Summer Time

I emailed this to all of you, but here it is again, just in case:

Everyone in this zemi has a lot of work left to do on their theses.  It is essential, therefore, that each of you use your summer vacations well.  Please think of writing your thesis as your job.

Some days you may not feel like going to your part-time job.  You may be tired; you may think your job is difficult or boring.  You may want to go to Disneyland with your friends instead.

But . . . it’s your job, so you go to your job anyway and do your best.

During summer you need to think of your thesis the same way.  It may be difficult.  Sometimes you may feel it is boring.  And you may wish you could go out and play with your friends, but you need to be strict with yourself.  Decide, for example, that you will spend three hours a day, every day, working on your thesis.  Decide the exact times at which you will work.  For example, decide that every day, from 10AM until 1PM you will sit at your desk and that you will either write or read during that time.

It is important to decide on the times you will work, because if you don’t you might find yourself saying: “I’ll start later on my thesis.  Now I want to watch a DVD.”  “I’ll start later, now I want to go shopping,” and you keep putting it off until finally it’s late, you’re tired, and you just go to bed.

That’s also why, once vacation begins, you must begin work immediately.  If you say that you’re going to rest the first week, and then start writing, it will be too easy for you, at the end of the first week to put it off for another week, and another week, and another week . . . and then vacation has ended and you haven’t done any work!

So, start working immediately, and work every day!

And I want to see your work during the summer.  You can email me anytime, but I will expect to receive a file containing all of your work (including title page, contents, text (with references), and your bibliography on August 14, August 28, September 12, and September 30.  This is not optional.  You must email me on these dates.  Of course you can email me any time if you have questions.

Also, please remember that all members of the zemi will be presenting on the work they have done at the Aizu gakuryo.  You must be ready to do that.  And please bring any notes, books, or handouts you need with you to Aizu.  And let me know if you want to use PowerPoint.  If you do, I will bring my computer.  (It’s okay if you have not finished your presentation by the time we go to Aizu.  Present about what you have done, and tell about what you plan to do after Aizu.

You may present in Japanese or English.  I suggest that you use mostly Japanese to be sure all the students listening can understand you.  Some possible ways to arrange your presentation are to:

1. Give an English introduction, but most of the presentation in English.
2. Give most of the presentation in Japanese, and then an English summary of what you talked about.
3. Give English introduction and conclusion, but do most of the presentation in Japanese.
4. Do it all in Japanese.

I would like everyone to finish (at least) about two-thirds of their theses by the end of summer.  That means you should have written about 20-25 pages.  If you do so you will be able to easily finish up during fall semester.  Remember: your thesis is due on January 9, and that if you do not turn it in on time you will fail, and you will not be able to graduate!

Ganbatte!

–Cozy

Revised Schedule for “Your Article”

Because Noriko was absent on May 20 we have changed the schedule of when you will be talking about your article.  The new schedule is:

5/27: Noriko

6/10: Mika

6/17: Kaoru

6/24: Mami

Mika, please let us know what you would like us to read.

Cozy

Zemi News and Schedule

Thanks for class today.  I was very happy to hear that you have all been thinking and reading about your topics, and I’m really loooking forward to working with you over the coming months.  Keep reading and thinking, and try to get started writing as soon as you can.

As I explained today, beginning on May 13 I would like to devote each of the following five weeks to one of your topics.  For your week you will have to find an article, articles, or chapter from a book that you would like to discuss, and give that material to me and to the other students at least a week (more is better) in advance so we can read and think about it before the lesson.  We will discuss the material in class, and perhaps you, or you and I together, can think of some other activities based on the material.

The schedule is:

5/13: Chiharu

5/20-Noriko

5/27-Mami

6/03 No Class; Cozy is at Gakuryo

6/10-Mika

6/17-Kaoru

And keep in the back of your mind that you must submit your thesis on January 9, 2010.

I’m looking forward to reading your blog posts!

–Cozy

Homework Due 4/15

I hope all of you remember your Spring vacation homework.  It’s due this Wednesday, April 15.  The first part was:

On the first class meeting after vacation each student who plans to write a thesis must be ready to tell me her topic, and her claim.  Remember that your claim is not a question.  Your claim is the answer to a question.  For example:

Topic: English Education

Question: At what age should children begin to study English?

Claim: Children should begin to study English at about age 5.

Next:

I will ask each of you to do a 3-5 minute presentation during our first zemi meeting about one or more books related to your topic.  Summarize it, and tell us about what you found interesting and important in it, and why you think it is important for you topic.

And finally:

I would like everyone to prepare the title page of their thesis and also a table of contents The reason I am asking you to make a table of contents is that doing so will help you to think about what information you need to present about your topic, and how you might organize that information. (Of course your title and table of contents may change later. That’s okay. We will call them your “working title” and your “working table of contents.)

See you Wednesday,

Cozy

Thanks, Kaoru

This is to let everyone know that Kaoru has agreed to be our zemi leader.

Thanks, Kaoru!