Hey current JETs! Let your JTEs know about this training opportunity in the US
Cultural Outreach 
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Update: The program is also being promoted on the National Federation of Prefectural English Teachers’ Organizations website (http://www.zen-ei-ren.com/).
From JET alum Daniel Stone (Saitama-ken, Kawaguchi-shi, 2004-07), who seeks helps from current JETs in reaching Japanese Teachers of English in Japan:
I’m working on a project for a non-profit in Columbus, OH. This pilot project is to bring Japanese Teachers of English to Columbus to train for two weeks this summer. While we have the support of the Japanese Consulate in Detroit, Michigan who has used their channels of distribution to advertise this program in Japan, we are looking to increase our marketing by conducting a grassroots effort and ask for your help.
To learn more about this project, please visit the Columbus International Program website: http://www.cipcolumbus.org/
Deadline to apply is May 1st, 2013.
If anyone has any questions, I can be contacted at stoneone19@yahoo.com.
If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.
Daniel Stone
AET Kawaguchi City, Saitama 2004-07
Video: JET alum Australian professionals on why they love Japan
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Posted recently to the JETAA New South Wales Facebook group by Sharon Van Etten. Sugoi, NSW!
Check out these interviews with former JETs on JAMS.TV from the recent Shaberanaito event:
Japan For Me 01: The Tohoku Region: http://www.youtube.com/
Japan For Me 02: Sendai to Kagoshima: http://www.youtube.com/
Japan For Me 03: Powder Snow and Onsen: http://www.youtube.com/
Thanks to everyone who participated.
JET alum Nick Harling starts “Let’s Talk Japan” podcasts
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A great idea just started by former JETAA DC Vice-President Nick Harling (Mie-ken, 2001-03):
Dear JET Alumni,
I want to let you know about a new project that I recently started in an effort to engage my long-held interest in Japan – The Let’s Talk Japan Podcast.
Up until last spring, I volunteered as Vice-President of the JET Alumni Association in Washington, DC, and through that experience I met many people with interesting Japan-related jobs and life experiences. After two years in that capacity, it was time to move on to something new, and last fall I decided that that something would be a podcast.
My first episode appeared in iTunes on January 1st of this year. Topics covered so far have include the JET Program application process, the mission of the Sister Cities International and Kizuna Across Cultures organizations, and discussions with an atomic bomb survivor and an expert on Japanese baseball. Whenever possible, I will also highlight the contributions JET alumni are making in their home countries.
If you are interested in checking it out, you can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. If you like the podcast, feel free to leave a positive rating. You can also interact with the podcast at www.letstalkjapan.com, through Facebook, or on Twitter @letstalkjapan.
I hope you enjoy the podcast, and I welcome your feedback.
Nick Harling
Mie-Ken 2001-03
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Recent posts from Let’s Talk Japan Podcast:
002 The JET Program Application Process
003 Sister Cities International
006 Banzai Babe Ruth Author Robert K. Fitts
JET Alum Establishes “Tsunami Survivor Fund to Save Miyagi”
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A new effort started by Miyagi JET alum Canon Purdy:
Welcome to Save Miyagi, a non profit, unincorporated charity organization dedicated to helping Miyagi and Minamisanriku rebuild after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11th, 2011.
Canon Purdy and her family founded this organization after Canon was stranded without contact in the town of Minamisanriku, where she had taught English for two years before.
SaveMiyagi successfully donated to the Minamisanriku Board of Education in August (check blog for details). Our next project is sending Paper Cranes to Northern Japan to support their recovery process.
Please check out the video below or the page above, and consider getting involved.
JET alum Arthur Migliazza plays the Boogie Stomp
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Just learned about a talented JET alum musician via the Pacific Northwest JETAA Facebook group–boogie woogie and blues piano player Arthur Migliazza. Have a look and a listen:
JET Alumni Meet Prime Minister Abe in D.C.
