Life in Alberta & Japan

• An Introduction to Canadian Student Life 2010 pilot
• Issues Faced by Japanese Students Today - An Interview With a Japanese Student
• Issues Faced by Japanese Students Today
• A Journal of My Trip to Japan
• Voting on Locations to Visit in Japan
• Here is a Journal of Someones Experiences on a 10 day trip to Japan
• An Introduction to Japanese Student Life 2010 pilot
• An Interview on Japanese Student Life

Alberta School Curriculum Resources

• Grade 8 Curriculum Index
• High School Social Studies Curriculum Index
• Historical Places to Visit in Japan Index 

Alberta/Japan Relations Index

Municipal Twining:

• Alberta-Japan Municipal Twining [Coming Soon]
• Other-Hokkaido Municipal Twining
• Canada/Japan Municipal Twining

Red Brick Bulletin (from Hokkaido)

To find out about Red Brick Bulletin click on the link below: 
http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tsk/akarenga_eng.htm

Some of the issues that are of specific interest to Albertan's are highlighted below (check the link for the latest issues):

Fall/Winter 2011 - Issue 8 (Pages 1 - 4) (Published 25 November 2011)
Special Feature - Hokkaido/Alberta High School Student Exchange Program
Canadians in Hokkaido - Impressions of Hokkaido/Alberta High School Student Exchange Program 2011 participants from Alberta placed in different regions of Hokkaido

February 2011 - Issue 4
A Town Close to Home - Tokoro (sister city with Barrhead, Alberta, Canada)

December 2010 - Issue 2
Special Feature - Regional Leaders International Forum in Hokkaido held in Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Friendship and Affiliation between Hokkaido and Alberta (Canada)
A Town Close to Home – Shikaoi (sister city with Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada)
Canadians in Hokkaido – Impressions of a Canadian living in Shikaoi (from Calgary)

November 2010 - Issue 1
Special Feature - Introduction of The Red Brick Bulletin
A Prefecture Close to Home – Hokkaido (twinned with the Province of Alberta, Canada)
 
If you would like to write something for the Red Brick Bulletin, let us know and we will put you in contact with the editor.

Alberta/Japan Network Development (Summer 2011)

Based on Suggestions from our 2010 Pilot Project on Exchanges with Japan and follow up with school and community groups, the Alberta/Japan Network will be one of the networks students will work on this summer see FACTSnet Summer Jobs 2011. With the Earthquake and Tsunami, we are looking at finding ways Albertans are helping and how schools and community groups can be involved.

Students have examined social media to see how people have helped each other in the wake of the Tsunami. As well, students became Conversation Partners in conjunction with the Hokkaido Teachers of English Program. Topics discussed were, Alberta/Japan Student Life, Japan Disaster Relief, Curriculum Studies, and Parent Involvement in Education.

In 2012, ideas include working with the Alberta Japan Twinned Municipalities Association at http://www.ajtma.com to create more personal works. As well, to perhaps work with the Edmonton Japan Community Association to create more local networks and cultural sharing, visit them at: http://www.ejca.com

HTEP : Hokkaido Teachers of English Program 2011 Conversation

We welcome you into our conversation with the Hokkaido Teachers of English Program (HTEP).

We will be having four round table discussions:

- Group A: International Tsunami Relief Effort

• Schools Supporting Japanese Relief Efforts
• Stories from Japan in Aid of Tsunami Relief
• Other Tsunami Relief Efforts

- Group B: Parent Engagement in Education

• How Parents can Aid in the Education System

- Group C: Student Life in Alberta and Japan

• Canadian Student Life
• Japanese Student Life

- Group D: Learning From One Another

• Japan Visit 2010 - Alberta/Japan Project
• Alberta Gr. 8 Studies on Japan
• Visitors to Alberta
• Alberta/Japan Municipal Twining
• http://www.ajtma.com/about.php
• Canada's National Song : "Oh, Canada"

An Introduction to HTEP.

The Hokkaido Teachers of English Program (HTEP) began as an intensive English language and cultural immersion for English teachers in Hokkaido in 2001. The program has developed into two separate cultural exchanges - one in Canada and one in Hokkaido.

