See: https://www.elginheinzaward.org/ for full details. 

Deadline: October 15, 2021

One of the 2020 winners was a JET alum!

Nominations for the Award are also welcome anytime via info@engageasia.org

Application Details are Below and Here: https://www.elginheinzaward.org/apply

Application Details

The Elgin Heinz Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The 2021 award will focus on humanities teachers and consist of an award grant of up to $1,000.

2021 applications are due on October 15, 2021.

The award is named in honor of Elgin Heinz for his commitment to educating students about Asia as well as for the inspiration he has provided to the field of pre-college education.

See the most recent Award Ceremony HERE.

Eligibility Requirements

The award is open to current full-time K-12 classroom teachers of any relevant subject in the United States. There are two award categories, one in the humanities and one in Japanese language. The 2021 award will be awarded only in the Humanities category and the 2022 award will focus on Japanese Language.

Previous award recipients often have over 10 years of teaching experience and have been engaged in teaching their students about Japan for a substantial period of time.  Candidates must demonstrate sustained commitment to improving mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese, and must have made a significant contribution to enhancing students’ knowledge of Japan.

Applicants for the Japanese language category must have excellent command of the Japanese language and may be contacted by members of the selection committee to verify this.

Nomination Procedures

Applicants for the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award are accepted in two ways:

1. Educators who meet the requirements are encouraged to apply on their own. A nomination is not required.
2. Nominations are also accepted, and we encourage those in the field to nominate educators whom they believe are deserving of this award.

Letters of Nomination should briefly highlight the qualifications of the candidate and must include his/her name, contact information, and indicate the school at which the candidate currently teaches.

EngageAsia, which is administering the award, will accept Letters of Nomination at any time and will inform candidates that they have been nominated for the Award. Those nominated must submit a full application as indicated below.

Nominators should keep in mind the deadline for applications is in September. Therefore, it is recommended that nominations be submitted by mid-July in order to provide potential candidates the time needed to compile their applications.

Letters of Nomination should be e-mailed to EngageAsia at: info@engageasia.org

Application Procedures & Deadlines for 2021
(Humanities category)

Applicants must submit the following documents by October 15, 2021 to be considered (please note: all materials must be submitted in one PDF document via e-mail to EngageAsia, the award administrator, at: info@engageasia.org):

1. Cover Sheet that includes the following information:

• Full name and home address
• School name and address
• E-mail and telephone contact information
• The subjects and grades you currently teach
• A list of Japan-related programs in which you have participated
• Names and contact information for those submitting letters of support

2. A narrative (not to exceed three (3) pages typed, double spaced) describing your efforts to further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese through your classroom teaching. Please describe your classroom atmosphere and your approach to teaching about Japan and Japanese Language. Applicants should also highlight leadership positions held and detail how they have impacted other educators locally and/or nationally.

3. Three letters of support from individuals or organizations familiar with you and your teaching on Japan. A letter from a student explaining how your efforts affected his/her perceptions and understanding of Japan is permissible as a letter of support. One letter must come from the school’s principal or vice principal. Support letters can be sent under separate cover or included with all application materials.

4. A proposal not longer than three pages detailing how the candidate would utilize a grant of up to $1,000 (pending EngageAsia’s financial ability to offer a grant in 2021) to bolster Japanese language and/or Japan related endeavors in his or her classroom or at his or her school. The proposal must be specific and include a budget.

5. A professional resume
The application should be submitted in one PDF electronically to: info@engageasia.org

Deadline for 2021

Complete applications must be received by EngageAsia on or prior to October 15, 2021 to be considered for the 2021 award.

Review & Selection

A national selection committee administered by EngageAsia will review complete applications received by or on October 15, 2021. The selection committee consists of leaders in the field of education about Japan and Japanese language. The award winners will be announced in the winter of 2021.

JETwit’s JET Alum Movers & Shakers is produced by Ryan Hata (Tottori-ken, 2014-2017), Margie Banin (Kochi-ken, 2005-2007), and Jim Walsh (Fukushima-ken, 2018-2020). Want to be featured next? Submit your information here.

Accomplishment: New website and customized online Japanese courses

More Information: Aarti Barve is the founder of https://hajimemashite.com/, a platform for customized online Japanese courses. With an experience of 17yrs + including, teaching at the University of Mumbai, Aarti prepares students for JLPT exams. She has designed a special fee structure for the JET alumni. JET alumni can use the HAJIME 21 code to avail a discount of 20% in fees. You can reach out on either email ids to know the detailed fee structure.

Public Information:
Website: https://hajimemashite.com/
Email: aarti.barve@hajimemashite.com; info@hajimemashite.com

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Various Positions with Japanese/American Companies
Posted by: DSA International 
Location: USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Emi Tanaka from DSA International for passing along the following job openings across the United States:

New Job Listings! Japanese/American Companies seeking candidates nationwide. Japanese language or cultural background is a big plus! All of our positions are direct-hire with company benefits! See below a small listing of some of our urgent job openings!  

