TFiJ26: Papa gets a new job
Great news! I have a new job. From April 1st I’ll be working full-time at Toyo Gakuen University, near Tokyo. My schedule runs from Mondays thru Thursdays, so that will enable me to come back to Toyama each weekend and during the spring, summer and winter breaks. I’ll be a long-distance papa for the next few years, it looks. This is a huge change for us, and I’ll be writing about it in more detail in the weeks to come. For now, check out this diary-style video which chronciles the day I went for my interview. You’ll see what it’s like to travel across Japan by train, take a tour of the Togaku campus, and hear my thoughts on what happened after the interview. Please ask me questions or leave a comment below!
Obama mania hits Japan
Wow, what a day yesterday! It seems like the entire world was watching and celebrating Obama’s inauguration, the new American Renaissance. Here in Japan is no different. From the hula-dancing “Obama Girls” in the fishing villiage called Obama ( it means “small beach” in Japanese), to the latest bestselling book, a collection of Obama speeches meant to help you study English, the new American president is top of the news. News outlets are doing lots of “person in the street” interviews, and here in Toyama City, a reporter came to my school yesterday afternoon to get the reaction of the American teachers (me and my colleague Susan, who is from Hawaii). After being asked all sorts of Obama questions, the reporter asked if the other foreign staff could join us in a group photo, which you can see below in this article from today’s Toyama Shimbun:
From left to right are: Stephen (from the UK), Kevin (above him, from Canada), me, Susan, Lee (from Canada), and David (from New Zealand). The caption reads, “Here are some local foreign teachers reading about Obama’s inauguration ceremony.” When we saw this photo this morning, we had to laugh because of the way the reporter staged the shot. Of course we don’t read this newspaper! Still, it was a goof. We were having a good time cracking jokes about how contrived the situation was.
Here is a rough translation of the article. The headline says, “Chance to change history- Happiness spreads as President Obama begins his term in office”. That centered vertical title says, “Teachers from America and other countries based in Toyama ponder the impact on the economy and foreign affairs.” The first part of the story mentions comments from teachers working in Toyama. Then the good part:
An instructor at TCFL, Gerald Talandis Jr., watched the ceremony live on TV at 2 am. “Obama’s message is one of empowerment- that people can do anything they want if they work together”, he said. “His inaugural speech was very positive. People accept Obama because he comes across as a sincere, passionate person. I expect him to rebuild America like before.”
So that’s a rough translation. I actually said a lot more than that, and more eloquently (I thought), but most of it got lost in translation, I guess. I’m not totally sure if this translation is spot on or not, but it’s close enough. Anyway, just thought you’d find this interesting.
Oh, and one more thing: My sister Vi, who lives in DC, attended the historic event. Here is a link to the photos she took. I had a great time showing these to my students today in class! They really enjoyed seeing a real participant’s point-of-view on the entire thing. Great job, Vi!
Papa gets published!
Here is some good news: My first ever research article has been formally published! I’m very psyched. The article is entitled “Web 2.0 in the ELT classroom: An introduction”, and it was published in the JALT2007 Conference Proceedings. It’s all about how teachers can make use of some very cool online resources and technologies for improving the way they teach and developing their professional skills.
This article is based on a presentation I gave a year ago at the annual JALT conference of language teachers in Tokyo. While the article only appears online, still- a publication is a publication, and it’s a good start for me. I am interested in this area of teaching and learning, so this piece was part of my overall effort to develop this interest into a marketable skill. I really want to be a university professor, so publishing is part of what I need to do more of in order to get that kind of job.
To download the full article, just click here.