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Via the CLAIR New York (aka Japan Local Government Center) Blog:
JET Alumni Meet Prime Minister Abe in D.C. (click to see photos of the event)
On February 22nd, around 15 JET alumni were invited to the reception held by Japan’s Prime Minister Abe in Washington, D.C.
Among them were Mr. Michael Green (Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair, Center for Strategic & International Studies), Mr. James Gannon (Executive Director, Japan Center for International Exchange/USA), Mr. David Boling (Deputy Executive Director, The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation), Ms. Paige Cottingham-Streater (Executive Director, Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission), and Ms. Leigh Ann Mastrini (President, JETAA DC). The families of Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson were also invited.
They talked with Prime Minister Abe about various topics, including how the JET Programme has influenced their lives, and the importance of the JET Programme and other person-to-person exchanges, etc.
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JETAA – 安倍総理とJETプログラム参加経験者達が交流
2月22日、ワシントンD.C.において、訪米中の安倍総理大臣が主催するレセプションにJETプログラム参加経験者も招待され、総理と交流する機会がありました。
招待されたJETプログラム（前身のMEFプログラムを含む）関係者は、マイケル・グリーンさん（戦略国際問題研究所上級顧問・元大統領特別補佐官・静岡県）、ジェームス・ギャノンさん（米国法人日本国際交流センター所長・愛媛県）、デービッド・ボリングさん（マンスフィールド財団副事務局長・前連邦下院議員選挙候補・茨城県）、ページ・カティンガムさん（日米友好基金事務局長・三重県）、リーアン・マーストリニさん（JETAAワシントンDC支部長・兵庫県）など10数名のJETプログラム参加者と、先の東日本大震災でJETプログラム参加中に亡くなったテイラー・アンダーソンさん（宮城県石巻市）、モンゴメリー・ディクソンさん（岩手県大槌町）の御家族です。
JETプログラム関係者の席はレセプションの最前列に配置され、JETプログラムへの参加が人生に与えた影響や、JETプログラムを含む人的交流の重要性などについて、総理と会話を交わしていました。
JCIE Special Report on Giving to Japan and the Current Status
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Thanks to Jim Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94), Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA), for sharing this uniquely informative and eye-opening report from his organization on what’s been going on in Japan with regard to recovery and donations.
From a JET perspective, it’s very useful information as a point of reference with regard to the strength of US / Japan ties in the areas such as sister city / state, and JET alumni efforts. It also really highlights the depth of the linkage between the two countries extending beyond the security and economic relationships to the personal level connections that are, for the most part, not simply based on having a large immigrant community. Additionally, it notes the state of the nonprofit sector and volunteerism in Japan and to increasing awareness of how that sector would benefit from developing further.
US Giving for Japan Disaster Exceeds $710 Million
Record Amount for Overseas Disaster in a Developed Country
http://www.jcie.org/311recovery/usgiving3.html
Intro Paragraph: In the two years since Japan was struck by an earthquake and tsunami of apocalyptic proportions, Americans have donated $712.6 million to help with relief and recovery efforts. These figures, which come from a survey conducted by the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE), indicate that the outpouring of US giving is the largest ever for a disaster in another developed nation, and the fifth most generous US response to any disaster in history.
JET Reference: In many instances, fundraising campaigns were driven by people who had connections to Japan through overseas study or from working in the country through programs such as the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, and for others it came from their affinity for Japanese anime, sports, language, or traditional culture.
On the Non-Profit Sector in Japan: In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, a handful of American commentators with limited knowledge of Japan advised against donating because Japan is a rich country. However, they overlooked the fact that, while Japan is a rich country, its nonprofit sector is relatively poor and underfinanced. US donations ended up having an outsized impact precisely because the funding base of Japanese nonprofits has traditionally been so limited and because these nonprofit organizations play such a crucial role by performing services that government agencies cannot manage, thus filling the gaps in the disaster response.
CLICK HERE to read the full report.
