CLAIR Magazine “JET Plaza” series: Jody Maria-Ann Dixon (Yamanashi)
Life As a JET, Return on JET-vestment 
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Each month, current and former JET participants are featured in the “JET Plaza” section of the CLAIR Forum magazine. The January 2014 edition includes an article by current JET participant Jody Dixon. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
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“Internationalization is a reciprocal process. So, whilst the language is seemingly daunting, it holds the key to a side of Japan you are yet to see. Learn the language, and you’ll be amazed at the things it will teach you.”
Originally from Jamaica, Jody Maria-Ann Dixon (Yamanashi-ken, 2009- present) came to Japan for the first time on the JET Programme. The melting pot of cultures and experiences she had daily during her previous job as a Guest Services Manager and Environmental Project Manager at a resort, coupled with her previous academic pursuits (BSc Geography and Geology at the University of the West Indies) were a huge influence on her decision to join the Programme. She has been living and teaching in Fuefuki, Yamanashi, for the past five years and reckons that this experience has engendered a spirit of loyalty; deepened her respect for people and their cultures; and has helped her immensely in making decisions towards her lifelong career goals, which will be centred on international education.
Language and Reciprocity
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela.
“Hello, Konnichiwa!” After four and a half years of walking down my senior high school’s corridors shoulder to shoulder with my Japanese Teachers of English, and hearing this familiar greeting, I am still tremendously appreciative of my students’ use of both English and Japanese interchangeably. Whether they believe that I still don’t understand Japanese (due to my minimal use at school), and they are making an effort to be accommodating; or it is simply an encoded reflex upon catching sight of me, it doesn’t diminish the warmth that the vocalization of a single, friendly, English word evokes.
Upon accepting my placement on the JET Programme, I was honestly blasé about the idea of learning the Japanese language. In my mind, I presumed two things: if it wasn’t a requirement for acceptance, it wasn’t a requirement for “survival,” and; with immersion, the acquisition of Japanese language skills would come easily and naturally. It was indeed sad, the hubris of this English monolingual. Consequently, I arrived in Tokyo in the summer of 2009, and shortly after being welcomed by the beaming faces of fellow foreigners with brightly decorated English placards, I was bombarded with signs, questions, choices and challenges, entirely in Japanese. Though I was to be a resident in this country – for what I didn’t know then, was going to be at least five years – for a moment, (that I didn’t allow to last too long), I was nothing more than a struggling “tourist,” being constantly aided by jovial and obliging individuals using a mixture of a smidgen of English, light speed Japanese, gestures noteworthy of a winning game of charades and a series of begrudging sighs.
No one, especially at the grand old age of 23, wants to feel helpless and illiterate. Whilst I relished being the novel neighbourhood foreigner, and welcomed the polite gestures and formal invitations extended to me, I constantly felt that there was something missing. Though there were always words being exchanged, I was failing horribly at meaningful communication. For a while, I felt cheated. My shortcoming of non-existent Japanese language skills had me teetering on the periphery of all the things life in Japan encompassed. If I wanted to regain my privacy; make connections and friends outside of my Japanese workplace; or indulge in and understand the folklore and traditions, etc. I had to make an effort to acquire some level of Japanese proficiency. I knew I was here to teach English, and perhaps about life in Jamaica if they’d agree, but I also understood very early, that in order to do so effectively, I would have to commit myself unreservedly to learning. Read More
Let’s Talk Japan, Episode 20 – Occupied Kyoto
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Let’s Talk Japan is a monthly, interview format podcast covering a wide range of Japan-related topics. Host Nick Harling (Mie-ken, 2001-03) lived in Japan from 2001 until 2005, including two great years as a JET Program participant in Mie-Ken. He practices law in Washington, D.C., and lives with his wife who patiently listens to him talk about Japan . . . a lot.
In this episode, Nick sits down with Washington, D.C. native Jan Evans Hauser to discuss her experience living in Kyoto, Japan during the American occupation following WWII.
