Thank you guys for everythings

Today is the last day of staying in Shin-Hidaka, my workplace. We will go back to Urakawa, my wife's hometown, and Obihiro, my hometown. It takes about 50 min, and 2.5hour respectively. Yesterday was the last day of my working. We have cleaned our house and workplace for a few days recently. Cleaning helped freshen our mind! Thank you all of you for everything, and wish you guys happy new year!

Christmas dinner

Yesterday, My wife and I went to Sapporo for Christmas dinner.The restaurant we went to is Italian one and named "Sapporini". All dishes were much more than what we expected in taste and flavor. I was surprised at the number of comments from customers and repeaters who once visited this restaurants, who all put positive comments on several sites, like "What a tremendous restaurant!", "One of the best Italian restaurant in Sapporo", and "Satisfactory cost performance and deliciousness" and so on. Because of these positive comments, we had expected of course, but what it served to us was much more than that! This is highly recommended!
We have enjoyed eating more than other things in what the couple usually do like going shopping, going movie, staying in great hotels and somethings. We have been to a variety of restaurants until now. But "Sapporini" was of course one of the best we have experienced.

alumni

My colleagues and I attended Hokkaido Univ alumni training conference held in a district where my school is located. The president of the alumni made a speech about direction of education in Japan in the future and what we teachers should do based on the direction. As it was at the two conferences previously held in this district, his speech was really interesting, meaningful, and easy to understand. After the conference we talked about what we could do in each school we worked for while introducing ourselves.
When I began to work as a teacher, I did not know that the univ I graduated from had such a strong network among teachers. I could not even imagine it! But now I am relaxed to know that I am in a position to ask for some advices from experienced teachers graduating from the same univ as I did when I want to. After the conference, The principal invited us his home, and drank a lot until mid night (even until just before the dawn!). It was for the first time in a long time to talk a lot with colleagues, so I was able to work my stress out!

Peer observation of colleagues' classes

We have two weeks peer observation of classes among colleagues. It is stimulating for us to do such an attempt. From this school year, we comment our feelings and opinions on a certain worksheet to promote our noticing. From the beginning of this school year, I have tried a variety of ways of reading passages and also given almost all directions in English. The two points were positively evaluated among many teachers. On the other hand, some teachers wondered how I would promote students to express themselves on the basis of such reading activities. This is just what I have wondered a lot, and also what other English teachers need to focus on toward next school year. Anyway, deepening my thought on my class and reflect what I have thought on the real classes everyday is hard but really meaningful. I would like to thank you for all colleagues who found their precious time to observe my class.

Business trip to Sapporo and Asahikawa

This Thursday and Friday, I went to Sapporo Inter-cultural and Information high school to examine how CALL classes are implemented, and to Asahikawa to attend SelHi conference coordinated by Asahikawa-Kita high school.
The objective for this trip was to get some tips for Shizunai high school English section to organize more coherent English courses and classes before Shizuko opens a variety of them as it changes the system into "Tani-sei" from next academic year on.
The key-words I got from this trip is, first, English teachers' English for students, that can be called "Teacher Talk" or "paraphrased easy English", second, Teachers competitive and energetic mind to improve their own English, and finally, all of their efforts are for students, not ourselves. The last one was also just what I learned from Principal of Asahikawa-Higashi High school, who I drank with during this trip.
I would like to share what I learned with other teachers in Shizuko and take a first step for the new English course and classes.

レヴィ＝ストロース氏死去

構造主義の父、レヴィ＝ストロース氏が亡くなったとのこと。
人類はまた知の巨人を失った。

Trip to Nigata and Tokyo 2009

　My wife and I went to Nigata prefecture, my father's homeland for 7th anniversary of my grandfather's death. Though I often went there, for my wife, it was her first visit there. The trip was meaningful for me to introduce her to many relatives. After that my parents and we went to Tokyo, to enjoy dinner and see around Ginza. When I was more young, I prefer to walk around Tokyo actively, but now I prefer to stay in a hotel or enjoy tea or coffee in a cafe seeing a variety of people on streets.
Top pic is a Japanese style garden in Shinagawa, middle one is when waiting Shinkansen arriving in platform, and the below is Zen-shu shrine in Nigata named "Jiko-Ji"

Farewell Soba Dinner

Yesterday, we went to Soba shop to say goodbye to Vicky who has been a student from Canada using a exchange program between Alberta Canada and Hokkaido Japan.She was seriously took almost every classes she could take, and enjoy their school and home life in Japan. Through the experience as a teacher in charge of the program, I was also be able to enjoy encountering her and family members where she stayed during her stay in this town. Also I was able to broaden my view to the diversity of countries outside Japan. And without Mai, my school's ALT, without her deep understanding and her cooperation, this program could not be that successful. Below is pictures of farewell soba dinner for Vicky.