Open House August 26th, 2015 Welcome to Japanese Class!

Welcome, 6 th graders!

Who is Johnson Sensei? Born & raised in Niigata, Japan Came to the U.S. in 1996 It’s my 13 th year at EPMS. I have taught for 19 years in the U.S. (at North Cobb HS, GA Tech, and Agnes Scott) before coming to EPMS. Certified to teach Japanese (GA), Japanese Calligraphy and English (Japan)

Connects to other Asian languages & cultures Facilitates admittance into a good university Helps in employment opportunities Helps students to look more critically at his/her native language Teaches the value of respect & admiration for other cultures Gives a child self- confidence & pride Teaches new learning skills Benefits of Learning JAPANESE About 8,000 Japanese companies in US, 466 companies in Georgia (2010). Japanese language skills can optimize student’s career!

Grading Policy & Evaluation Major assessments (tests & projects)——–——-25% Minor assessments (quizzes & small projects)—15% Performance-based assessments (PBA)——–—30% Participation/Classwork ——---10% Homework ———————–—————————5% Mid-term/Final Common Assessment (FCA)——15% It is important for students to keep their average of above 70% throughout the year! Reward system (extra credit) Students who successfully complete 7 th & 8 th grade Japanese program will receive one High School Japanese I credit. These students will have the privilege of taking Japanese II (Regular or Honors) in 9 th grade, depends on their performances.

Late work and Incomplete work policy Late work will be accepted within the nine-week period. Late classwork and homework will receive a maximum grade of 50. Major projects will be reduced 10 points per day late. On the 5 th day and thereafter, projects will be accepted for 50% of the grade. Classwork and homework will be graded on completion and/or accuracy.

Class Rules Come to class on time, prepared, and ready to work Respect others and the furnishings & equipment in the classroom Keep food, drinks, and gum out of the classroom Raise your hand and wait to be called on to speak Speak Japanese Consequences 1st time: Verbal warning 2nd time: Parent contact 3rd time: Detention and referral to team for discussion. 4th time: Office referral * Severity of situation depends on consequence

Study Sessions Tuesdays & Thursdays (8:00-8:30 a.m.) or by appointment Extra study/help sessions are available based on the student’s request and my schedule. Students need to bring a signed agenda (signed by sensei), in order to attend.

6 th grade Japanese Basic facts about Japan Hiragana Alphabet Greetings and expressions Numbers and Kanji Classroom items & School in Japan Family and pets

Special Class Events & Activities Based on Japanese Cultural Festivals/Events New Year’s celebration (January): Food with New Year’s rice cake, calligraphy, and New Year’s games Bean-throwing ceremony (February): Throw beans at “Oni” and eat the same number of beans as your age Girl’s (Doll’s) Day (March) Children’s Day (May): Making carp “Omisoka” Preparing for New Year: New Year’s Card, noodles, cleaning Japanese students’ visit (Tentative)

Japanese Events & Activities Outside of Classroom Japan Fest (September 19-20) at Gwinnett Center. Free student tickets are available soon! New Year’s Card Contests (State & National levels) in December Japanese Art Contest Fulton WL Spoken Language Contest “Linguapalooza” (selected students) Japan Trip (Summer, 2016)

Special Japanese Academic Award Hiragana 100 Club Students who have the average of 90 and above in all the alphabet quizzes/test belong are recognized to be in the Kana 100 Club.

Five things you can do to help your child succeed in Japanese class 1. Make sure that he/she completes homework (check agenda) 2. Establish good study habits at home (even 5 minutes per day for review) 3. Quiz your child with index cards & study guide 4. Show interest, and ask him/her what he/she learned that day 5. Encourage/support him/her to be involved in Japanese-related events and activities

Communication With Parents Weekly will be sent home on Monday Assignment will be posted through Edmodo: Please sign up at Edmodo.com (code: m33t3a) Class events and photos will be posted on my website (epmsjapanese.weebly.com)

Questions? Please Contact Johnson sensei! Contact: Ms. Miyuki Johnson Japanese teacher World Language Department Chair Phone: (770) ext Website: