VOL.02 | NO.07 | FREE | APRIL 2005 SHOWSHOW MEME THETHE MONEYMONEY TOKYOTOKYO EVENSEVENS FORFOR LEGALLEGAL GAMBLINGGAMBLING ByBy LauraLaura FumikoFumiko KeehnKeehn THETHE GREATGREAT OUTDOORSOUTDOORS THETHE LITTLELITTLE PEOPLEPEOPLE Hiking,Hiking, Skiing,Skiing, Sailing,Sailing, Biking…Biking… ASIJASIJ kidskids andand 6,0006,000 bitsbits ofof clayclay welcomewelcome toto HakubaHakuba 英語教育英語教育 シェーン英会話学校で英会話を学ぶシェーン英会話学校で英会話を学ぶ PLUS! BILL HERSEY’S PARTYLINE • MOVIES • BUSINESS • BEING A BROAD • FINE DINING • FACES OF THE NEW JAPAN • WINE • COMMUNITY • FINANCE ADVERTORIAL Aoba-Japan International School’s Founder Ms. Regina Doi Rogers speaks to The Weekender Ms. Regina Doi Rogers was born into an upper-middle class family in New York during the Depression. While studying education at the New York State Teachers College and classical singing at The Julliard School in New York, she worked in a variety of jobs, including time spent at the New York Stock Exchange and Reuben H. Donnelly Corporation, well known as the Yellow Pages. She developed a telephone network system guiding customers on how to use the Yellow Pages more effectively. Her true passions - classical singing and education - have remained with her throughout her extraordinary life. Ms. Rogers came to Japan in 1964. She founded the Aoba-Japan International School in September 1976. WEEKENDER: How did it all begin? Why would Japanese parents send their child to MS. REGINA DOI ROGERS: When I first moved to Japan your schools? Why choose Aoba-Japan it was a struggle. My first job was with a major Japanese The most common reason from parents during admission International School? company, then I moved on to Nishimachi and Seisen interviews is the parents’ wish for their child to have an International Schools. I decided to establish my own opportunity for international education, with long-range FOR THE EXPERIENCE. Established since 1976, Aoba has a 29-year history of suc- business, one where I could earn enough money to sup- goals of sending their children to schools overseas as well cess in educating international students. port myself and educate my son. But of course, it had to as other international schools. Our school programs are FOR THE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION. be the field that I enjoyed. geared toward these and effectively prepare the learners All teachers (numbering over 60 for both the Meguro and I considered going back to the business world in for further challenges as they progress into the higher Suginami campuses) are certified and highly qualified in America. Business always paid well for me there. I had educational fields. their field. even worked for a Japanese company in New York. I real- Where do parents’ fees go? FOR THE ACCREDITATIONS. ly couldn’t go back to singing as I had already reached I am sure that’s a question that many people would like Aoba is accredited by both the European Council of an age limit. I had highly considered coaching singing, as to know the answer. I am sure every school will tell you International Schools and the New England Association this was my field, however, I would only enjoy that part that it’s very expensive to run a very good school. Fees of Schools and Colleges, as well as being a member of the of my teaching given the opportunity to coach highly Japan Council of International Schools. go in all areas of school operation. If there is excess fund, motivated students, perhaps semi-professionals. FOR A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATIO this is used to develop better programs. Students will not only receive an education in English, What made you think of a school? What do you think of the Japanese education but are also required to study Kokugo for Native Japanese I thought, what was the one thing I could do really well system in general? speakers and JSL for non-Japanese. here. So I decided I would open up a four-year level aca- There really is nothing wrong with the Japanese System. FOR THE SAFETY demic kindergarten giving good training in both English Look at the people that the system has produced - Mr. Aoba campuses are equipped with state of the art video and Japanese languages. And when the child would Morita of Sony, Mr. Matsushita of National. I won’t monitoring with auto locked doors on all entrances. All reach compulsory elementary level, then parents could exactly call them failures in life. We should make more visitors must receive visitors’ passes, and entrances are then make the decision whether or not to continue with monitored at all times. analyses of what made those era or these people so suc- international education. cessful. If there are perceived weaknesses in the system, FOR THE PERSONAL ATTENTION Were