ULM student teachers travel to Japan
posted Thursday, January 31st, 2013 @ 12:00 pm

Four University of Louisiana-Monroe elementary education majors pursuing degrees in curriculum and instruction are studying abroad for five weeks at Ehime University in Matsuyama, Japan. 

"These four students have chosen a path less traveled and one that is far more challenging," said Dr. Sandra Lemoine, dean of College of Education and Human Development. "Their bravery and diligence will benefit them tremendously in their future careers and life choices."

Echo Sutterfield of West Monroe, Sabre Masters of Monroe, Molly Plauche of Pineville, and Jennifer Bernard of Natchez, Miss., made the 23-hour journey to Matsuyama, Japan on Jan. 12, eager to fulfill a portion of their classroom teaching requirements in the Japanese school system. 

The students anticipate gaining new insights by becoming world travelers and studying abroad, but also devoting their time learning new perspectives on teaching and classroom environments by working with a Japanese teacher in his/her classroom. Dr. Dorothy C. Schween, head of Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership at ULM, will travel to Japan, Feb. 8-15, to observe the students as they teach in their Japanese classrooms. All four students will return to the U.S. on Tuesday, Feb. 19.