Reference
Kachina Martin
Muhlenberg High School
Studio Art – grades 10 through 12
AP Studio – Crafts – 12th grade
Global Studies – Non-Western Art History – 11th grade
AP Art History – 12th grade
Sakae Tsuboi’s charming book, Twenty-Four Eyes is an interesting and moving look at the impact one individual can have on the lives of many. The text focuses on the story of 12 students – hence, the “twenty four eyes” of the title – as experienced and understood through their teacher, nicknamed Miss Koishi. The novel is set in 1928, in a remote fishing village on the Inland Sea, and covers a roughly twenty year period, set against the backdrop of World War II.
With humor, grace, and patience, Miss Koishi – so nicknamed because of her petite stature – not only educates her students, but creates a bond between the class that sustains them as they grow to adulthood and are faced with the harsh realities of a country at war. As a teacher, I found this book to be a poignant reminder of the affection and concern teachers often feel for their students. Teaching is often as much about recognizing the needs of the individual as it is about intellectual growth and the acquisition of knowledge.
Given my current teaching duties, there are few classes in which I could personally use this text. It is written in simple, clear prose, and would easily be read by students in 9th grade and beyond. That said, I am not sure how students of that age would engage with the material. Although an interesting read, its narrative is more personal and less historical, and as such, is not well-suited for students needing clear historical information regarding Japan and WWII.
However, I am part of a team-taught course entitled Global Studies, and I have recommended the text to the Literature teacher. She and the History instructor require students to select a country and read a wide variety of texts regarding that country as part of a year-long, interdisciplinary project; as such, I suggested this text be added to the list of Japanese texts to offer students a different perspective on WWII, one that considers the human side of war. I have also recommended the text to a colleague who works as an adjunct in the Education Department at Albright College. I think students embarking on a teaching career would very much enjoy this text. It reminded me a great deal of the beautiful film, Not One Less, set in rural China in the 1990s. Both works illustrate the significant bonds teachers form with their students, and the relationships they facilitate among the students within their classes.
