Date: 2/9, Sunday 10-12:30pm
Location: online/zoom
Fee: Free for members and online attendees, 500 yen for non-members
Registration: https://forms.gle/8q5nEkQqAEcwDh6j9
To kickoff the year 2025, Nagano JALT will be hosting Michelle Martinie and Jason Smith as they share the experiences from their journeys to become licensed teachers in Japan.
Pursuing a Career as a Licensed Teacher in Japan – Michelle Martinie
Abstract
The intention of this lecture is to introduce the specialist teacher licensing process (“tokubetsu menkyou”) in Nagano Prefecture and other locations around Japan. The speaker will use a research-based approach to predict potential benefits to student progress as well as career benefits for educators.
Bio
Michelle Martinie is from The United States. She has lived in Japan since 2011, originally working as an Assistant Language Teacher. She currently teaches Visual Art and English Communication and Expression at Matsumoto Kokusai High School.
Teaching Solo: Becoming a Foreign Teacher of English – Jason Smith
Abstract
In April of 2024, Jason started working as the first foreign full-time instructor (講師) at Matsumoto Agatagaoka High School. His presentation will cover the process he underwent to get his position and his experience of it so far. He’ll also compare it to both his experience as an ALT and his training/education as an English teacher in the United States.
Bio
Jason was born and raised in the state of Nevada in the United States. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno where he received his BA in Secondary Education (English) and his MS in Counseling and Educational Psychology with emphasis in Information Technology in Education. In 2004 he came to Nagano on the JET Programme and just never left. Until April of 2024 he worked as an ALT in Azumino and Matsumoto as well as in various eikaiwa. As of last April, he started working as a full-time instructor at Matsumoto Agatagaoka High School, the first foreigner to be so hired in Nagano.
In what spare time he has, he can usually be found dealing with the antics of his sons and his dog or nose down in a book.