Mid-South JETAA changes name to jetaaNOLA
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Originally posted to jetaaNOLA’s Facebook page by Flora Williams:
Welcome to the Facebook page for jetaaNOLA, formerly Mid-South JETAA. Any and all JET alumni living in Arkansas, Louisiana, or Mississippi, this is the group for you! Friends and supporters of Japan are also welcome!
jetaaNOLA’s mission is to help foster positive US-Japan relations, to raise awareness locally of Japan-related issues, and to support the success of the JET Program.
Here’s the new jetaaNOLA Facebook page new address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jetaaNOLA
Japan Society of NY announces 7 new recovery grants
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Via Japan Society of New York. Dated March 7, 2013:
New York, NY – Approaching the second anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan Society announced today seven new grants from the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (JERF) totaling $1,779,694. Of the funds that have been donated so far, the Society has earmarked a total $11.1 million to 33 organizations in support of 41 projects on the front lines of relief, recovery and reconstruction in Tohoku.
“The earthquake and tsunami of 2011 has had a profound effect on Japanese society that will be felt for many years to come,” said Motoatsu Sakurai, Japan Society President. “We have seen tremendous progress since the triple disasters, but the hard work continues. Through the Relief Fund, Japan Society is committed to areas where support can have long-term impact: economic and community revitalization, healthcare, including mental healthcare, and youth initiatives.”
The latest JERF grant recipients are:
Ashoka Japan’s Tohoku Youth Venture provides opportunities for junior high, high school and college students who have creative and innovative ideas for revitalizing the Tohoku region to pitch their idea as part of Tohoku Youth Venture initiative, and potentially receive seed funding to put their ideas into action.
ETIC, a leading organization in Japan that trains young social and business entrepreneurs, is using its third grant from the Relief Fund to nurture and support “hubs” that emphasize human resource development to promote self-sustaining economic and community revitalization. This grant builds on previous grants to tap into ETIC’s extensive network of a younger generation of business and social entrepreneurs to identify the most vulnerable (the elderly, disabled, those with special medical needs) and match them with the critical services, as well as to match fellows with specific expertise, to small businesses, entrepreneurs and NPOs in an effort to help revitalize local economies. Read More
JETAA mentioned on NPR’s “What D’ya Know”
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JETAA Wisconsin subchapter rep Joette Bump recently organized a JET alum outing to NPR’s “What D’ya Know” quiz show, and it resulted in JETAA being mentioned on the program in the quiz B segment. Have a listen:
http://www.notmuch.com/wyk/
Tohoku Tomo: JET alum returning to Japan to document ongoing JET alum and international relief efforts in Tohoku
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Wesley Julian (Miyagi-ken, 2008-10) is heading to Japan with a small film crew to make a video that will share the story of JET alums and others who have made and continue to make a difference in Tohoku, Japan.
The project is called Tohoku Tomo and just launched a Kickstarter campaign. For more information and to donate, go to:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1283108911/tohoku-tomo
In the video below, Wesley, who spoke at his students’ graduation on 3/11 just before the earthquake struck, explains the project and its significance. He currently works for the Japanese Consulate in Chicago, though the Tohoku Tomo project is something he is doing independently of his work.
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Hiroshima JET’s “The Wide Island View” – 03.04.13
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From The Wide Island View, the JET Program Webzine of Hiroshima Prefecture:
Hello and welcome to the new monthly newsletter from the Wide Island View! These emails will keep you updated on what’s happening on the website and hopefully give you some inspiration for your next article.
New Articles
If you haven’t been to the WIV in a while, there are plenty of new articles for you to check out!
- Ben Folds Five: Dan Wilson, the WIV resident music reviewer, debuts his new concert column with a review of Ben Folds Five’s recent Hiroshima performance.
- Hiroshima AJET: Cathy Hodgson tells us about her experience learning to snowboard with the Hiroshima AJET crew. Keep your eye on the WIV to hear about all of the upcoming AJET events and trips.
- Winter Blues: Winter may becoming to a close, but Japan’s spring is notoriously chilly so check out the How to Beat the Winter Blues article for some tips to help you stay warm.
Have something you’d like to add to these articles? Don’t feel shy about commenting!
