2013.12.11
Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
We held our 4th EGAKU session at Sekimachi Kita Elementary School for a group of 4th-6th graders as part of the "Midori no Kaze no Hiroba" initiative.
The students rolled up their sleeves and took on the challenge of EGAKU with enthusiasm, and an impressive degree of concentration and focus. As each one of them presented their artwork, we were struck by the sheer poetry and philosophical overtones of some of the titles and concepts behind the works! 'The conflict within', 'Coloured emotions', 'The good and the bad (heart/soul)'...
This was our last EGAKU session at Sekimachi Kita for the year - but we're looking forward to seeing some new faces as well as some old in 2014!
Theme: My heart (soul)
Programme overview: EGAKU Program
Participants: 22 elementary school students, a mixed group of elementary school children (4th-6th grades)
Venue: Sekimachi Kita Elementary School, Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Host institution: Midori No Kaze Hiroba
Facilitator: Kunihiko Yazawa
Staff: Kimi Hasebe, Yoshino Kuwahara, Ryoko Nakamura, Sae Shirasaki
2013.12.3
Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Theme: My heart/soul
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 24 elementary school students (from 1st to 3rd grade)
Venue: Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Host institution: Midori No Kaze Hiroba
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Sae Shirasaki
Staff/Volunteers: Kimi Hasebe, Ryoko Nakamura, Miho Kawasaki, Yoshino Kuwahara
2013.9.7
Takaban Elementary School of Meguro Ward
Theme: My heart/soul
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 28 elementary school students
Host institution: Yume plan Takaban
Venue: Takaban Elementary School of Meguro Ward
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe
Staff/Volunteers: Sae Shirasaki, Kaori Shishikura, Yoshino Kuwahara
Photography/Video: Naoki Yamada
2013.8.31
Shibuya Hikarie 8/COURT
Theme: My heart/soul(children), My heart/soul -What you value the most-(adults)
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 18 adults, 13 children
Venue: Shibuya Hikarie 8/COURT
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe, Sae Shirasaki
Staff/Volunteers: Kazuhiro Minami, Ryoko Miyamoto, Ryoko Nakamura, Yoshino Kuwahara
2013.8.4
University of Tokyo Innovation Summer Program
We ran the EGAKU Program at the 21 Komaba Center for Educational Excellence at the University of Tokyo Komaba Campus as part of the University of Tokyo Innovation Summer Program - a popular program attracting over 800 applicants from all over the world. Twenty one students from various backgrounds took part in the session.
In the post-session wrap-up we asked participants to summarize - in one word - what they learned, what they gained from the experience. Here are some of their answers:
"Difference" "Difference not only of ideas but the way how we express our ideas" "Inspired" "Diversity" "Express" "Inspiration" "Novelty, something new" "Another angle" "Importance of actually moving your hand and making stuff" "Challenging" "Piece of arts" "found what is art" "New communication" "Liberating" "Potential" "Release" "Expression" "Express what is truly inside me and using art to do that" "Something inside" "Community" "Reflection"
After the session, much to the team's delight and surprise, someone even remarked that the experience was like "learning everything I've learned at Harvard Business School over these past two years in the space of 3 hours!"
Theme: Leadership in myself
Program overview: EGAKU Program, Post workshop discussion
Workshop participants: 21 university students, graduate students
Host institution: 21 Komaba Center for Educational Excellence
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe
Interpreter: Mayuka Yamazaki
Staff/Volunteers: Sae Shirasaki, Ryoko Nakamura, Tomoko Matsukawa
2013.7.27
Health and Global Policy Institute
We ran EGAKU for undergraduate and graduate students of the Global Health Summer Program hosted by the Health and Global Policy Institute.
The theme of the Global Health Summer Program was Post-Disaster Health Promotion - how to promote the physical, social and mental health of inhabitants of areas affected by disasters, identifying key challenges through fieldwork and then creating action plans. The Program kicked off with participants engaging in deep inward reflection through the EGAKU session.
Theme: Leadership in my self
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 18 university and graduate students
Venue: National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Host institution: Health and Global Policy Institute
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe
Interpreter: Ryoko Nakamura
Staff/Volunteers: Sae Shirasaki, Yoshino Kuwahara
2013.7.19
Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Theme: My heart/soul
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 24 elementary school students (form 1st to 3rd grade)
Venue: Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Host institution: Midori-no-kaze Hiroba
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Sae Shirasaki
Staff/Volunteers: Yoshino Kuwahara
2013.7.16
Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Theme: My heart/soul
Program overview: EGAKU Program
Workshop participants: 25 elementary school students (from 4th to 6th grade)
Venue: Sekimachi Kita Elementary School of Nerima Ward
Host institution: Midori-no-kaze Hiroba
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe
Staff/Volunteers: Sae Shirasaki, Yoshino Kuwahara, Kazuhiro Minami, Ryoko Nakamura
Photography/Video: Naoki Yamada
2013.6.22
Kindery International
Theme: My heart/soul
Program overview: EGAKU Program / Lecture for parents
Workshop participants: 7 first grade elementary school students (6-7 year olds)
Host institution: Kindery International
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Instructor for parents: Kimi Hasebe
Facilitator: Sae Shirasaki
Staff/Volunteers: Ryoko Miyamoto, Ryoko Nakamura, Yoshino Kuwahara
2013.1.22
Souson Elementary School of Kannami town
We were invited to host a workshop for the graduating class of 2013 at Souson Elementary School in Kannami town, Shizuoka.
These students were graduating from elementary school in March, and were preparing to embark on a new stage in their lives as they enter middle school. The prospect of change often arouses mixed feelings of hope and anticipation as well as trepidation in many of us - and 11 year olds are no different. We thought that the theme of drawing "my soul/spirit" for the EGAKU session was particularly apt for this group.
After the EGAKU session, we asked the students to reflect upon their time at elementary school by posing the following questions:
・What did you enjoy the most (at elementary school)?
・What do you wish you'd done better?
・What did you achieve?
・What did you learn?
This was followed by challenging them to think about what middle school holds in store for them, and to share their hopes and ambitions in their groups - what are you looking forward to the most (at middle school)? What kind of middle school student do you aspire to be?
Theme: My heart/soul
Programme overview: EGAKU Program / Post workshop discussion
Workshop participants: 29 sixth grade elementary school students (11-12 year olds)
Host institution: Kannami Town Souson Elementary School
Instructor: Kunihiko Yazawa
Facilitator: Kimi Hasebe
Staff/Volunteers: Yoshino Kuwahara, Kazuhiro Minami, Ryoko Nakamura
Photography/Video: Naoki Yamada
