NORTH SHOREVIEW MONTESSORI PTA

Japanese is becoming the language of choice at NSM. Our preschool children are learning words and songs in Japanese, and parent volunteers are helping first and second graders learn Japanese characters. Seventh graders have been learning about Japanese language and culture, including reading and writing in the hirigana alphabet.  In October they celebrated O-bon, the Festival of Souls; for the Lunar New Year they made and wrote postcards; and in March they learned about the Doll Festival, Hina Masuri.  They dined on Japanese cuisine and visited Japan Town in San Francisco.  A highlight of the year was being invited by the Japanese Consulate to participate in a formal Tea Ceremony.  The entire school enjoyed a Taiko Drum assembly and learned how these giant instruments are played in Japan.  Looking forward, we hope to expand Japanese lessons to all of the middle school grades while sharing songs, stories, and the geography and culture of Japan throughout the school.

--from the February 2010 issue of Magnet School News

NSM Website in Japanese