Story Ideas
This list is by no means comprehensive, so if you come up with a story idea on your own, please send us an email. We’ve been able to add a ton of new articles recently, which has been fantastic. Please keep ‘em coming!
Seasonal
- Hanami season is just around the corner and we want you to help us make this year’s parties the best yet. Have any secret hanami spots? Any recipes or suggestions for the perfect hanami snacks and drinks? We want to know!
- Been to any good events lately? Perhaps the Naked Man festival in Okayama or the local one in Mihara? What about one of the many Hiroshima oyster festivals? Tell us about your experience with an article or photo journal.
Food
- Calling all sake connoisseurs – please share your expertise! This article could be a review of different sake from Hiroshima or around Japan, or an insider’s look at how sake is made. Saijo offers tours of many local breweries, so that may be a good place to start!
- Are you a whiz with your microwave oven? Have you mastered the art of cooking things other than rice in your rice cooker? Share your knowledge and recipes! And, as always, any recipes (seasonal or not, Japanese or not) are always welcome.
Sports
- The new soccer season is coming up fast and we’d like to learn more about our very own champions, Sanfrece Hiroshima! Who are the players to watch this year? What are the chances that we’ll win the championship for the second year in a row?
- If you’re a baseball expert (or would like an excuse to become one) we’d love for you write about baseball in Japan. How are the Carp looking this year? What are your predictions for the playoffs? Opening day is only a few weeks away, so help us get ready to play ball!
Culture
- Want to learn more about otaku culture? What about gyaru fashion? Help explain these interesting subsets of Japanese youth culture.
Language Study
- In the past, the WIV regularly featured articles about Japanese proverbs and study tips. This column was incredibly helpful so we’d like to bring it back. If you’re interested in sharing your knowledge of Nihongo, please let us know!
Other
- As always, we’re constantly looking for reviews of just about anything – movies, restaurants, products, books, festivals, you name it.
- Videographers, illustrators, photographers, we want to hear from you too!
Now that we’ve gotten the business part out of the way, we at the Wide Island View want to take a moment to say a big thank you to all of you for working so hard to get this website back on its feet. None of this would be possible without all of your help and support!
The school year will soon come to a close, so we’d like to suggest a new (school) year resolution for all of you: keep writing! We know that it can feel overwhelming to commit to extra work, but think about it this way – if every single one of you wrote just one article within the next few months, we’d be set for the rest of the year. One article per month would make you a superstar. More than that? Amazing! We love you! Well, we love all of you regardless, but you get the idea. We all have the chance to contribute to one of the best online resources for JETs in the entire country, and it would be a shame to let this opportunity go to waste.
Thank you again for your support of the Wide Island View, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
JETAA Wisconsin Subchapter reboot and NPR event
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From JETAA Wisconsin Subchapter rep Joette Bump:
Hi Everyone, I’m the lead contact for JETAA WI Subchapter. We have an existing Facebook Group, “JETAA WI Subchapter” Unfortunately, when Facebook did their update to groups, our members disappeared!ugh! PLEASE JOIN: JETAA WI Subchapter. To eliminate duplicates, we’ll delete the Badger State Subchapter group. To be added to our email & evite lists, send your email address to me. Thank you.
Also, info about a great event from super-genki Joette:
Hi Chicago JETAA! If you have dug out of the snow by saturday, please join JETAA WI Subchapter in Madison for the airing of NPR’s fabulous “What D’ya Know Show”. tickets are $10 at the door. Meet us at 9:30. Who knows, we could even get a mention on the show if we wear JET or Japanese clothes or write a great question for Michael Feldman!
After the show, we are having our meeting at 1pm at Takumi Restaurant, 4222 E Towne Blvd Madison, WI 53704 Let me know if you are coming so we can sit as a group.
