Lifelong learning

I visited a university yesterday where teachers of k-12 students were taking a week-long refresher course to be re-certified. Teachers in Japan have to be re-tested every 5 years and take workshops, classes, and tests that are vigorously observed. The roll was taken after every break to make sure that no one had just punched in an left! Doji Shigeyama, of the prestigious Okura School, one of the Kyogen actors teaching at the Kyoto Art Center, introduced these teachers to some kata associated with Kyogen. Jonah Salz, the Traditional Theatre Training program director, gave them some background and understanding of the current movements in Kyogen. Then they chose stories from Aesop's fables or Japanese folk tales and rehearsed in groups to perform them using some of the techniques they had learned. They were so committed! I have friends who teach theatre who go running for the door as soon as someone says, "Move the chairs to the sides of the room." These people really worked on their fables and performed them to the best of their ability. It was interesting to me that the older teachers showed more confidence, and the yonger ones were more inhibited. The reverse is often true in the USA when it comes to non-theatre teachers taking a drama workshop. I thanked them very much for letting me be fly on the wall. I must tell Doji-san how impressed I was at his patience and generosity in giving the workshop. I hope all those schools buy tickets for his next performance.