At the time, Jan’s step-father was Brigadier General Eugene Harrison, who was the Chief of Staff to Major General Joseph Swing, the commander of the U.S. Army’s 1st Corps. During the occupation, 1st Corps was headquartered in Kyoto and responsible for administering the Southern half of occupied Japan.
Together Nick and Jan discuss what life was like in Japan immediately after the war and how Kyoto captivated her imagination, just as it has so many others.
If you have not already done so, be sure to “Like” the podcast on Facebook, and follow the podcast on Twitter @letstalkjapan. Additionally, please consider leaving a positive rating and/or review in iTunes.
Job: Native English Teachers (Osaka Prefecture, Japan)
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Application deadline is Thursday, February 20th.
Via JET alum and former AJET chair Matt Cook who is overseeing this program. Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Native English Teacher
Location: Osaka, Japan
Type: Contract
Salary: 303,000 yen per month
Overview:
We are looking for Native English Teachers for April 2014-March 2015. The Osaka Prefectural Board of Education is the most progressive, forward moving BoE in Japan, when it comes to English language education. If you’re interested in a career, and want opportunities to develop professionally, this may be the chance you’ve been looking for. Read More
“I didn’t have any idea what I was getting into when I arrived as a JET, or if I would even be here longer than a couple of years. However, working for the future of these children, and trying to give them more opportunities in their future, has become my greatest personal accomplishment and given my life new meaning.” (Courtesy of Matthew Cook)
By Eden Law (Fukushima-ken, 2010-11) for JQ Magazine. Eden is a member of JETAA NSW, based in Sydney, Australia, which is part of the thriving JETAA Oceania community that covers Australia and New Zealand.
As a JET Programme success story, that of Matthew Cook (Osaka-fu, 2007-12)’s must surely rank as being one of the most extraordinary and inspiring. Hailing from Blacksburg, Virginia in the U.S., Matthew’s interest in Japanese martial arts led to his participation on JET. Beginning a five-year tenure as an in Osaka ALT, he also served as AJET national council chair, working with the Japanese government as well as JET alumni associations, international corporations, and news media about the value of the programme and internationalization. In 2012, after his JET tenure ended, he was hired by the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education as their Native English Teacher (NET) Program Coordinator, and in the following year, became a senior staff member appointed to the revolutionary English Education Reform Project—and as far as anyone knows, a first for a foreign-born, former JET to be appointed to a senior government role in education.
Now almost a year after his historic appointment, Matthew generously took some time out of his packed schedule to talk with JQ about his role, and most interestingly of all, provide some frank opinions about the JET Programme and the state and future of English education in Japan.
First of all, let me just say, congratulations on your achievement. In a nutshell, how did you go from being an ALT to a senior staff position at the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education? Is that something you could have imagined doing when you first arrived as a JET in 2007?
Thank you very much. It’s been a whirlwind, these past few years, and the congratulations are appreciated. However, we believe the real work is just beginning now.
During my time as a JET, I had the unique opportunity to develop my own curriculum and methodology, teaching junior high and elementary school students. I taught phonics part of a methodology, with the goal of extensive reading. I also had the honor being the AJET national council chair my final year on JET. That experience opened a lot of doors, allowing me to meet some influential people that I may not have been able to meet otherwise.
One of those people was Toru Nakahara, who was named the superintendent of the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education on April 1 of last year. He holds the strong belief that English education has been a failure in Japan, and wants to reform the system altogether. He was one of the first people to take my opinions and experiences seriously, and believed that I could use them to play a key role in the reformation of English education in Osaka. Because of that, I got the chance to interview for a position on his special “English Reform Project Team,” fondly referred to as the “Seven Samurai.”
It’s something I never would have dreamed of in 2007. In fact, I didn’t have any idea what I was getting into when I arrived as a JET, or if I would even be here longer than a couple of years. However, working for the future of these children, and trying to give them more opportunities in their future, has become my greatest personal accomplishment and given my life new meaning.
