any future involvement with overseas schools or institutions that are thinking or involving themselves in Peer Support.
I can be reached by e-mail at
or
1186
Khenipsen Road
Duncan,
V9L 5L3,
BC.
Canada.
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