Ms. Barbara Horowitz

Gifted Support Teacher
Julia R. Masterman Demonstration School
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mrs. Barbara Horowitz has been a Gifted Support teacher at the Julia R. Masterman Demonstration School, in Philadelphia, since 1991.  Masterman is a nationally recognized Blue Ribbon and Middle States Accredited School.  Students attending Masterman School come from every neighborhood of Philadelphia and encompass many varied ethnicities and backgrounds.

Mrs. Horowitz’s interest in Japan began as a young girl with an admiration and intrigue of her grandmother’s Japanese artwork and many pieces of clothing from Asia.  She developed a strong connection with Japanese culture focusing on art, fashion and history.

In 1992, Mrs. Horowitz was chosen as one of the representatives from her school to participate in the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia’s Schools of Excellence program.  This led to her participation in the first Phila Nipponica trip to Japan administered by the Center for East Asian Studies of the University of Pennsylvania, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, and the School District of Philadelphia.  During the three week study tour she visited schools, cultural and historical places of interests, and met with Japanese dignitaries. Since 1997, Mrs. Horowitz has taught Japan to selected groups and for the last four years has introduced a Japanese program to all sixth grade students.  Her goal as a teacher is to give her students a hands-on, realistic experience of Japan that will broaden their knowledge and understanding of this complex and fascinating country.

Mrs. Horowitz has organized her classroom to represent an authentic Japanese elementary school; focusing on group dynamics and responsibility, sense of community and putting students in charge of the class.  Following Japanese tradition, students refer to her as Horowitz-sensei. A different class leader (toban) has the honor of taking charge of the class each period.  Students are seated in cooperative learning groups (han) and have chosen a han leader (hancho) on their own. As in Japanese elementary schools, classroom work and projects are all done collaboratively.  She feels that this approach teaches students dependency on each other and that it reinforces the Japanese thinking “none of us is as smart as all of us.”  Many guest speakers have been invited into Mrs. Horowitz’s classroom to give a first hand account of authentic Japan.  Through these many experiences the students have gained an insight into Japanese life in the 21st century.

Since 1997, Mrs. Horowitz has given many presentations, lectures and workshops to a range of educators from Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, staff members and parents.  These include presenting at a “Schools of Excellence” meeting, the MAARS Conference held at Gettysburg College and for the last four years she has presented at the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia “East Asia Seminars.” She has appeared on the School District of Philadelphia’s cable channel discussing her trip to Japan. Recently, she presented “How to Incorporate the Teaching of Japan into the Classroom” to participants of the 2009 Phila-Nipponica group who visited Japan duruing the summer of 2009. As the Gifted Support Liaison for the Central Region of the School District of Philadelphia in 2003-2004, she organized and led a seminar for other gifted support teachers.  Here she discussed and modeled many different gifted support activities, with an emphasis on Japan.  As a demonstration school teacher, educators from Philadelphia, and around the world, have had the opportunity to observe Mrs. Horowitz teaching.

She has presented at Masterman’s staff developments and Family Night. Her growing collection of books, music, websites, artifacts and other resources are used by the staff as well as the unit on samurai that she has written. Mrs. Horowitz is seen as valuable resource on Japan to the teachers and students of her school.

In 2005, Mrs. Horowitz returned to Japan with Phila Nipponica II- Multicultural Japan and has extended her studies of Asia through a trip to China in 2006.  She continues to be a life long learner of Japan and participates in seminars and lectures given at the University of Pennsylvania. She also participated in the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C.’s “Looking Toward Asia” five day Summer Institute.  Mrs. Horowitz was a member of The Japan America Society and now belongs to Japan II, a group which organizes trips to increase the awareness of Japan.

Mrs. Horowitz will utilize her project funds to expand the teaching of Japan into the high school, build a tea house, and provide the Instructional Materials Center and staff with more Japanese resources.