you anxious about it? I don’t think it’s the school system’s faults. I think it is Aoba Meguro Campus has a maximum teacher student If by anxious do you mean whether I was taking a gamble society itself. There is a multitude of social changes tak- ratio of 1 to 20. The Suginami Campus has a maximum teacher student ration of 1 to 25 for junior high classes by starting a school? I think that anything you do for the ing place in this “small” country. and 1 to 20 for the primary, elementary and kindergar- first time may be considered a gamble. If I did not suc- What about plans to introduce more English ten. ceed, perhaps, I would be back in business in the U.S., or programs in Japanese schools? FOR OPTIONS FOR NON-NATIVE ENGLISH teaching at a junior college. Introducing English into the educational system is not a SPEAKING What is the philosophy behind your teaching? bad idea at all, as long as it is there to be used as a tool for There is a very strong Intensive English Program. Students The philosophy behind teaching is the love for teaching communication. That is all we can hope for from English. who enter the school with little or no English proficiency itself. Routine is extremely important. Guidance is also However, we must not delete from a public school system have specific homerooms for primary, elementary, and junior high levels. very important. Learning is a responsibility. Good teach- what is very precious about one’s own culture - its own ers will always convey that responsibility. And, you need language and customs and heritage. FOR THE HOME-LIKE ENVIRONMENT to teach the practicality of life in school. Originally located in a house where Shirley McClain’s What is your advice to parents? once lived, the school has maintained it’s cozy atmo- How important are teachers? When a child is born, the first thing you have to ask sphere. The teacher is the guiding instrument for every child in a yourself is who is going to set the routine here, the par- FOR THE CLOSE SCHOOL COMMUNITY classroom. Every teacher must have the love of learning ent or the child. If you want to have a successful child, RELATION in her/his heart as teaching philosophy. Teachers come and if you want an easy life for you and your child, dedi- Parent teacher conferences are scheduled formally in from different cultural background and with various cate yourself to his/her routine until that child is 12 years both campuses. Parents and teachers can schedule con- experience, and as long as the program is well set, trans- old (or may be even older). ferences anytime during the year. Activities such as pro- fer of learning should happen optimally. grams, carnivals, etc, are participated in by the majority What plans do you have for the future? of parents, students, teachers and staff. What are your schools’ strengths? We’re aiming to advance to the 12th grade. I’d like to FOR POST-GRADUATE PLACEMENT The school’s medium of instruction is English (except of increase our space in order for us to increase our pro- Student counseling services are available to help students course during Japanese classes). The non-native speakers gram. A bigger school. Ever since the school started in make decisions for their future, be it to continue educa- of English learn to speak the language effectively in a year 1976, there has been a goal. And there is a responsibility tion in Japan, or to continue onto high schools overseas or two. We do teach Kokugo for Japanese native speakers to meet that goal. So while I’m here, I’m going to try to and Japanese as a Second Language for foreign students. meet the goal and its responsibilities. Information: www.a-jis.com Reading, Math, Science (hands-on) programs are excel- See Ms. Regina Doi Rogers online interview at lent. Music and Sports are fantastic, and I am always www.accesseonline.com/sij/ proud of our continued growth in all curriculum areas. — INTERVIEWED BY JAMES MULLIGAN 2 | The Weekender April 2005 | Vol.02 No.07 | 3 this week at weekender VOL.02 | NO.07 | APRIL 2005 CONTENTS E ARE happy to announce the beginning of our special HANKS TO Laura Fumiko Keehn for an excellent feature Shane Weekender section. Shane English Schools are on casino gambling in Tokyo. It looks as though it’s only a FEATURES W T sponsoring our Japanese section by providing English-learn- matter of time before the first legal casinos start to open up in 06 Cover feature ing material for our Japanese readers. We also hope that this the city. Whether the big hitters from Las Vegas, Steve Wynn FANCY A FLUTTER? will provide additional material for our language-teacher and Sheldon Adelson, and Macau’s casino magnate Stanley After years of hedged bets, it looks like gambling is finally going to be legal in readers.