Jackson’s new Japanese class offers TJ students the opportunity learn a new language and its culture.
World Language Teacher Kyler Jackson introduces Japanese classes to TJ. photo by Mia Nogueira
Kyler Jackson is expanding Thomas Jefferson High School’s cultural diversity by introducing Japanese to the list of languages offered at TJ this year. “Nan-ji desu ka. Nihango desu (What time is it? Japanese time!),” Jackson announced.
Jackson learned Japanese at the young age of 10. Growing up, Jackson’s mother was in the air force, which meant that the family was stationed all over the world including Germany, France, England, Portugal, the Philippines, and Japan. This constant global movement meant that Jackson needed a way to communicate, pushing him to learn multiple languages such as Portuguese, German, and Japanese. “It was very strange as a child not being in the United States,” said Jackson. Because Jackson’s mother was being moved around constantly, he wasn’t always moving with her. Jackson’s mother was soon transferred out of Japan, never giving him the chance to put the language to use. Since then, Jackson has yet to visit Japan.
“I wanted to bring something different to TJ. People get bored with having the same choices like Spanish and French,” said Jackson, who teaches two Japanese and three Spanish classes. Jackson had been trying to introduce Japanese to TJ for quite some time and was eager to finally begin teaching the course. “So far everyone is doing really well. It isn’t as hard as they thought,” Jackson said.
“I chose the Japanese class to try something new. I thought it would be a great experience,” commented Senior Monique Kuykendoll. Essentially, Kuykendoll would like to leave TJ with the ability to recognize and speak some Japanese.
Jared Lewis, also a senior in the class, expressed that Japanese was the beginning of exploring one of his passions. “I really enjoy anime and see the language as an art in itself. I hope that one day I can go to Japan and use this knowledge of the language and culture for many different reasons. Ultimately I am interested in becoming an anime artist.”
There are many layers of learning to this class besides the language. The students will be studying the Japanese culture, cuisine, and how to write the characters (Hiragana). “The culture is a huge part of the class. The most enjoyable project we will be doing is when the students get the chance to make Japanese food,” Jackson shared.
Paul Kirschling, TJ’s French teacher and head of the Foreign Language Department, said, “It is awesome to have another foreign language at TJ. I am excited for Jackson and the students, as well.”
“I hope that the students will gain a better appreciation for the culture, and that Japanese will have a greater influence on them,” Jackson expressed. Looking to the future, Jackson hopes to travel with a group of his students to Japan, giving them – and him – a chance to continue to expand their cultural boundaries.
