Yo Azama
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Curriculum Vitae (Short Form) 

EMPLOYMENT             
2018 - Present  Lead Instructional Coach/ World Language Curriculum Specialist in Salinas Union High School District
​
2015 - Present  World Language Method Instructor, California State University, Monterey Bay


2000 - 2018       Japanese Teacher, North Salinas High School, Salinas, California Courses Taught: Japanese level 1, 2, 3, and AP.

1999 - 2000      Teacher, Gavilan View Middle School, Salinas California
                          Responsibilities included two Japanese level 1 classes, two Japanese Level II classes, 8th grade English Literature class and a Cultural Exploratory class.

1996 - 1999       Japanese Teacher, Clarendon Elementary School, San Francisco, California
                           Provided Japanese language instruction to kindergarten through 5th grade.

EDUCATION 
2013 - 2015       Master of Arts in Education, California State University, Monterey Bay

2001 - 2002       Single Subject Credential Program, California State University, Monterey Bay            

1998 - 1999       Multiple Subject Teaching Credential Program, New College of California

1988 - 1991       Bachelor of Arts in Music, Showa Academia Musicae, Kanagawa Japan

PUBLICATIONS
  • Compass Japanese Interactive Workbook, June 2022
  • Leveraging Diversity and Inclusivity in Japanese Teacher Community in An American High School District, Japanese Language and Literature, 2020
  • AP Japanese Language and Culture Curriculum Module: Science and Technology, the College Board, 2012
  • Featured Interview: The Language Educator, Feb. 2012
  • Featured Interview: 「世界を読む力を養う」日本語教育ジャーナル Japanese Language Journal, Summer 2012
  • AP Japanese Language and Culture; Instructional Strategies to Increase Interpersonal Communication Competency, the College Board, 2008
  • Pre-AP Strategies for Japanese Language and Culture, the College Board, 2006
  • Featured in the video library series “Teaching Foreign Language” produced by WGBH Boston Public Broadcasting Service, 2002

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Leadership Experience
  • President of Foreign Language Association of Monterey County
  • World Language Steering Committee Member, Salinas Union High School District, 2009-present
  • Master Teacher in the Teacher Education Program at California State University, Monterey Bay, 2005-present
  • Co-Department Chair for Foreign Language at North Salinas High School, 2005-2008
  • BTSA Support Provider, 2006-2008, and 2012
  • Evaluation Chair for California Language Teachers Association Conference in Monterey, 2004
  • Team Leader of Monterey Bay World Language Project since 2001-present

Professional Service
  • College Board Advisor for the AP Japanese Development Committee 2011-present
  • Initiative for Model Professional Activities and Capacity-building for Teachers of Foreign Languages (IMPACTFL) 2010
  • AP Japanese Consultant, 2006-present
  • Consulting Committee Member for the Japan Foundation Grant Program 2007, 2008, and 2009
  • Served as IMAP (Instructional Material Advisory Panel) member as a panel in Sacramento, California, 2003

COMMUNITY BASED ACTIVITIES ·      
  • Organized Annual Japan Art Exhibition, April 2016
  • Organized Annual District-wide Karaoke Contest, November, 2013
  • Organized Bi-Annual Japan Trip since 2004-present
  • Organized Annual Monterey County High School Japanese Speech Contest since 2006. His student won the first place in the county and placed the second in the national level
  • Chaperoned for Kushikino-Salinas Sister City Trip to Japan, 2005
  • Organized school wide annual Japanese Cooking Show Contest since 2004
  • Organized Annual Nengajo Contest (New Year Greeting Card) Invited judges from the local Japanese community, 2005-present
  • Organized the Year of Languages Event involving K-16 schools in the community.  More than 300 students and community members participated.  Salinas, CA  2005

AWARDS
  • Elgin Heinz Teacher Award, 2015
  • Robert J. Ludwig Distinguished Leadership Award, October, 2014
  • Outstanding Teacher of America Award by Carlston Family Foundation, November, 2013
  • PacTin Grant Recipient, 2012
  • Congressional Record 112th Congress presented by Congressman Sam Farr, California State University, Monterey Bay, March, 2012
  • Outstanding World Language Teacher of the Year by International Language and Culture Foundation, Monterey, CA 2011
  • 2012 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year. Denver, Colorado, 2011
  • Teacher of the Year at Southwest Conference of Language Teachers. Fort Worth, Texas, 2011
  • Outstanding Teacher Award at California Language Teachers Association Conference. San Diego, 2010
  • The Teacher of the Year by JACL (Japanese American Citizens League), 2005
  • The Educator of the Year by the California League of High Schools, 2004
  • Ericia Harden Memorial Teaching Excellence Award, 2003

PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOPS/ KEYNOTE SPEECH    (Conducted over 200 presentations, workshops, and institutes at national, state and regional level. Has been conducting Technology workshops at CSUMB since 2000 to present.)
  • TRANSFORMING TO CONTENT-DRIVEN CURRICULUM TO INCREASE STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE Presentation at ACTFL in New Orleans, LA 2018
  • What Do I Do Now? Reflecting on Assessment Results Pre-Conference Workshop at ACTFL Conference in New Orleans, LA 2018
  • Keynote Speech at The 4th National Symposium on Japanese Language Education in Sydney, Australia 2018
  • Experience High-Leverage Teaching Practices that Promote Social Actions at ACTFL in Nashville, TN 2017
  • Creating Formative and Summative Assessments to Guide Language Learning at ACTFL in Nashville, TN 2017
  • Impact on the Global Citizen: Language Learning Through Social Justice​ at ACTFL in Boston, 2016
  • Inspire and Engage Learners Through IPA from Beginning to Advanced​ at ACTFL in San Diego, CA 2015
  • Cognitive Style Approaches to Maximizing Learning Experiences: one-day workshop at Cornell University, NY 2014
  • Backward Unit Design: 4 day workshop at University of Victoria, BC Canada 2014
  • Brain-based Instructional Approaches at ACTFL Conference in Orlando, FL 2014
  • Pacific AP Summer Institute at CSU Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA
  • Keynote Speech: Preparing Our Students for the 21st Century at Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey CA 2013
  • College Board Online Workshop: AP Japanese: Science and Technology March, 2013
  • Keynote Speech: Preparing Our Students for the 21st Century at Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers Conference, CO 2012
  • Keynote Speech: Preparing Our Students for the 21st Century at FLAVA Conference in Williamsburg, VA 2012
  • What is the Essential Question?: Workshop at FLCSD Conference in San Diego, CA 2012
  • What is the Essential Question?: Workshop at COFLT-WAFLT Conference in Vancouver, WA 2012
  • Student Strand Summer Seminar at CLTA-CFLP Summer Seminar at UC Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA 2012
  • AP Summer Institute at CSU Monterey in Seaside, CA 2012
  • Keynote Speech: Preparing Our Students for the 21st Century at Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, CA 2012
  • Systematic Assessment and Articulated Standards-Aligned Curriculum using Backward Design at ACTFL Conference in Denver, CO 2011
  • Effective Use of Authentic Materials in Beginning to Advanced Classes at ACTFL Conference in Boston, MA 2010
  • Differentiated Instruction for Japanese Language Classroom: Workshop at the 19th NECTJ (North East Council of Teachers of Japanese) Conference, New York, NY 2010
  • Strategies for Teaching Japanese Culture through Language: Beginning to Advanced Level at El Camino College in Torrance, CA 2010
  • Maximizing Students’ Language Proficiency though Standards-Based Unit Plan at ACTFL Conference in San Diego, CA 2009
  • Differentiated Instruction: Presentation at CLTA (California Language Teachers Association) in Sacramento, CA 2009
  • Proficiency Based Instruction: Keynote and Workshop at TJSC (Teacher of Japanese in Southern California), 2008
  • Differentiated Instruction: Presentation at ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) in Orlando, FL, 2008
  • AP Summer Institute at Silver State, Las Vegas, NV 2008
  • AP Summer Institute at Pacific Northwest AP Institute at Bellevue, WA 2006 and 2007
  • Strategies for Teaching Culture though Language: Beginning to AP Level.  ACTFL Conference in San Antonio, TX, 2007
  • Reevaluating Teaching Culture: Standard-based Instruction at ACTFL conference in Nashville, Tennessee. 2006
  • Elements of Effective Teaching: Preparing Beginning Teachers at ACTFL Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. 2005
  • Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness: Outcome Based Curriculum Development at ACTFL Conference in Chicago, Illinois, 2003
  • Motivational Curriculum and Syllabus Design presented at CLTA (California Language Teachers Association) in Sacramento, California, 2003
  • Framework/Standards-based Japanese Language Instruction at University of California, Santa Barbara, 2003
  • Effective Implementations of Technology in Thematic Units, presented with Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott at ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) in Salt Lake City, Utah, 2002
  • Effective Classroom Management: What Every Language Teacher Needs to know, presented with Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott at ACTFL conference in Washington DC, 2001

MEMBERSHIPS IN LEARNED SOCIETIES
  • California Language Teachers’ Association (CLTA)
  • Association Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL)
  • American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ)
  • Foreign Language Association of Monterey County (FLAMCO)
  • California Japanese Language Teachers Association (CAJLT)
  • Salinas Ichiki-Kushikino Sister City Association
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