“Seven Samurai” is a wonderfully evocative name. Who are the other members on the English Reform Project Team?
I was hired from outside the board of education along with Kiyoshi Takeda, who was a high school English teacher in Shiga prefecture. He took a couple years off, and a few years ago he graduated from Harvard with a master’s in educational leadership.
Colleagues who already worked for the board education were teamed with us, because they should have a good understanding of the internal processes of the board of education. Two members from the high school division, two members from the prefectural education center, and one member from the elementary and junior high school division.
I know it’s early days yet, but what kind of impact does the appointment of a non-Japanese (and a former JET!) to a government position have on English education and the perception of JETs in particular?
That’s a tough question for me to answer. It’s a huge leap forward, and very encouraging from my viewpoint. I hope that it opens the door for other government entities in Japan to see what’s possible and search out capable employees with broader experience and different perspectives to add to their workplace. If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s that diversity should be celebrated and encouraged.
Job: ESL Lecturer, SUNY New Paltz (NY)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: ESL Lecturer
Posted by: Haggerty English Language Program, SUNY New Paltz
Location: New Paltz, NY
Type: Full-time
Overview:
SUNY New Paltz seeks a Full-time Lecturer for intensive English Language Program.
Job Duties:
- Teach academic English to university international students at all levels and in all skill areas
- Participate in curriculum innovation and materials review, coordination, and development
- Assist with testing and placement, orientation, student-centered projects, activities and workshops
- Provide individual mentoring to students and participate in cross-cultural activities and events
- Teach in summer program
Job: Associate Director – Center for Global Education, Gettysburg College (PA)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Associate Director
Posted by: Center for Global Education, Gettysburg College
Location: Gettysburg, PA
Overview:
Gettysburg College seeks qualified candidates for the position of Associate Director, Center for Global Education. This is a 12-month position. Gettysburg College currently sends approximately 60% percent of its student population off campus. As an institution, Gettysburg’s founding principles embrace a rigorous liberal arts education that fosters a global perspective, a spirit of collaboration, a dedication to public service, and an enriching campus life. Global citizenship is a strong component of Gettysburg’s curriculum and additional and creative curricular and co-curricular connections continue to be made to help our students to understand, flourish and lead in a multicultural and global community.
This position will have assigned advising (50%) and administrative (50%) responsibilities for global education activities in a very busy office with a high volume workload. In addition, the Associate Director will conduct various public presentations, be the primary contact for reentry programs including the Global Leaders of Gettysburg College; provide support for faculty leading course-embedded and short-term study abroad experiences; and provide assistance with other projects as assigned by the Director of the Center for Global Education.
Job: Assistant Director/International Student Advisor – Beliot College (WI)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Assistant Director/International Student Advisor
Posted by: Beloit College
Location: Beliot, WI
Overview
Beloit College seeks a dynamic and creative individual with a strong foundation in F-1/J-1 immigration regulations to serve as its International Student Advisor. Responsible for international student and scholar advising, the ISA facilitates the integration of international students into the college and local community and provides supports for students as they prepare for their futures.
Successful candidates will provide evidence they are adept using SEVIS, have effective strategies for communicating with students, and are resourceful. The ISA reports to the Director of International Education and within the Office of International Education, works particularly closely with an ESL instructor, intern, and student workers. The ISA also works with colleagues across the college as well as with community members, and must therefore be an effective networker. In addition to fulfilling the position’s primary functions, the ISA helps support campus internationalization more broadly. The ISA position carries the title of Assistant Director/International Student Advisor.
