12th Annual Phila-Nipponica Project Call for Applications

The University of Pennsylvania Center for East Asian Studies is pleased to announce that it will offer the 12th year in the Phila-Nipponica Project, a series that has helped over one hundred teachers in the Greater Philadelphia area enhance their classroom teaching about Japan and Asia through seminars, summer study tours, and curriculum development assistance devoted to Japan. 

Phila-Nipponica is intended to educate “beginners” about Japan, offering a broad base of history and culture in preparation for a study-tour of Japan. This year's series is themed: "Recovering Japan: Preparing Philadelphia Area Educators to Teach about Japan as It Responds to the Disasters of 2011."

The Center is currently seeking applications from social studies, science, and humanities teachers in middle and high schools who have a strong interest in developing or enhancing a Japan studies program.

Project activities include:

• Three intensive all-day Saturday seminars with scholars on the University of Pennsylvania campus (Attendance is mandatory)
• A 17-day study tour of Japan in June–July 2012. Tentative dates are June 22–July 9. You must be available through this entire travel period.
• Three mandatory curriculum implementation sessions in Fall 2012, with a final presentation of educators' Japan teaching plans. 

An informational session is being held on December 14, 2011, from 4:30 - 6:00 PM in the Ben Franklin Room of Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania campus.  If you are interested in attending this session, please RSVP to Melissa DiFrancesco and include your name and school. Melissa can be reached by email at meljen@sas.upenn.edu or by phone at (215) 573 - 4203. 

Applications for the Phila-Nipponica project can be found here.