Tuesday, February 20, 2001

By Jan Wesner Childs
Okinawa bureau

GUSHIKAWA — Almost 150 volunteers from nearly every base on Okinawa are fanning out to local schools to help teach English.

The volunteers, both active-duty military and family members, visit the Okinawan schools periodically to talk to the students in English and teach them about American customs.

The program is being lauded by U.S. officials as a great community-relations program, and by school administrators who would like to see it expanded.

"This really presents an excellent opportunity for the Okinawans to start thinking about the bases as an asset rather than a burden," said Lawrence Mire, political/military affairs officer for the U.S. Consulate here.

The idea started last year at a meeting of the Tripartite Liaison Committee, that included the top military commander from each service on Okinawa, prefectural officials and national government representatives.

The first volunteers went into the schools in May.

Each service runs its own version of the program. The Marine Corps, by far the largest service on Okinawa, has 80 volunteers at 10 different schools. The Army has about 30 volunteers, the Air Force 20 and the Navy 17.

The programs vary by base, too. Volunteers from Kadena Air Base visit a local school once a semester. Volunteers from Camp Courtney visit the nearby Akamichi Elementary School twice a week.

Jane Anderson, a teacher by trade and a military spouse, volunteered for the program because she wanted to get into the local schools and see what they’re like.

"It’s interesting to see how they learn," the weekly volunteer said. "They’re very much like American kids, just noisier. The classrooms look just like American classrooms, except for Kanji (a Japanese writing system) on the walls."

Anderson spent an hour with a third-grade class at Akamichi last week, teaching them the names of different clothing items. Few of the children from the subtropical island knew what snow pants were, but they all instantly recognized a bicycle helmet.

They eagerly yelled out names and sang songs.

A few classrooms down, volunteers Linda Mears and Adele Wallace taught another class how to make Valentines.

"The volunteers assist the school teachers in teaching English through games, songs and conversation," said Kaori Martinez, community relations officer for Marine Corps bases on Okinawa.

While the military sees the project as good public relations, volunteers say there’s more to it.

"Although that may be the goal of the base, my goal is to help the children realize the biggest way to experience the culture of anybody else is to bust into the language," said Master Sgt. Curtis Conrad, one of the volunteers from Kadena.

Kadena spokesman 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Bishop said volunteers from the base receive an orientation and sample teaching curriculum before they go to the schools.

English conversation soon will be required learning at elementary schools in Japan, under new guidelines from the national Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture.

"Our students can make a start ahead, which I am very pleased with," said Toshio Tengan, principal of Akamichi Elementary. "It seems that children are getting used to English language and the atmosphere."

Tengan said the children are constantly improving with the help of the volunteers.

"At first, the children were hesitant to speak English, but they are getting better little by little," Tengan said.

"They learned how to exchange greetings in English. In addition, they seem to have learned how to respond to their American teachers by looking at their facial expression or gesture. Children tell me that they really enjoy the class."

Call your base community relations office for more information on the volunteer program.

Chiyomi Sumida contributed to this report.

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