In case you are not interested in reading the entire thing, here is the abstract:
With the rapid development of the Internet, emerging technologies are reshaping the context of web-based information and creating numerous opportunities for enhanced classroom practice and professional development. Blogging, wikis, podcasting, and social networking are a few examples of so-called Web 2.0 technologies that language teachers are currently exploring. While early adopters have made impressive use of these new tools, many ELT instructors remain on the outside looking in—wanting to know more, but overwhelmed by the rapid pace of change. This article challenges the assumption that only those already in-the-know can keep up with educational technology. For educators new to the Web 2.0 evolution, clarity and direction is provided through defining Web 2.0 in layman’s terms and introducing key technological concepts such as folksonomy, RSS feeds, and syndication. In addition, a theoretical foundation for a technology enhanced pedagogy is outlined, one that places Web 2.0 within a social constructivist and connectivist context. Finally, an overview of relevant technologies applicable to ELT is provided, along with successful classroom usage models and links to online resources.
Does this make sense to you? If not, ask me some questions by leaving a comment below.
My busy mornings
Hey, instead of a video clip, I have something new this time: a “Voicethread” featuring photos and commentary from a typical morning at our home. Voicethreads (from Voicethread.com) are a new and cool way of sharing photos. Not only can you hear (or see, if I had used a video camera) me, but you can also leave text, audio, or even video comments (if you have a camera attached to your computer). So, have at it, folks! Click the big triangle play button below and check out how I spend my busy mornings. Click the Comment button to leave your own words or voice. Lets see if we can get a bit of a dialog going!
By the way, I’ve been using this service with my Video Production students lately. To see some of the Voicethreads they’ve produced, just click here. This was our class’ first go at making Voicethreads. On a fine day in May I gave them cameras and told them to go out and take at least 50 pictures. As a result, each thread is kind of the same, but at least you’ll be well acquainted with the neighborhood around our school! We are currently working on another Voicethread project- students have to introduce some aspect of traditional Japanese culture in English. This one will be good!
Finally, we’ve had some good family news of late, and I’ll be blogging about that shortly…
Papa made this!
I’m very glad this project is nearly behind me. All I have left to do is create and burn the DVD, which I’ll give as a present to all the participants. Its taken a lot of effort to get this done, but I have really improved my video editing and blogging skills. I will put this new knowledge to good use in the coming school year with my video class students, some of which went on the NZ trip with me.
Clips I haven’t posted on this blog yet include the following: Punting on the Avon (a very relaxing ride on the main river in Christchurch), Akaroa day trip (where we went swimming with dolphins), Farm visit (to an actual working sheep farm), Farewell lunch (chronicling our last day of classes), Studying at King’s Education (some scenes of what academics were like for our students), Inside Christchurch Cathedral (a look inside this gorgeous city landmark), Christchurch parks (a photo slideshow), and Wine tour (where Mr. Kawahata & I explore the wineries of Waipara Valley). This last one is very cool! I really learned a lot about wines on this excursion. Anyhoo, if you check out some of these video clips, please leave me a comment! Aciu labai!
That’s me on the right, posing in front of the Christchurch Cathedral on the 1st full day of our study trip. My colleague Kuniaki Kawahata is on the far left.
Back home from New Zealand!
UPDATE: (4/5/08) I‘ve just refreshed all of the video clips in this post with bigger and clearer versions. Check out all my my hard work from the past two weeks!
I finally got back home from New Zealand on Monday, March 10th. It was a very smooth journey, and I can’t speak highly enough about Singapore Airlines. The planes were modern and comfortable, and the built-in video on demand system made the time fly by. We left Christchurch at noon on Sunday, then flew nearly 10 hours to Singapore. I measured time in movies and TV shows… “Okay, only two movies left…” This really helped! I would get up and walk around between shows, and I really enjoyed catching up on some films I hadn’t seen. While at Changi Airport I managed to get in a workout and a shower at a gym there. What a huge place that airport is! It’s a massive shopping mall. At 1 am we boarded our flight to Osaka. This was the hardest part of the trip because for us it was really 5 am! We had pulled an all-nighter, so once we got on the plane, everyone fell instantly to sleep. From Osaka to Toyama was a six hour bus ride, so by the time we got back at 3pm, it was the culmination of a 36 hour journey! Smooth and long… I took the next day off (yesterday) and got some rest.
