Achieve Your Dreams
RIS Coders is an interactive hands on club designed to prepare students for success in the 21st century. Open to all ages and ability levels. We use a variety of resources including on line memberships, Legos, and Raspberry Pi, etc. We learn to program both computer based applications and hardware. English is encouraged but not necessary. Come build a robot and teach it to “rock”.
Cool Kids Science Club is an exciting exploration of science. The club is open to both the casual learner and the serious scientist in training. English and Japanese language are both supported depending on the students interest and need. We draw on a variety of materials from everyday items to project designed kits. Lessons are designed to encourage interest in science and provide a solid foundation in scientific methodology and STEM curriculum.
Renaissance Literary Society is our book club. We offer both leisure and academic readings with age and ability appropriate groups. Club meetings are conducted at school, on line, and on location. English is the primary language used, but on occasion Japanese literature is used both as resource support and as stand alone novels. Additionally, movie adaptations from our book selections are discussed when the interest arises. Our goals are to give our club members the experience of a love for literature, an in depth understanding of the works discussed, and to help them build a library for generations to come.
Renaissance Kids is our parent / child English language toddler program. The club is an important step in the language acquisition process as toddlers minds of at a stage where new information is easily absorbed and muscle development for speech allows greater skill in pronunciation later in life. It is a fun, hands one, movement, music, rhythmic based program that draws on western preschool curriculum and resources. Parents are the primary educators In a child’s life. It is a powerful force for learning when a child sees a parent in this light.
Parents wishing to deepen their understanding of twenty-first century western education and culture in order to provide better opportunities for their children future join Renaissance Parents. This club is designed to give parents the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to support children across the curriculum. Japan is a very traditional society were education has changed little over the past generations and those parents who want a different future for their children often face pressure to conform. To this end Renaissance Parents is a social support group giving parents the opportunity to share their interests, concerns, and dreams with like minded parents. Dare to be different and give your children a 21st century education.
Sisterhood of the Rose is our joshikai program. The goal is create a nurturing social environment where women have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to express their ideas and opinions. Additionally our ladies seek support and mentor future generations of young women. The club has a variety of activities designed to promote themes mostly social in nature, but also drawing upon academic and personal interests similar to our other clubs.
Arts and crafts is a very open ended club with all kinds of projects. Paints, paper mache, clay, plaster, construction paper, household materials etc. are common mediums. Projects are equally as varied and age appropriate. Our main school themes are often employed to enhance curriculum and try creativity into academics. Art contests are a fun way for club members to reach out to the larger community of friends, family, classmates, and the neighborhood.
Games Club offers a variety of academic, traditional, and leisure games from all around the world. Academic games include chess, ego, shoji, various strategy, and role playing etc. Examples of traditional games are backgammon, checkers, mancala, and nine men’s morris. Leisure games come in many varieties such as American board games like Sorry, Monopoly Strategy and RISK. Also many different cards games are played using both traditional trump deck and specialized decks such as UNO. Games are played at age appropriate levels and chosen by interest with new games taught on a regular basis using both physical materials and computerized applications on iPads.
RIS has abundant resources of Legos of all shapes and sizes. Club members can create and build using both original ideas and pre designed models. Instructions is balanced between fostering student imagination and providing sound construction techniques. Proper discipline for organization and storage is also taught. Creative writing themes and dramatic play are also employed based on student interest.
Gardening is done at school, home, and on plots of land in the community. Children are encouraged to learn the growing process and understand the science involved. Additionally growing food motivates children to eat healthy. Flowers and other not food producing plants are also utilized for science, natural medicines, ascetic purposes. This club is a great opportunity for children and experienced seniors particularly are grandparents to interact and learn from elder wisdom. It is vitally important for our society’s future to pass on the love and growing food to the next generation.
Cooking Club is a wonderful way to learn the culinary art, gain exposure to cuisine from around the world, and acquire access to food stuffs and equipment either unavailable or hard to find in Japan. We have children, adult and parent / child groups. Club members learn not only cooking, but planning and presentation as well. Maintaining a proper clean and organized kitchen is also emphasized. And of course there is lots of great food to eat and take home.
Music and Movie Appreciation Club a relaxing and entertaining experience to be shared with others who have a passion for the theatrical . Come and sing along with contemporary and classic songs. Watch parts of international movies and learn about the story, characters, the making of the movie, and actors etc. Open to all ages with age appropriate material in mind this club is a great way to pass an afternoon or evening. Popcorn included.
Exercise club is a great way to get out and have fun with other club members. We meet at a local park and walk / run etc. We also go hiking on occasion. The club meets frequently or infrequently depending on schedules and the weather. In addition to promoting health one of the clubs goals is to raise money for children’s programs at RIS. The small fee charged goes directly to this end as well as club fund raiser events such as walkathons.