The Growth of MAT-TESOL and USC Rossier Online
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If any JETs or JET alumni are thinking of doing a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), this is definitely worth a read. I also encourage any JETs interested in teaching to join the JETAA Educational Professionals LinkedIn group:
THE GROWTH OF MAT-TESOL
This blog post was originally published at USC Rossier Online and written by Dr. Rob Filback and Dr. Christian Chun. Dr. Filback is Associate Professor of Clinical Education and Co-Chair of the Global Executive Doctor of Education program. He serves as a coordinator for the MAT-TESOL. Dr. Chun is Assistant Professor of Clinical Education for the MAT-TESOL program.
Origins of the MAT TESOL
Our MAT-TESOL degree that launched in 2010 is the product of a multi-year, collaborative redesign process. The MAT-TESOL program (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) boasts a rich heritage at USC and has featured prominent scholars over the decades such as David Eskey, Fraida Dubin, and Stephen Krashen. In 2008 we decided to build on this foundation by redesigning the TESOL program in order to create a new, innovative and forward-looking degree that could better prepare graduates for the new challenges and new opportunities now facing English language teachers around the world.
We began by inviting an external review by a team of experts: Donna Brinton, Maureen Andrade and Lia Kamhi-Stein. Then, using this team’s recommendations, the faculty worked together to overhaul the USC TESOL program. The existing degrees were closed and one entirely new degree, the MAT-TESOL, was created. This included designing all new courses focused on current problems of practice , expanding the role of clinical field experiences, restructuring the capstone and practicum experiences to be more professionally relevant, and integrating technology including offering the degree online through 2SC.
About the Degree
The resulting MAT-TESOL degree directly addresses prevailing challenges being faced by TESOL educators in classrooms around the world. The new degree is also more dynamic and nimble, designed to give faculty the ability to make ongoing changes and to develop new units and modules as new needs are identified. The degree consists of four terms of coursework requiring approximately 14-15 months to complete. The online degree and the on-campus degree utilize the exact same curriculum, faculty, and requirements. The target audience for the MAT-TESOL includes current or prospective teachers who wish to enter or advance in the field of TESOL. Roughly a third of program participants are pre-service or novice teachers, while the remaining students have a range of teaching experiences that include teaching young learners or K12 students, university students, and or adults. About half of the students in the program are situated domestically in the U.S. and about half complete the degree while residing in another country. The majority of participants who complete the MAT-TESOL are U.S. citizens.
Growth of the Program
Since the launch in 2010, the number of enrolled graduate students has increased dramatically, from a 12-member on-campus cohort in the Fall 2010 to 39-member on-campus cohort for Fall 2012. The online cohort students have increased as well in the last two years, bringing the total number of both on-campus and online students in the Fall 2012 cohort group to 71 students! They have come from a variety of countries including Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, and of course, the USA. In addition, the Trojan TESOL society has been reactivated with numerous students planning activities and events for the coming academic year. Several of our MAT-TESOL students have presented on their work at professional conferences including the regional TESOL conferences. Our graduates are currently teaching across the United States and abroad in a variety of educational settings.
To learn more about the MAT-TESOL program, request more information or check out the USC Rossier Online TESOL page!
Washington Post: JET teacher under fire from right-wing for lessons on Japan’s history of discrimination
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This Washington Post article about Okinawa JET Miki Dezaki (“American teacher in Japan under fire for lessons on Japan’s history of discrimination“) describes how a lesson he taught his students about discrimination that was appreciated by his students and his school has turned into a major controversy and drawn attacks from a right-wing Japanese group called netouyo after Miki posted a video of his lesson online to share with others.
Miki was also the creator of the “Shit Japanese Students Say” video that was posted to JETwit last year along with a JQ interview with him. However, we removed those posts from JETwit last week upon his request as the controversy grew into something much larger than he could have imagined. According to The Japan Daily Press (“American teacher faces controversy, harassment over video teaching Japanese racism“), Dezaki also “gained a modest following over past videos he’s posted like ‘Hitchhiking Okinawa’, ‘What Americans Think of Japan’, and an in-depth look at what it’s like being gay in Japan.”
Here’s the video Miki made about racism which he’s modified slightly to address the criticisms of him:
