Director of Project Based Learning and Social Emotional Learning

Kaetsu Ariake Junior and Senior High School

Japan | Asia

Lisa Tanaka is a teacher of English and the Director of Project Based Learning and Social
Emotional Learning (SEL) at Kaetsu Ariake Junior and Senior High School. She is deeply
committed to fostering innovative and compassionate education through her leadership in
the school’s unique “Science” and “Project” curricula. These original subjects, which are
distinct from traditional science and integrated studies, are designed to inspire student
learning. Her approach centers on creating an environment where students feel a sense of
ownership over their education and are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas with
curiosity, and find their unique purpose. She also facilitates weekly professional development
workshops for teachers within her school, specifically for those teaching integrated studies
and SEL, often collaborating with experts from outside the school to build a shared learning
community.
Her dedication to educational practice is also reflected in her research, where she has
researched lesson plans that integrate the principles of the Japanese National Curriculum
with the core tenets of the International Baccalaureate’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Her
work seeks to build a bridge between national educational standards and global,
inquiry-based frameworks, with the goal of preparing students for both academic success
and lifelong learning.
As a proponent of compassionate systems in Japan, Lisa has been actively involved in
sharing these concepts with a wider audience. Since 2019, she has been a co-facilitator of
workshops alongside Aki Fukutani, designed to introduce the tools and exercises of
compassionate systems education. These sessions have attracted numerous educators,
fostering peer-learning communities that can lead to future school-level initiatives.
Lisa has also made a contribution to the field by translating educational books into
Japanese. Her work includes the book “Peer Feedback in the Classroom: Empowering
Students to Be the Experts” by Starr Sackstein, which gained significant attention among
educators in Japan. She has also translated a number of other valuable books, providing
Japanese teachers with access to global pedagogical insights and tools to create more
student-centered classrooms.
Following her completion of the SEE Learning Facilitator Certification Course at Emory
University, Lisa became a member of SEE Learning Japan. In this role, she is dedicated to
promoting SEL and systems thinking throughout Japan by organizing workshops and
retreats for educators. Her goal is to cultivate emotional intelligence, compassion, and
systems thinking in both students and fellow educators, believing that these skills are
essential for navigating the complexities of the modern world.