Overall the trip was a great success. We had only a couple of minor problems, and they were dealt with quickly before they became bigger trouble. A couple of students didn’t get on quite well with their homestays, but that is par for the course. After a tough first week, my health improved a lot, and I started to really enjoy my time. I think I made the best of it, but I also spent too much money eating out. I couldn’t resist, as there were so many great restaurants to choose from.
During the mornings I worked on getting an article ready for (hopeful) publication in a language journal here in Japan, in addition editing videos of our afternoon activities. I still have a few more of those to go, but for now I’ll just post four of them. I don’t really appear much in them, but if you are interested in what I was up to, give them a look. They are not long and have been edited with short attention spans in mind:
Activity 2: Christchurch gondola
This was a very nice thing to do early on in our trip, as it gave everyone on our group a great overview of the entire area. Christchurch is on a plain that is right next to the Banks Peninsula, an area of land formed six million years ago by volcanic eruptions. After a short ride up a 500 meter hill, you can see the entire area. Very nice!
Activity 3: The Maori experience
One thing we learned on this trip was that New Zealand is a very young country, as countries go. It was settled in 1850 by folks from England. Of course they weren’t the first people on that land, the Maori were. At the Willowbank Wildlife Centre, on the outskirts of Christchurch, we could experience a bit of Maori culture by taking part in an interactive tour through a old-style village inhabited by Maori actors. They really brought the experience to life! We learned a lot, for sure.
Activity 4: Antarctic Centre
Did you know that Christchurch is considered the “gateway to Antarctica?” It’s true. Next to the airport they have this massive complex of offices where countries that have bases down there (USA, NZ, Italy, Japan, etc) work to prepare expeditions. Planes loaded with supplies and scientists take off from there all the time. To involve the public, they created this fascinating visitor’s center that is an excellent example of “edu-tainment.” It’s part academic lecture and part theme-park thrill ride. And there are penguins- lot’s of penguins! Very interesting, and lots of fun!
Activity 5: Horseback riding
This was a simple and relaxing activity- getting out into the countryside nearby Christchurch on the back of a horse. Personally I found the experience a bit boring, as I have ridden a horse before and wanted a bit more freedom to move where I wanted. However, almost all of our students had NEVER ridden before, so I was glad for the highly controlled (and safe) way the trek was handled.
Okay, so that’s it for now. I’m currently working on some more video clips, and I’ll get those posted when I’m done.
Papa’s in New Zealand!
I’m typing this from King’s Education, a small language school in Christchurch, New Zealand. I’m here with as one of two chaperones for the annual TCFL study trip, an event our school conducts each year. The first day of classes has just begun, and our 17 students are off to take an assessment test that will place them in the proper levels for classes they’ll be taking for the next three weeks.
So far so good. We had a smooth trip down here, although it was very long. First we took a bus from Toyama to Osaka, then stayed at a very nice hotel near Kansai International Airport. The following morning we flew on Singapore Airlines to Singapore, a 7 hour flight. After a three hour layover, it was another 10 hours before we finally arrived at Christchurch. Everyone was so sleepy! The flights were not bad, however. The service was good, and the food was excellent, if you can believe it. They even gave us Hagendaz ice cream for dessert! There was a small video screen above each tray table, so I could watch any number of movies or tv shows. This helped make the time pass quickly.
Most of our students are traveling abroad for the first time, so they look very excited and a bit nervous. They are all staying with host families, so I suppose they are worried whether they can communicate or not with them. Each morning will have classes, and the afternoons are free for various activities. Today, for example, we’ll be taking a bus tour of downtown Christchurch. We also have trips planned to local museaums and attractions. I’ll write a bit about these in future blog posts.