Located in a diverse community close to Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, Beloit College is a highly selective, residential liberal arts college of approximately 1,250 students from 48 states and 40 countries,10% of whom come abroad. Approximately 1/3 of international students are exchange students. Recognized as one of the Colleges that Change Lives, Beloit is committed to the educational benefits of diversity in our learning community and encourages all interested individuals meeting the criteria of the described position to apply. The College is particularly interested in candidates who can help prepare international students to draw on the liberal arts educations to thrive in an increasingly complex world.
Job: Immediate Opening – Japanese Speaking Program Trip Leader March 23-30 (Boston)
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Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Trip Leader
Location: Boston
Type: Temp
Overview:
The FGLP Trip Leader is responsible for the overall quality and execution of the Program. You will be a teacher, mentor and friend to the students while coordinating with other Trip Leaders as appropriate. This role is similar to, though broader than, a camp counselor. The Trip Leader plays a major role in student life. Following the detailed and pre-arranged Program itinerary provided, Trip Leaders lead students on excursions. You will have responsibility for the overall Program execution, the quality of the Program and students’ satisfaction. Read More
Job: Administrator for Summer ESL Camp in Japan
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[Steven’s note: “They are looking specifically for a JET alum for this position. Ideally, someone who could perform this role each summer as they run this camp each summer in Japan for about 6 weeks.”]
Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Japan Summer Camp Administrator
Location: Japan
Type: Temp/Seasonal
Overview:
We are looking for a person to be based in Japan to administer and help manage a series of English language camps for the summer of 2014. You will be responsible for overseeing a team of 7-8 American university students who will be teaching Japanese high school students, both boys and girls, to practice and become more comfortable with spoken English. Camps generally have a low student:teacher ratio of 10:1 or less to allow for meaningful interactions. Teachers will conduct seminars on topics of their choosing, lead communication classes and participate in panel discussions. As part of this role you will be a substitute teacher in case any of the 8 teachers is unable to teach on a given day. Read More
JET Alumni Speakers Needed for Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh)
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Update 02/13/14: The JASP and Pitt are still seeking speakers for their career event on March 21. Please see the updated details below.
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JET alum Amy Boots of the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania is seeking JET alumni who can travel to Pittsburgh for a day to speak at a Japan-related careers program. Please get in touch with her if you can help with this great opportunity to demonstrate Return On JET-vestment.
Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, will hold a career program for university students in the Pittsburgh area who are interested in a Japan-related career. We are looking for presenters with careers that make use of their Japanese language abilities or interest in Japan and are interested in meeting with college students and recent graduates and discussing their experiences in an informal setting. We are able to pay for transportation, one night at a hotel, and an honorarium for your time.
- Some of the program will be about the JET Program and how it can act as a stepping stone, but people with no JET connections are also invited.
- The program runs Friday afternoon 3/21 including a lunch, short info sessions and discussion panels – all casual so you don’t need to prepare much in advance, we will send a schedule and details.
- You can fly in Thurs night/Fri morning and we can return you Saturday or you can stay till Sunday (You would pay the additional 1 night hotel at your own cost or choose to find local accommodation elsewhere) – if you’ve never visited Pittsburgh, we are a great city with lots of museums, restaurants, etc.
- Pittsburgh JET alumni would also be happy to show you the city on Friday night/Saturday if you are interested, including happy hour and tour.
- If traveling is out of the question, we can also arrange for you to videoconference in on Friday afternoon or early evening, which we can thank you for with a gift or modest honoraria.
We have a lot of students of Japanese language or those with interest in international careers and they love to talk to people outside our normal Pittsburgh circles, and we’d love to discuss the program with you if you’re not sure. We also welcome contacts you may know who would be interested – contact Jenn Murawski atjennm@pitt.edu or Amy Boots at aboots@us-japan.org.
Job: Outreach Coordinator, International Programs and Studies (IL)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Outreach Coordinator, International Programs and Studies
Posted by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Location: Urbana-Champaign, IL
Type: 12 month, full-time
Primary Function:
Working with the Study Abroad Office Associate Director and its advising staff, the Outreach Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the central Study Abroad Office’s overall promotion and recruitment plans for undergraduate study abroad programs.
