Colour captures imagination of exchange teacher

The walls of Ryo Nakamura's Japanese classroom could soon be covered with colourful children's artwork thanks to an idea sparked in New Plymouth.
While primary school classrooms in Japan could be viewed by outsiders as white and sterile, New Zealand classrooms are wall-to-wall colour.
The brightness of Kiwi classrooms is something that has captured the imagination of exchange teacher Mr Nakamura.
"Everything is so colourful in the classroom. Even the walls are painted in many colours.
"Everything is white in Japan. I am quite amazed that you use lots of colour and even display the children's artwork," Mr Nakamura said through an interpreter.
The 31-year-old is the first Japanese teacher to take part in the New Plymouth-Mishima teacher exchange programme, initiated during a New Plymouth District Council sister city trip to Mishima two years ago.
Mr Nakamura, who is a primary school teacher at Mukaiyama Shoggakko school in Mishima, arrived in New Plymouth on Saturday and will spend a month in various classrooms in the district.
Yesterday, while at Central School, Mr Nakamura said he was keen to introduce colour into his white classroom. Just how his superiors would react to the sudden colour explosion was another thing. "They will be very surprised."
It is the first time Mr Nakamura has been out of Japan and year six students at Central School were keen to inform him of where he should visit in Taranaki. Taking a trip up Mt Taranaki, visiting Puke Ariki, a marae and a farm were among the suggestions, but it was the idea of going surfing that had Mr Nakamura particularly excited. He hoped he could get in a few lessons while in the region.
He is also keen to learn more about New Zealand music. He will teach Central School's choir a Japanese song.
Mr Nakamura will visit the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, Welbourn, Westown and Vogeltown, Egmont Village and Inglewood primary schools, Te Pihipihinga Kakano Mai i Rangiatea kura kaupapa and Highlands Intermediate.
New Plymouth has sent two teachers to Mishima - James Los'e from Spotswood College and Vicki-Ann Ritchie from Inglewood Primary School.
ROCHELLE WESTrochelle.west@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Tuesday, 31 July 2007