Akita Orientation 2018

2018 Akita Orientation was a two day conference for new JETs that was held on August 16th & 17th at the Prefectural Education Center in Tenno, slightly north of Akita City.

Details

• Check in time: 11:00 AM
• Where: The Prefectural Education Center, just outside of Akita City.
• When: August 16th & 17th

All presentations will be given by the PAs, Block Leaders, and other JETs from Akita.

What to expect

Akita Orientation is designed to give new JETs all the information they need to thrive in Akita. There will be almost no instruction on culture shock or other topics that were covered at Tokyo Orientation. If there is overlap with Tokyo Orientation, it is because we believe our presentations will be of more use. New JETs should leave the conference with a solid idea of what to expect throughout the upcoming year and the particulars of their specific area of Akita.

What to bring

Akita Orientation is considered part of your normal work activities and you are expected to dress professionally throughout the conference. Because the August heat in Akita is rather harsh, short sleeved collared shirts without suit coats or ties are appropriate for men (known in Japan as Cool Biz). Dress for women is business casual.

With the exception of a very few people, new JETs will be staying overnight at the Education Center during orientation. Assume you will be staying over unless you have been told otherwise directly from your CO. Showers and public baths for males and females are available. See Onsen Etiquette for using the public bath. Soap is provided but that is about all in the way of amenities. You should bring everything else including the following:

• A bath towel & small vanity towel to cover up in the bath
• Shower amenities other than soap and shampoo
• Cash. There is no ATM at the center
• Athletic shoes, should you need them
• Your own pillow is reccomended.

There is a cafeteria at the center where you can buy breakfast and lunch. You will need to buy meal tickets at vending machines in the cafeteria at the center. The vending machines accept notes of ¥1000, and change no smaller than ¥10. Meal tickets should be bought as early as possible as they have a tendency to run out.

Keep in mind that the Prefectural Education center is not a hotel, but rather a training center for government employees. As such, please treat the building, staff, and others staying there with respect.

Dinner Party

Charity Akita provided a sushi dinner held in the tatami room.
Menu: Sushi selection with soft drinks
Price: Free of charge

Workshops

This year saw an increase in government mandated presentations, which the PAs do not have posession of. Located below are a list of presentations that were given by ALTs and after a short time they will also include the presentations themselves.

Laws & Safety

• Aaron Kern

Laws in Japan are going to differ from those in your home country. This presentation will go over basic laws for daily life, safety precautions, as well as who to consult for legal matters.

Presentation

Natural Disasters in Akita and the JET Emergency Response Manual

• Kathryn Ross

Japan is a country that has to deal with a lot of natural disasters, so you too should be prepared. Included in this presentation are the procedures you should follow in the event that you find yourself in danger.

Presentation

Getting to Know Your Block

From Kosaka to Yuzawa, all of Akita is wonderful, but our Block Leaders are going to show you the best of your areas in one exciting show! Afterwards, you will be getting to know your block a little better with some ice breaker games.

North Block
Central Block
South Block

Health, Safety, Culture Shock, Drinking

• PAs, and Block Leaders

ALTs will be separated into women's and men's discussion panels where your PAs and BLs will talk to you about mental and physical health, how to deal with culture shock, how to stay safe during different seasons, and how to deal with drinking culture.

• Men's Presentation

Link

• Woman's Presentation

This presentation did not include a power point.

Getting Into Your Students' Shoes

• Catherine Johnson and Jacqueline Jean-Francois

It may be hard to understand how your students will feel during your classes, so this lecture will put you in their perspective for a full language lesson. This class will be conducted completely in Japanese.

This presentation did not include a power point.

Life as an ALT

• Domonique Owens and Kaixin Chin

This presentation will go over some fundamental knowledge about working as an ALT. Topics will range from responsibilities, working with JTEs, speeches, and more. This presentation is also a great chance to ask your veteran ALTs about their work and experiences.

Presentation

Lesson Planning

• Group 1: SHS Pimms Hubbell, JHS Marissa Lightfoot, ES Domonique Owens
• Group 2: SHS Matthew Trojic, JHS Kaixin Chin, ES Kathryn Ross

Some ALTs will eventually have to design their own lessons, and some may have never planned for one before! Our veteran ALTs are going to walk you through their own lesson planning methods, as well as tips and tricks for putting together your own plans. All lectures will have information for the elementary, junior high, and high school.

Group 1 Presentations:
ES Domonique Owens
JHS This presentation did not include a power point.
SHS Pimms Hubbell

Group 2 Presentations:
ES Kathryn Ross
JS Kaixin Chin
SHS Matthe Trojic Presentation

Table Talks

Table Talks took place during lunch, allowing JETs to get access to a wide variety of information, including information not directly related to work.

Table Topic	Presenters
Driving	Ken-Hou Yee
Charity Akita	Chris Dean
English Camp	Danie Manos
AJET	Matthew Trojic
Japanese Study	Catherine Johnson
Speech Contest	Marissa Lightfoot
Public Transportation	Kaixin Chin
Ask Sempai	Domonique Owens
Budgeting	Aaron Kern
Dealing With Discrimination	Jacqueline Jean Francois
Home Life	Kathryn Ross

See also

• Conferences

Akita Orientation V • T
								2008	2009
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2020	2021	2022	2023	2024