The Canadian component is a 4-week program that focuses on 4 key areas:

- English Language Development
- Cultural Experiences
- Second Language Pedagogy
- Professional Development

As part of this program Teachers participate in daily Conversation Groups:

"Participants gather daily with a Canadian to discuss cultural experiences, clarify new vocabulary and practice pronunciation. Each group keeps track of the new concepts that are learned in the previous meeting so that they can be reviewed in future meetings."

For more information visit one of the above links or http://www.htep.ualberta.ca/

Discussion on Alberta Japan Studies

This discussion originated with HTEP teachers see HTEP : Hokkaido Teachers of English Program 2011 Conversation

Make a comment to this post to continue the discussion.    

[Items in square brackets are a summary of the HTEP discussions]

Social Studies and Canadian Studies in Japan:

In Canada we study other countries in order to learn about ourselves and the world.  We study some history, geography, economics, sociology and civics to understand what it means to be a good citizen.   In Alberta, this is called Social Studies.

Does Japan have a subject like Social Studies?  If so, what is studied in this subject area?

[In Japan elementary school children study a subject like Social Studies.  In Junior High and High school they study separate subjects like Geography, History, Politics, Philosophy and Economics.]   

Do students in Japan ever study about Canada?  If so, under which subject and at which grade level? What are they expected to learn about Canada?

[Japanese elementary students study world geography, including Canada.  In Junior High, they go into more detail.  In High School there are choices in studies, which may include studying Geography, History, Politics and Economics]

Alberta Grade 8 Study of Edo and Meiji Japan:

In Alberta Grade 8 students learn about the Edo and Meiji Periods of Japanese History.   (See Learning about each other links in the HTEP post)

Grade 8: Isolation during the Edo period.  

As part of the study on Worldviews grade 8 students study the effects of cultural isolation (how the Japanese did not welcome foreigners) during the Edo period, how this changed Japan and how the shogun maintained control.

Do Japanese students study Worldviews?  What do they study and in what grade? 

 [Japanese students study worldview as the study History and other subjects.  They do not make a specific study of Worldviews as they mostly learn the facts.]

What do Japanese students study about the Edo period?  In what grade(s) do they study this?

Do  Japanese students study about how Japan isolated themselves (did not welcome foreigners) during this period?

[Japanese students study about the Edo period at all levels.  They study similar content to Alberta grade 8 students, except their studies are more detailed and not connected to studying Worldviews}

Grade 8:  Adaption during the Meiji Period.

In Grade 8 students also study the effects of rapid adaptation (suddenly interacting with foreigners) during the Meiji period, how this modernized Japan, why and what the changes were from the Edo period and the challenge to maintain traditional culture. 

What do Japanese students study about the Meiji period?   In what grade(s) do they study this?

Do Japanese students study about how Japan rapidly adapted to modern ways of doing things brought by interaction with the foreigners during this period?

[Studies of the Meiji Period are similar to the Edo period]

Places to Visit in Japan.

Do Japanese students visit historical places related to the Edo and Meiji periods?

[Elementary students visit places in Hokkaido, Junior High students places in Northern Japan, and most High School students visit Southern Japan especially Koto.]

What are the most important historical places related to the Edo and Meiji periods to visit for Canadian teachers and students to visit.  See links in the grade 8 curriculum link.

[There are some places in Hokkaido to visit from that period.  The Edo Tokyo Museum was also highly recommended.  Also the Kyoto area and perhaps Nagasaki.  Places that show the similarities between the aboriginal people of Hokkaido and Alberta would be of most interest.]

 Travel And Exchange:

We want to encourage more travel and exchange between Alberta and Japan.  Alberta already has an Alberta-Japan Office in Tokyo.  It promotes economic exchange.  Many cities in Alberta have sister cities in Japan: (See http://www.ajtma.com/news.php).  These exchanges promote good will between people.

 What could Canadian students and teachers learn by visiting Hokkaido and other parts of Japan?  Where should they travel?  [See above]

What do you think Japanese students and teachers would like to learn and see if they came to Alberta? (See Visitors to Alberta Link on the HTEP post)  

[There was not much time to discuss this but festivals and places that show Alberta’s multicultural heritage would be of most interest].  

What else could we learn from visiting each other?  [Make a commet to this post to continue the discussion.]