• CPA Trainee/Experience-Mgr CPA Firms- San Diego, New York, Chicago, California to $150K/yr
• Accounting Manager -Arizona to $110K/yr
• Sales Engineers-California, Michigan, Chicago, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky  to $130K/yr
• CPA Trainee/Experience- San Diego, New York, Chicago, California to $150K/yr

Read More

************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Dear Friends,

Have you enjoyed an ancient Japanese theater “Kagura”?

Let me introduce an essay from Japan-Insights archives.

The twenty-first one is on Kagura: Theater of Tradition Amid Innovation by Dr. Dieter Georg Adlmaier-Herbst.

https://topics.japan-insights.jp/Public/pdf/japan-insights_jp/topics/JIN_Kagura.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japaneseculture #izumo

JETAA‎‎‎‏‏‎​ Podcast Beat is a weekly round-up of current JET and JET alumni podcasts and podcast appearances compiled by Emmalee Manes (Toyama-ken, 2016-19)

Do you have a podcast or did you recently appear in a podcast? Help us share it with the community by filling out this form.

Welcome to the JETAA Podcast Beat! I hope the beat will be a great way for everyone to stay updated on JET alumni as well as current JET involvement in podcasts. If you have the chance, please enjoy listening to one of these recent episodes this week!

Tokyo「東京」with Lilly!

Emmalee and Lilly (Toyama-ken, 2015-18) talk about life in Tokyo during the pandemic, their favorite Tokyo neighborhoods, and ways that Nashville and Tokyo are similar.

インスタ: @yoppareikaiwa

S02E20 – Instinctual Nattō and Introversion

On the final episode this season, I talk about the importance of celebrating your little victories as you study a language. And in Japanese, I think about how to balance introversion and extroversion as you’re studying. Listen until the end – I provide a short update on one of the episodes from Season 1.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

You can also follow How to Japanese on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

How Legal Events are Evolving

I spoke with Nehal Madhani, the founder and CEO of Alt Legal, a company that provides trademark docketing software. We discussed the challenges that Alt Legal helps trademark professionals address, its 2021 Alt Legal Connect virtual conference, what attendees can expect, and how events are evolving.

Posted by Tom Baker

In non-pandemic years, the Japan Writers Conference is held on an autumn weekend at a university somewhere in Japan. This year it is being held online (Oct. 15-17), which means you can participate no matter where in the world you are.

At least nine JETs (including classic-edition MEFs) will be among the published writers giving presentations on how to write well – and how to sell your work. These include memoirist Joe Palermo, poet Michael Frazier, poet and picture book author Holly Thompson, textbook author Todd Jay Leonard, and travel consultant Joy Jarman-Walsh. More JET alums are mentioned in the (slightly JET-edited) official press release below:

Published writers to share how they did it

TOKYO (Sept. 14, 2021) – The Japan Writers Conference has announced a lineup of more than 30 presentations by published writers in a variety of fields, from food writing to screenwriting and from to novels to haiku, for its 15th annual event on Oct. 15-17.

Due to the pandemic, this year’s conference will be held online, with Zoom details to be made available at http://japanwritersconference.org/email-updates/. As always, it will be a free, interactive event open to all who are interested in the art, craft and business of writing.

Poetry, memoir, fiction and publishing will be major themes. Tokyo Poetry Journal associate editor Zoria Petkoska will discuss how technology enables “cyber poetry,” while noted haikuist Michael Dylan Welch will look into the past to examine the use of place names. Karen Hill Anton and Lianne Wakabayashi will discuss crafting their Japan-related memoirs. Novelist and JET Joanne Anderton will explore mixing autobiography into speculative fiction, while novelists Charles Kowalski (another JET) and Michael Pronko will speak about creating characters. Multiple writers will share tips on both traditional publishing and self-publishing.

Astrophysicist and author Elizabeth Tasker will participate in a panel discussion on “Social Media for Writers,” while young adult novelist Sara Fujimura will join a panel on “Writing Identity.” Prominent multi-genre author – and JET – Suzanne Kamata will be part of both panels.

For more variety, journalist Melinda Joe will serve up the basics of food writing, photographer Edward Levinson will discuss finding inspiration in nature, filmmaker Yuri Kageyama will premiere a work on the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and “Jeopardy!” quiz show champion Tom Baker, still another JET, will describe how to write trivia questions. And that’s far from all.

Details on this year’s event can be found at http://www.japanwritersconference.org
Inquiries should be directed to japanwritersconference@gmail.com.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Assistant Director
Posted by: Hyogo Business & Cultural Center
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to JET alumnus, Braden Bennight (Aichi-ken, 2014-2017) for passing along the following job opening:

The qualifications can be found in the description, but the ideal candidate will be someone bilingual/fluent in Japanese, who has experience working in a Japanese office environment. JET alumni who were CIRs seem to more commonly fulfill those qualifications, but application to the job is of course not limited to former CIRs.

