Katakana Project #1

In my last eight plus years of teaching Japanese, I think...teaching Hiragana and Katakana is my biggest challenge. I've tried using pictures, songs, having students write them out 50 times each, I have tried a lot of things..... lol At my previous school where half the the students were accustomed to Japanese, it was much easier but now at "A" high school where there are only 3 Japanese students ( I don't even know if they speak the language) on campus and much of the neighborhood consist of Latino heritage, it has become quite THE challenge. The students do not see the need to learn the writing system :(

Obviously some students do have personal incentives in learning Japanese as being able to read and understand manga and anime in the native language. Some students like to live and work in Japan..so, for the 5% of my student population, the writing system is a MUST. The other 10-20% are focused on achieving good grades. These students WILL turn in their assignments, study for their tests, and memorize the writing system.. because they know, THEY HAVE TO to get an "A." But for the rest of the 75-80% apparently, the writing system is not important at all; nor their grades, or their achievement in school.

My question is, how do you entice my 80% to learn Hiragana and Katakana?
I have designed a few projects where students HAVE To study the characters in details.
I call this, "osmosis effect." With this effect, I'm hoping to provide enough exposure to these characters, so in turn, whether they like or not, the characters will be engrained in their minds.
(as long as the students place their best effort in completing their assignment..that is)

So let's examine Katakana Project #1
Title: Katakana Photo Challenge

Ss: Japanese 1 (elementary level Japanese)  Age: secondary to adult 

Location: any where 

Materials: people, camera (smart phone), computer, flash drive, window's office "power point,"

goal: learn Katakana and to have fun
objective: students in groups of 4-5 will create a digital katakana picture book!

students must creatively think and designs way to physically form each individual katakana characters
(simply said, students must line-up/bend/sit... and formulate themselves into Katakana shapes)

Each character must have an original background or a feature that represents the respective word.
For example: ハ two students lay straight on a grass lawn at an angle forming the shape of the character holding hamburgers in their hands (pictures of hamburgers is also acceptable).
These pictures must be taken from up above for the viewers to be able to identify the character from a distance (second floor/balcony... please make sure to not place yourself in harms way. do not do anything that is unsafe)

Once all pictures are taken, students must submit their photos as an album.
It can be in a form of a CD or a power point.
If you have a large enough email account, you may accept these pictures as a file.
It is never a good idea to accept flash drives.

So... that's one of my idea! I hope you can try this in your class!

If you have any questions... send me an email! 

Summer of planning...

So, as you already know, I am a Japanese teacher at "A" high school. Though I love being apart of my beloved students' lives, I do enjoy my two months break of "ME" time.
So, I decided to re-structure my curriculum this summer (which turned out to be an enormous project..)!
I teach 6 different sections within 5 periods (Japanese 1, 2, 2H, 3, 3H, and 4). Which means... I'm planning for combined humungo classes and 6 preps (technically). I have finished writing the syllabus for Japanese 1... and it turned out to be 9 pages including the course plan for first semester.
It is so scary to precisely plan for the year....being that high school schedule fluctuates monthly.. perhaps weekly depending on school-wide needs.
So, I decided to set my detailed planning to JUST the first semester and keep the second semester to a brief (I'll kill myself if not).

But what is crazy is I have at least two more syllabus to write... at most 5 (it really depends on what I'm going to do with the combination classes).
So, now, I'm determined to finish the syllabus for Japanese 2 & 2H by the end of this week.

To do list:
Finish 2/2H syllabus
Do 3/3H syllabus
Do 4 syllabus (AP prep)
Handouts for all classes
Power point presentations for all classes
Power point video recordings to present in class
Record dialogues especially for Japanese 1 and 2

WHAT???!! I still have this much todo within this coming month?
It feels like an impossible ordeal but I guess I just have to do the best of my ability.

Now, if you are wondering what happened to my previous curriculum, this is the story:
I taught Japanese at a different high school for about 6 1/2-7 years. I had created a curriculum and tweaked it throughout the year. After my 7th year, I began questioning my choice of profession and decided to leave the field of education. At that point, I figured I will never return as a educator so... I discard of everything (bad decision). After a year of wondering the states in search of my next ambition in life, I ended up walking a full circle back to education. What's different this time is my renewed appreciation for the job and my renewed love for child (adolescent) development. Well, I also didn't have any curriculum to through the year.. lol (which teacher teaches without a plan? ME!)
Well, at the end of the first year at "A" high school, I realized the NO PLAN worked for my advantage. I was able to see the ability of my students and it actually allowed more genuine time spent with my students. I was also told that our school was preparing for IB language programs and wanted to add Japanese AP to the list of classes so, whoohoo.. I needed to prepare a different curriculum anyways.  As I said, my NO PLAN worked for my advantage but now, I'm paying the price in not re-creating the wheel.. but actually creating a NEW WHEEL!

It's funny to find myself going back to books I used during my credential programs to find activity ideas...lol  It's always GOOD to start anew!

I'll post ideas I come across and videos I create for your review.

Cory Monteith's death....

I am deeply saddened by the death of a Glee Cast, Cory Monteith #corymonteith
I did not consider him my hero nor emulated him as my role model but I was inspired time-and-time again by his diligent work as a Glee cast.
His devotion and commitment towards Lea Michele also gave me enormous hope.
This wonderful man, who knew.. had been fighting the ugliest demon: addiction and substance abuse.
It breaks my heart to know that millions of people in this world are losing their lives to toxic substances each and every day. These substances are created and distributed by the hands of another human being creating unbelievable amount of financial wealth for them but also creating double the amount of poverty for people around the globe. These substances enslave and never let go.

I have also lost a friend in March of 2005 to heroin.
Cory's death awaken's the sadness that I felt years ago and am deeply saddened for his family, friends, and his beloved girlfriend Lea Michele. May Cory rest in peace.