Job Duties:
Management
- Oversee study abroad Resource Room
- Interview, train and supervise Study Abroad Peer Advisors
- Manage Peer Advisor schedules, coordinate special projects, and set performance goals
- Manage the Study Abroad Student Ambassador Program and the student returnee club
Promotion
- In consultation with the Associate Director, lead in the creation and implementation of a study abroad office marketing and outreach strategy
- Devise and implement effective methodologies to recruit students for study abroad programs
- Participate in outreach to academic units which includes professors and academic advisors, in addition to student affairs units such as the Office of Minority Student Affairs and the Career Center
- Develop and distribute the monthly study abroad newsletter
- Manage the Study Abroad Office’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts
- Organize International Week events for Study abroad including yearly photo contest
- Plan and implement study abroad fairs in coordination with academic departments
- Oversee branding process and maintenance
Job: International Student Services Assistant (New Paltz, NY)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: International Student Services Assistant
Posted by: Center for International Programs, State University of New York at New Paltz
Location: New Paltz, New York
Type: Full-time
JobDuties:
The Center for International Programs at the State University of New York at New Paltz seeks candidates for the position of International Student Services Assistant.
Reporting to the Associate Dean of International Programs, the International Student Services Assistant oversees orientation, outreach and programming for international students enrolled in all programs and divisions of the university. These activities will include but are not limited to new student arrival and orientation, cultural events on campus and the local area as well as excursions to nearby cities. Working with other members of the International Student Programs staff as well as other campus offices, the assistant will act as a resource to student organizations including the International Student Union and other nationality/cultural/language groups to support their programming and activities for New Paltz students. In addition she or he will have extensive communication with international students including pre-arrival communication and other kinds of outreach in person, by telephone and electronically and will schedule informational workshops including those organized cooperatively with other divisions of the university.
Job: Graduate Intern for Study Abroad (Pella, Iowa)
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Graduate Intern for Study Abroad
Posted by: Experiment in International Living
Location: Pella, Iowa
Type: Full-time, 9-month appointment beginning August 1, 2014.
Overview:
Central College is a residential liberal arts college dedicated to the education of 1,400 undergraduate students. Guided by its ecumenical Christian tradition, the college community engages in vigorous, free, open inquiry in pursuit of academic excellence. Founded in 1853, the college is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America and NCAA Division III athletics. Central is a recognized leader in study abroad as a result of its international residential programs. Central College is located in Pella, Iowa, a thriving community of 10,352 two minutes from the state’s largest lake and 40 minutes southeast of Des Moines. Please visit the college website at www.central.edu.
Job Duties:
The intern in this position will be trained to work with a variety of recruitment and promotional activities for study abroad, and will gain broad experience in the study abroad office of a liberal arts college that is also a provider to cooperating partner institutions. The intern will assist with informational and promotional events, recruiting and advising processes, pre-departure/re-entry sessions, and on campus workshops. Responsibilities also include developing and maintaining a social media presence to prospective students and alumni, as well as special projects that promote study abroad, increase effectiveness of the study abroad office and enhance student learning through international education. The intern must be able to work both independently and as a member of the team. While the intern will be based primarily in the study abroad office on the Central College campus, limited local travel may be required during peak recruitment periods.
Job: Coordinator Position in Italy and Part-Time MBA
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Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Coordinator Position in Italy and Part-Time MBA
Posted by: CIMBA
Location: Italy
Overview:
Applicants can fill out the Coordinator application concurrently which is found at <http://www.cimbaitaly.com/Degree-5160/Index.htm>
LinkedIn group for JET Alumni of France!
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I just learned from Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11) of CLAIR Tokyo that there is a LinkedIn group for French JET alumni:
Also, a reminder that you can find JET alum LinkedIn and other groups for every prefecture and nearly every professional field you can think of here: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/jet-alum-groups/
