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TFiJ20: Luke & papa do a triathlon
On a hot hot HOT day in July (Saturday the 13th, to be exact), Luke and papa participated in the annual Yatsuo Triathlon. This was my 2nd time, having previously done it in 1999. Of course it was Luke’s first time. I did the “athletes” course, which consisted of a 750 meter swim in the pool (where Shinobu works), followed by a 16km bike ride on a hilly course, and finishing with a 5km run. Luke did the kid’s course: 100m swim, 2km bike, 1km run. Oh, did I mention it was a VERY HOT & HUMID DAY? The week before I practiced each day with Luke. His difficult point was riding a bike, especially with going up hills. Since there were a couple of inclines on the kid’s bike course, Shinobu and I were rather concerned. Using his old kiddy bike, there was no way he could ride up even a slight hill, so a few days before the race we ended up buying him a new bike! “It’s an early birthday present”, we told ourselves. This new bike had 5 speeds, so he was able to go up hills better, but would it be enough? We were worried… Papa’s race started at 9 am. The swimming was very hectic. Since it was in a pool, each swimmer had to go down and back three times (150m), making sure to duck under the lane divider each length. The start was staggard, but since there was such a difference in ability, it wasn’t long before guys were passing and lapping each other. It was a nightmare ducking under the lane dividers, as there were often several swimmers pushing and shoving for position! I had to take care not to get kicked in the face. After the swim, I ran outside and down to the bike changing area. I had my spot, and proceeded to change into bike mode. I wasn’t rushing, knowing it would take all I had and more just to survive the entire distance on the HOT HOT HOT day. Luke and Shinobu were cheering me on. When they saw I wasn’t rushing, they started teasing me: “Hurry up, Papa! You’re too slow!!!” they shouted. It was funny. The bike course was a ride through the foothills of nearby Yamada village. The first part was this VERY LONG incline, and boy was it a killer. After that it got better, and the final bit was going down that long incline. That was fun! The running course was thankfully flat and simple- just three laps from bridge to bridge on the Ida river, next to the pool. Still, it was HOT HOT HOT, so this part of the race was very difficult. Thankfully they had water stops, so I made sure to douse myself in ice cold water frequently. While cooling me off, this also made my socks and shoes very squishy and heavy! I shuffled along, leaving a trail of watery footsteps behind. Finally I finished! I was very happy that I could make it. Immediately, however, I climbed up a hill to watch Luke come in on his bike. Shinobu and I cheered him on, as you can see in the video. We were really proud of him! He ended up with a gold medal for his trouble, a prize given to all the kids who finished. He’s only seven years old, and already he’s gaining a lot of great experience, not to mention health and fitness. In the end we all had a good time despite the heat. We’re looking forward to doing the race again next year. Here’s the video. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.
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!
Papa made this
After ALOT more work than I thought, I’ve finally finished editing and posting all of the New Zealand study trip videos. To make them easy to see, I’ve embedded a video player below. Scroll through all the clips on the right, then click on any one you want to see. I don’t actually appear in many of them, but you do often hear my voice from behind the camera. At the very least you’ll get an idea of what my “work” was like during our trip. Alternatively, you can see the whole lot over at our Blip.tv webpage.
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!
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.
New Zealand update
Hey all! I’m about half-way through my New Zealand trip, and I think it’s about time for an update on my adventures here. Overall, so far so good. The summer weather here has been quite spectacular, with almost no rain and temps in the low to mid 20s (C). That’s mid 70s for all you non-metric folk. The city is about the same size as Toyama City, with about 370,000 people. There is a HUGE park in the center of town- I heard it’s the third largest central-city park in the world. I’ve throughly enjoyed running and walking around there. I’m staying in a nice one-bedroom apartment very near to the school where our students are studying at. Besides a few design flaws, I’m very happy with it. Best thing of all is the washer and drier! I can clean all my clothes in a jiffy, which is quite a change from my life in Toyama, where we hang-dry everything, and it sometimes takes days before I can wear certain items.
My daily routine is to wake up at 7:20am, take a shower, and have breakfast while checking out the morning news and weather (it’s so nice to be able to understand what’s on the TV!). I meet my colleague Mr. Kawahata (who’s staying in an apartment above me) at 8:20, then we walk together through a small park to King’s Education. It’s only a five minute stroll, so I really appreciate the location of our hotel apartments. Once there, we sit in the entrance lobby and greet our students as they come in. All of them are staying with host families around town and bus to school. Once we’re sure everyone has arrived, we hang out in the teacher’s lounge for the rest of the morning. This is my free Internet access time, so I keep busy with email, catching up on the news, and getting some research done (I’ve been working on an article for publication). Free wireless Internet is very rare here; Fortunately the local public library has it, so after lunch with Mr. Kawahata (we alway eat out at one of the many many excellent restaurants nearby), I head off to continue whatever project I’m on. At six Mr. Kawahata and I go jogging along the Avon River near our hotel. After that, it’s dinner time, so we either go out or stay in, depending on our mood.
That’s basically it, but you know, each day is unique, so there is always something new to see and do. A few things I’ve been able to do have been to visit the local museums, go running in the super gorgeous botanical garden park, attend choral services at the Christchurch Cathedral (which is Anglican), and go to a Catholic Cathedral for Sunday mass. Last weekend, in fact, I went to my first ever (?) mass held in Latin. That was very interesting, but I realized I like the “new” style better! [Mom or dad- did you ever take me to a Latin mass when I was a child?] I’ve realized that my thing to give up for lent is not to “give up” anything at all, but to attend church more! That feels more positive to me, and I’ve greatly enjoyed this opportunity to attend services with amazing location, music, and ENGLISH!
During the week days I’ve also accompanied our students on pre-planned field trips. The first of these was a city tour around Christchurch. I whipped up the following video clip, which I posted on a new website I created for our trip. Check it out- you won’t see me until the very very end, but you can get an idea of what the city is like and an idea of what I’m doing down here. I’m currently working on more videos, so I’ll post those when their done.
So, that’s it for now. I’ll be here until March 9th.
UPDATE: (4/5/08) I’ve reposted the video clip below to a bigger and clearer version. Check it out!
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:
View Larger Map
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:
