Who We Are | ひまわり幼稚園について
日本語はこちらをクリックしてください。
Himawari Preschool was started in the spring of 2004, by Mitsuyo and Ted Delphia. Both of them had met as teachers in Japan, and with 3 kids of their own they knew how hard it is to raise Japanese-speaking children in Michigan. Building on Mitsuyo’s 12 years’ experience teaching kindergarten both in Japan and in the US, and Ted’s experience at running a startup company, they decided to create something unique in Michigan, if not in all the Midwest: a preschool based on both US and Japanese models, using Japanese language immersion and cultural activities. Together with their good friend, Tomoko-sensei, they leased a site from the Livonia Public School system and created Himawari Preschool.
Enrollment has grown steadily and smoothly since our doors opened to the public at Roosevelt Elementary in the fall of 2004. We have expanded our classes, providing music/rhythmic activities, a “fun with English” program, and computer-based activities as well as the more traditional Japanese methods and content. We currently enjoy a very good reputation in the Japanese community in SE Michigan, and enroll children from as far as Ann Arbor and Rochester, MI. We also provide bus service to the Novi-West Bloomfield areas, and also use both of our buses extensively for special field trips.
Having outgrown our previous site at Roosevelt Elementary, and former McKinley Elementary building in south Livonia, we are now housed in the former Zachary Taylor Elementary School building, where we are share the building with Livonia Public School’s Japanese Magnet Program. Our goal is to encourage more American families to take this unique opportunity to give their preschool children a jump-start into the global society of which SE Michigan is more and more part of. We encourage any families desiring a bilingual and bicultural education for their child to contact us with any questions they may have about us, Japan, or twow-way immersion bilingual education for young children..
All of our kindergarten teachers have had formal early childhood education studies and teaching experience in Japan. To best understand the principles and guidelines of public kindergarten education in Japan, as well as at Himawari Preschool, please read the following translation of the Kindergarten Education Guidelines from the Japanese Ministry of Education.
Director: Mitsuyo Delphia
Mitsuyo-sensei graduated with a BS in childhood science from Osaka Women’s University before becoming a kindergarten teacher in Shiga, Japan for 6 years. After meeting her future husband there, she moved to Michigan and married. Since then she has added the role of mother to her experience as a teacher, raising 3 bilingual children of her own. She was teaching Japanese kindergarteners and preschoolers here for 4 years before starting her own preschool in 2004.
Business Manager: Ted Delphia
Mr. Ted was a secondary school math, computers, and English teacher at various schools in Michigan and Illinois for many years after graduating from the University of Michigan. However, it was his experience helping to start a business with his father and his time on the Japan Exchange Teacher programme that best prepared him for the adventure of starting a new Japanese school. Besides running the office and driving a school bus around town, he is spending his time expanding the role of Himawari Preschool in the Japanese community, and offer a chance for Michigan children really experience Japanese language and culture together with their Japanese friends.
子どもにとって、遊びが生活そのもの。
英語を優先して､日本語の大切さを忘れてはいませんか?
幼児期は、人が社会で生きていくために不可欠な人との関係､今後の学習力に影響する意欲を、遊びを通して学び取っていく大切な時期です。その時期を、大好きなお父さんやお母さんが話す心地よい言葉(日本語)で聞き、話し、自分らしさを発揮してのびのび生活できる環境の中で過ごすことは、言葉の獲得だけでなく、人格形成に大きく関わってきます。日本にいれば自然に耳に入ってくる日本語も､アメリカでは意識的に機会を持ち､言葉の基礎､人間形成の基盤を作ることが必要です。
ひまわり幼稚園は、日本語環境の限られたアメリカにいながら、日本の幼稚園生活・行事を体験できるミシガン州認定保育施設です。充実したプログラムの中で､楽しく自然に日本語や基本的生活習慣を身につけ、五感を使うさまざまな活動の中で､子どもの生きる力､豊かな心を育んでおります。また、英語にも毎日触れ、安心できる環境･先生や友だちとの中で、英語に恐怖心を抱くことなく、スムーズに自然な発音、英語力を身につけます。アメリカの文化や行事にも触れ、国際人として感性豊かな子どもの育成を目指します。
永住するお子様の日本語の獲得･維持､また将来日本に帰るお子様が言葉や生活習慣の違いに戸惑わず、自然に日本の社会に順応していけるよう、お手伝いいたします。
＜保育内容＞
日本の歌･手遊び、絵本･紙芝居の読み聞かせ、折り紙、箱工作、木工、伝承遊び、音楽体操、料理 体育館での運動遊び（縄跳び、マット、ボール等）、外遊び、季節ごとの散歩、虫の飼育、花の栽培 毎月のクッキングとおやつクッキング、リトミック、英語であそぼう、かずとことば遊びなど
＜行事＞
日本とアメリカ両国の行事を通して、他文化への興味や関心を育てます。
子どもの日、七夕、七五三、おもちつき、節分、ひな祭りなど、日本ならではの行事
イースター、ハロウィン、サンクスギビング、クリスマスなど、アメリカならではの行事
その他、歌の発表会、作品展、お祭り､運動会、誕生会、バス遠足など
目標・教育方針
（文部省の幼稚園教育要領:平成元年３月15日）
幼児期は、言葉を習得する基礎作りにもっとも大切な時期です。母語（日本語の方が多いこと思います）の発達がしっかりしてこそ、二番目の言葉の習得がスムーズにいきます。ひまわり幼稚園では、日本語環境の限られたアメリカにいながら、日本の幼稚園生活・行事を友だちと一緒に体験できます。また、アメリカの文化や行事にも触れ、国際人として感性豊かな子どもの育成を目指します。
目 標 人の話をよく聞き、自分の思いを表現する感性豊かな子どもの育成
意欲的に取り組む子どもの育成
教育方針 自立心を育て、人と関わる力、生活に必要な習慣を養う
いろいろな活動を通して、考える力や表現する力を養い、想像力を豊かにする。
「明るく元気な子ども」 何にでも興味を持ち、意欲的に取り組もう
「やさしい子ども」 あたたかい心を持ち、友だちと楽しく遊ぼう
「よく考える子ども」 人の話を聞き、自分の思いを表現しよう
