One of the teachers said, “I think differently,” to Dr. Kitada Yoshiko when she conducted a Lesson Study to teachers at one of the elementary schools in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. She not only visited schools supported by the Reach Institute for School Leadership, her U.S. host affiliation, but also those that are not. However, active discussions were in place wherever she went due to different opinions. Dr. Kitada realized that the culture and ways of thinking were different from those of her home country, Japan. She recalls, “It was the moment when my perspective expanded.”

Dr. Kitada learned about the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (FSIR) Program through a colleague who shared that the Japan-U.S. Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan) was looking for a specialist in the method of Lesson Study. The host, the Reach Institute for School Leadership, is an educational institution that develops and supports educators. Lesson Study is called “jugyō kenkyū” in Japanese, and Dr. Kitada specializes in this field.

This teaching methodology, “jugyō kenkyū,” originates in Japan since the Meiji period (1868-1912). In order to develop knowledge and improve teaching skills, teachers study each other’s classes, which is now a common practice in Japan. It was introduced in the United States approximately 20 years ago through a book publication on “jugyō kenkyū” by American scholars. Therefore, this methodology is still relatively new in the United States; however, it is recently developing in its own unique way. In the U.S., discussion takes place frequently and it is only natural to have a dialogue when there are different opinions. Furthermore, preparation is thorough, and questions are raised without hesitation in order to reach a productive conclusion.　

The Reach Institute for School Leadership is proactive in incorporating Lesson Study because they believe that in order to provide equal opportunity to all students, the development of highly effective teachers is essential. Even in Japan, Dr. Kitada has seen teachers who are insecure about ways of supporting students due to social diversity and disparity. She states, “Through this Fulbright experience, I strongly felt the need of bringing back this new version of Lesson Study developed in the U.S.”

During the grant period, she visited many elementary and middle schools, advised the teachers, and planned and developed a new tutorial to learn about Lesson Study more in depth. “There are many differences between Japanese and American teachers as well as the schools themselves because the country and the culture are different. However, I often came across common issues that we all face, when listening to the actual voices from American teachers. I am confident that I can contribute to the development of teacher education for both countries in the future.”

Studying abroad provides new perspectives, and one can find new confidence through actual experience. “I want to encourage everyone to challenge themselves and become the bridge between the United States and Japan.” Dr. Kitada will surely continue to be a bridge for further contribution to the mutual understandings of the two countries through teacher education.