Teaching East Asia: Japan (formerly the Rocky Mountain Japan Project) has been providing services to K-12 teachers and schools since 1985 through its summer institutes, study tours, one-day workshops, and special projects. See the Upcoming Events page for this year's offerings.
Japan Summer Institutes
Since 1996, TEA has offered an annual summer institute addressing the theme "Japanese History through the Humanities." Institutes take place on the University of Colorado campus and feature Japan specialists from CU and around the country. 2009 Japan Institute information. This summer's application is now closed.
Japan Study Tours
While study tours are not a part of TEA's Japan Project, Teaching East Asia does offer study tours through the Colorado Consortium for Teaching East Asia (CCTEA) as well as the National Consortium for Teaching Asia (NCTA) projects.
Colorado Workshop Series
Colorado teachers can take advantage of an annual program of school year workshops on Japan. Past workshop topics have included: "Reinventing Japan: the Postwar Years 1945-1989," "Hands-On Japan: A Mini-Workshop for Elementary Teachers," and "Art of the Edo Period: New Resources for Teaching Japanese History Through the Arts." See the Upcoming Events page for more information about current and upcoming workshops.
The Japan Resource Center
Built with support from the Japanese Consulate, the US-Japan Foundation, the Freeman Foundation, and contributions from teachers and publishers, TEA's Japan Resource Center offers teachers in the western United States an extensive collection of curriculum resources on Japan. Most materials are lent free of charge to teachers in the western United States; artifact trunks rent for a nominal fee. Complete and return the Resource Center Borrower's Agreement or contact us for more details.
Japanese Woodblock Print Collection
TEA offers a collection of 30 late-Edo period (1800-1850s) woodblock prints for instructional use to educators at all levels. Click the link to see sample prints and learn how to borrow the collection for use in your own classroom.
Visits to Elementary and Secondary Classrooms
Visits to Boulder Elementary Schools. In a local service project, TEA works with undergraduate interns from the University of Colorado's Asian studies and Asian languages programs to offer Asian language (Japanese, Chinese and Hindi) and culture activities to Boulder Valley School District's elementary classrooms. CU Students are available for one-day and longer assignments to classrooms, where they assist by teaching simple language, culture, and education lessons. Boulder-area teachers interested in taking part in this program can contact TEA staff member Julie Kang.
Visits to Colorado Middle and High School Classrooms. In a joint project, TEA and the Center for Asian Studies offer guest presentations to secondary classrooms on China, Japan, and India. Presentations are developed on special topics each year and made available by student outreach assistants. For a list of topics on Japan available during the current school year, contact Julie Kang.