I miss my family already, and I look forward to going home again, but until then I’ll make the best of this experience. More later, including some photos and perhaps a video clip or two if I can manage it. For now, let’s see if I can embed a Google Map here… Oh, great! It works. Just click on a blue pin to get more info on where I’m staying and working in Christchurch:
Papa’s presentation on Slideshare.net
Hey, a quick note to say that I finally finished putting an audio version of my Web 2.0 presentation up on Slideshare.net, a big “YouTube-style” social networking site focused on presentations. People can upload their PowerPoint or Keynote presentations and watch those of others. It’s really an interesting place to hang out- I’ve really learned a lot. Each day they feature a few presentations they believe stand out. Guess who is being featured today?
It’s doing wonders for my page view statistics. So far nearly 800 people have watched it! I’ve gotten some very kind comments, such as these:
Thank you for this very valuable presentation!
thanks, this is a VERY well crafted slidecast…
Wow, I can tell this must have taken hours and hours of time to put together. It is very well organized and helps to present the concepts and ideas related to Web 2.0 in a way that’s easy for anyone to understand.
I wonder if a tool like Camtasia Studio would make the process of creating a slidecast easier for you? I purchased it a few months back and have used it to create a few technical screencasts. I’ve found the learning curve to be small. Of course, I haven’t experimented with adding wonderful background sounds as you did.
A big thanks for your efforts making this slidecast. Again, very well done.
This is an amazing presentation. I just discovered you in a slideshare group-I am thrilled that I did! Great work. I am excited to learn more!
Wow. This is turning into a very fine experience!
Here is the slidecast, in case you haven’t seen it yet:
Back to “normal?”
Hey! It’s me again. Hard to believe a week and two days have already gone by since the JALT conference, which you can read all about here at this little website I set up to preserve that experience. Here’s a bit on how it was like:
It was such an intense experience! From throwing up the day before, to having to redo many slides due to lack of Internet access (only to finally figure out how to connect a few hours before, thus having to frantically redo slides again at the last moment), to there being WAY more people attending than I had expected (and thus not having enough handouts), to the presence of experts whom I had featured in various slides… wow, it was all too much.
You’d think I’d be back into my normal routine again, right? Well, things are busier than ever! These conferences, I’ve realized, are all about generating new career opportunities. You mingle, go out for beers, chat during presentations, “do lunch”, and all of that creates these little openings and possibilities. It’s like an intensive weekend of gardening- you’re planting seeds all over the place. But after you do so, you have to water and cultivate those plants if you want anything good to come from them. That’s where I’m at now- working hard on following up various things. For example, I have the opportunity to get three publications out of the two presentations I did- but the catch is that the deadline for two of them is December 15th!!!! I’m also in the process of creating a video version of my Web 2.0 presentation, one that I’ll be posting shortly (I’m almost done).
All in all it’s a very busy, but very exciting time.
Papa goes to America
Tomorrow morning I’m off to the States for a week’s visit with my family. It’ll be my first time in like 10 years to be in the States. Amazing! Time has really flown. I’ll be in Moline, Iowa, staying with dad. Dotto and mom are also flying in, and it will be a very very rare family get together. I’m really excited! The trip will be short; after a week, I’ll fly back with mom, who will get a chance to see our life here and see her grandchildren for the first time.
That’s all for now; I’ll be posting pictures and short updates from the road. If I can find some time, I’ll also try to get a new podcast up. iMovie ’08 just came out, so I’ll try to whip something up with that.
Hello! My name is Gerald Talandis Jr, and I'm the webmaster of this blog. I'm using it as a tool for staying in touch with family in friends around the world. I've been in Japan since 1993 and currently teach English at 
This is my wife, Shinobu. She's originally from 
Luke was born on July 29th, 2001. He is now an elementary school student and loves sports, like his mama. Each week, Luke swims, plays soccer, and goes to a gymnastics class. He is also studying English and dreams of visiting the USA someday and becoming an Olympic swimmer, like his hero Michael Phelps.
Our daughter Max was born on March 7th, 2007. She is currently attending nursery school and is learning to walk, talk, and eat by herself without making a mess. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and loves Micky Mouse, Hello Kitty, and Anpanman.