ERIC Number: EJ1324197
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Mar
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1881-4832
EISSN: N/A
Co-Creating "Ibasho" at a Part-Time High School in Tokyo: Affirming Immigrant Students' Lives through Extracurricular Activities
Tokunaga, Tomoko
Educational Studies in Japan: International Yearbook, n15 p27-39 Mar 2021
Part-time high schools function as an important safety net for marginalized students, including immigrants, who are often excluded from society and mainstream education. Since 2015, drawing on the participatory action research (PAR) approach, I have collaborated with a high school and a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) to develop an extracurricular activity called One World (Multilingual Exchange Club), which aims to create "ibasho" (places where one feels comfortable, safe, and accepted) for and with immigrant youth, given their high dropout rate. This article focuses on this collaborative practice and examines how the club has functioned as an "ibasho" among immigrant students. Given the value placed on students' voluntary engagement under the guidance of supportive teachers during extracurricular activities, immigrant students were able to nurture a space where they could be free from others' eyes, even temporarily. The space also had an elusive culture that validated students' transcultural and hybrid identities, languages, and experiences, which led to their empowerment. By shedding light on the possibilities of the indigenous Japanese concept of "ibasho" and its practice, scholars and practitioners in Japan and abroad can develop critical questions and reimagine mainstream education to nurture immigrant students' sense of belonging.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Part Time Students, High School Students, High Schools, Extracurricular Activities, Immigrants, At Risk Students, Clubs, Cultural Awareness, Cultural Relevance, Student Empowerment, Indigenous Knowledge, Student Needs, Student Diversity, Special Needs Students, Social Influences, Cultural Differences, Student Characteristics, Inclusion
Japanese Educational Research Association. #102, Creart Kanda Building, 2-15-2, Kanda-Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo, 101-0041. Tel: +81-3-3253-6630; Fax: +81-3-3254-0477; e-mail: edit@jera.jp; Web site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/esjkyoiku
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan (Tokyo)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A