Monday, August 27, 2012

A week has passed in the Semester!

This is already the second week of the semester and September is just around the corner.  After all, Japanese 1101 has 65 students (which is 35% fewer than usual).  Some of these seating deficit has been covered by a dozen of 1102 students and 15 students of 2201.

I am not sure of how many will survive in 1101 but certainly hoping many so that we can have 2 classes for 1102 in Spring!

As 1102 students are a few, 2201 in the Spring semester may not get that well but I will encourage those in 1102 to continue on next semester!

GTS finally got free from Waubonsee Community College as I found an ideal teacher from the area and it seems that the class over in WCC is moving well so far!

I want to have more Spring trip participants!  The trip will be on the last week of March 2013!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Fall Semester is about to begin but.....

While the beginning of the new academic year is just around the corner, I as a GTS got a bit disappointed at the enrollment for classes.

For the first time during past over 10 years, Japanese 1101 classes were not filled and rather barely survived as a running class.

Usually over 100 students register in Japanese 1101 but only less than 60 students registered in Japanese 1101 over 4 different classes.  I am glad that all classes have been somehow made it but
I wonder what caused it besides slow economy.

One of the reasons must be scheduling which was beyond my control.  One class was forced to move from 10am to 12noon due to the construction (lack of classrooms).  11am class has been filled in the good way as usual but 12noon class suffered.  I have to work on this next academic year!

Yet, unlike the usual year, Japanese 2201 has 16 students, a dozen of whom will probably continue to 2202 in Spring and I am quite happy about it.

Furthermore, Japanese 1102 has 13 students despite this class is in off sequence.  I am very confident in offering 1102 every fall and hopefully 2201 in Spring as a continuation!

It is just sad when looking at the low figure now.  I will make utmost effort!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Mom of the student who went to study abroad with me wrote to me!


Mr. Satsutani,
I just wanted to thank you so much for taking all of the COD students to the Japan study abroad program.

My son spoke quite highly of you and really enjoyed his trip abroad. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. It was all made possible by your hard work.

He has learned how to speak Japanese quite well with this emersion program and most of all experience a true Japanese lifestyle. This is an education you just can’t receive in a classroom.

He has come home a wiser young man and I owe it all to this program. He is continuing back at COD this fall and then will be transferring to DeVry in January. He will then earn a business technology degree. Again, thank you so much for this wonderful program

Sincerely,

I FEEL JUST GREAT!!