Please find below English and Japanese versions of the job description.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Education and MEXT Scholarship Coordinator
Posted by: Embassy of Japan
Location: Purchase, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC:

The Embassy of Japan is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of Education and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship Coordinator. This individual is primarily responsible for managing the schedules and assisting the activities of the diplomats in the Public Affairs Section, as well as coordinating the Embassy’s MEXT Scholarship Program. Please see below for a detailed listing of responsibilities.

Working hours are 9:00 am – 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, with lunch time receptionist duty once a month and occasional weeknight and/or weekend events (paid overtime). Salary is commensurate with experience and the skills of the candidate. Benefits include group health insurance coverage, paid time off, sick leave and an annual bonus. There is a potential salary increase based on individual performance. The minimum monthly base salary for this position is $3,500 USD.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Project Director, Digital Museum of the History
Posted by: Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York
Location: Purchase, NY, USA
Contract: Part-Time, Remote

Here’s a job passed along directly from the Japanese American Association of New York:

Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York is seeking a qualified individual for the position of Project Director. This role will be responsible for the continued expansion and maintenance of the museum’s collection, including collecting, organizing, and cataloguing new materials, along with managing the museum’s website and archive.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Multiple Positions
Posted by: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Location: Delray Beach, Florida, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to JET alumna Wendy Lo (Toyama-ken, 2002-2005) for passing along several job openings at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens where she works:

Application Process: Job description and details on how to apply can be found here: https://morikami.org/job-opportunities/

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Research Analyst, Open Innovation Group
Posted by: Intralink
Location: Ideally, California (but remote locations possible)
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to JET alumnus, Alan Mockridge (Iwate-ken, 1992-1994) for passing along the following job opening with his organization:

Intralink is an international market expansion and corporate innovation consultancy with clients in Europe, America and East Asia. We have multiple former JETs working on our team. To support our innovation consulting work for Japanese clients as well as our group marketing activities, we are seeking a full-time Research Analyst in our Open Innovation Group.

You will work alongside project teams tasked with delivering projects for these clients, and with our sales and marketing team to support a variety of promotional activities, including:

Read More

JETAA‎‎‎‏‏‎​ Podcast Beat is a weekly round-up of current JET and JET alumni podcasts and podcast appearances compiled by Emmalee Manes (Toyama-ken, 2016-19)

Do you have a podcast or did you recently appear in a podcast? Help us share it with the community by filling out this form.

Welcome to the JETAA Podcast Beat! I hope the beat will be a great way for everyone to stay updated on JET alumni as well as current JET involvement in podcasts. If you have the chance, please enjoy listening to one of these recent episodes this week!

S02E19 – Jens Petersen – Japanese in Sweden, Music and Art, Job Fairs

Jens Petersen has been working in real estate in Tokyo for over 13 years. He initially found interest in Japanese independent music. In recent years his interest has also branched out into the art world. We spoke about learning Japanese, finding an immersive environment, and job hunting at job fairs.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

You can also follow How to Japanese on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Preparing for a New Class: Behind the Scenes Part I

In this episode, Stephen Horowitz and Daniel Edelson discuss a one-week intensive class that Stephen will be teaching to LLM students at St. John’s University School of Law. The LLM students are beginning their study of US law and the course helps students better understand the US legal system and government. As Daniel had been teaching the course for a few years, Stephen talks to Daniel about his strategies for teaching the class.

This episode introduces students to some of the “behind the scenes” preparation and planning that Stephen and Daniel undertake before teaching US law and legal English. Coming soon, we discuss in detail some of the class lessons and activities.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: ESL Teacher
Posted by: Eszette Business Language Services
Location: Washington D.C., USA
Contract: Part-Time

Thanks to JET alumna, Tia Braham (Nara-ken, 2014-2017) for passing along the following job opening with her company:

Eszett  Business Language Services is a language school that operates in about 60 countries teaching languages and providing other related services.

Our teachers work as freelancers for us and when we have a suitable program we contact you with the details and if interested, you would let us know your availability.

The program we have in Washington currently is outlined below:

Read More

************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Dear Friends,

Have you heard the sound of God?

Let me introduce an essay from the Japan-Insights archives.

The twentieth one is on KAMINONE: Sound of God by Mr. Hino Tatsuo.

https://doc.japan-insights.jp/pdf/JIN_TOPIC_20200418214215.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japaneseculture #izumo

Congratulations to JET alumnus, Dr. Dan Tinianow (AET, 1987-1988) who was named Faculty of the Month at the University of Arizona Global Campus! Read the full article here.