On April 26, 2015, a group of 14 K-12 Japanese teachers arrived in Washington, DC to participate in the Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The teachers attended an orientation in Washington, DC and visited schools in the DC area offering ESD-related curricula, focusing on sustainability, the environment, the green schools movement, and nutrition.

After the orientation, the teachers visited K-12 schools throughout the DC metro area as well as other ESD resource sites such as the Smithsonian Science Education Center and the Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum. The teachers enjoyed learning about the programs being implemented in the U.S. and learned about activities that could be implemented in their schools back in Japan. Following a two-night homestay with DC-area residents, the 14 Japanese teachers traveled to San Francisco where they were joined by the 14 U.S. participants for a three-day joint conference focused on the collaborative development of ESD curricula.

 

In June 2015, the 14 U.S. participants will travel to Japan to visit Japanese schools focused on ESD. The two groups of teachers will meet in Japan for another joint conference where they will solidify relationships and collaborations begun in San Francisco.