Kent Sabbatical Spotlight #7: Laurie Rosenberg

Every summer, our faculty members have the unique opportunity to travel the world and immerse themselves in enriching experiences, thanks to the Kent Summer Sabbatical Program! This program was created and endowed in 1999 by a generous gift from the Kent Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. E. Robert Kent, Jr., P’89, GP’20 and Josephine Kent Lemken, 1989, P’20. 

Earlier this month, the faculty members who traveled this past summer shared highlights of their trips with their colleagues at a special sabbatical showcase. Every week for the next eight weeks, we will share an article highlighting each teacher’s experience. From exploring the written word in Rome and trekking through Acadia National Park in Maine, to walking around the pond made famous by Monet's paintings and participating in a tea ceremony in Japan, our faculty are so grateful for these remarkable and memorable experiences.

Kent Sabbatical Spotlight #7: Laurie Rosenberg 

Laurie had the pleasure of traveling to and throughout Japan with Bookbag Tours, a tour company specifically geared toward educators providing professional development through immersive travel experiences for teachers. Traveling alongside fellow educators was such an amazing experience for Laurie, and she enjoyed traveling and exploring Japan with educators from other states and countries.

Tokyo was their first stop. Laurie and the group attended an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, even dressing in traditional kimonos. The group also visited Senso-Ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine. Then, they traveled to Tokyo Station and visited the Imperial Palace, exploring its lush gardens. 

Following Tokyo, they traveled to Karuizawa and toured both an elementary and secondary school while they were in session and met with their administrators (with the assistance of their local tour guide who also served as an interpreter). Laurie then traveled to Kyoto, where she and her group toured the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavillion), Fushimi Inari Taisha, and a Zen garden at Ryoan Ji Temple. With the day in Karuizawa unstructured, Laurie and a colleague from RPCS who was also on the tour, Little Reds teacher Jenny Greene, visited a local cat cafe and a traditional paper shop, called an Itoya.
 
After their time in Kyoto, the tour group spent half a day visiting Hiroshima. They toured the ruins and visited the Peace Memorial Park, which was home to the Children’s Peace Monument featuring Sadako Sasaki, and the Peace Memorial Museum.The day also included a ferry ride to Miyajima Island to see the iconic floating torii gate at the Itsukushima Shrine. 

During the last stretch of her journey, Laurie participated in an immersive art exhibit called Team Labs Borderless, which was incredible, and one of Laurie’s favorite experiences! Visiting the local fish market, Tsukiji Nippon Fish Market, was another stop along the way. Laurie also took an art class and learned about the art of kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery, led by the apprentice of Japanese artist Taku Nakano at the Minami Aoyama Studio. After stopping to see Tokyo Tower, Laurie and her tour group ended the trip with an evening of traditional Japanese karaoke and reflections as a group.

This was a life changing trip for Laurie. She shared, “In third grade’s nonwestern unit in social studies, students explore the many facets of Japan’s culture, including traditional food, clothing, sports, government, art, schools, holidays, and geography of the country. Third graders read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, and learn about Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park, the bamboo grove, the Imperial Palace, and many other sites. I took so many photographs and have special personal experiences to share with my students when we teach this unit in May!”