At JALT’s National Conference, to be held as a mainly F2F event mid November in Fukuoka, our LLL-SIG will hold a forum on the “Late-career Lifelong Learning.”
FORUM THEME: Gearing up for change–Late-career LLL Insights and inspiration
Place: Fukuoka International Congress Center
Date & Time: Sunday, November 13th, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM (90 minutes)
Room: 407
With the aging JALT demographic, more and more of us have been on the path toward imminent retirement or have actually passed that threshold. This forum will feature individuals who have made that transition and will speak about…
- ways of preparing for it (practical and psychological).
- the immediate transition (re-adjustment and social considerations)
And…
- LLL into “retirement” years.
Audience members will be invited to contribute their experiences and pearls of wisdom derived from them.
Questions for Discussion
- What was a challenge preparing for retirement?
- What are some positive or negative aspects of being retired?
- What advice do you have for teachers preparing for retirement?
- How are you keeping busy/active in retirement?
- How does Lifelong Learning fit into your retirement lifestyle?
Moderators: Andrew Reimann & Joseph Dias
Live Speakers:
Greg Strong
Retired Professor at Aoyama Gakuin University
Greg will be discussing his choice of returning to his home country after a long career of teaching in China and Japan… what is lost and what is gained in deciding to return home (in his case to British Columbia). From language program administration to snowshoeing, writing plays, and caring for family members.
Barbara Morrison
Retired Professor at Utsunomiya University
Barbara will discuss her career path and how retirement is just one step on that path. She is trained in Zen Buddhism and has recently written a book on Mindfulness titled Natures Narratives. She currently gives seminars on mindfulness and divides her time between Takao and Thailand.
Prerecorded Speakers:
Nena Nikolic-Hosonaka
Kanda University of International Studies & Mama Nena’s English School
Nena will speak about the connections she sees between the young learners she teaches at her language school, Mama Nena’s, and the undergraduate and graduate adult learners she has been teaching at the Kanda University of International Studies, among other universities. Her lifelong learning of languages (currently Chinese), classical guitar, and her newest passion—surfing, demonstrate what the new 70s is all about.
Barry Natusch
Retired Professor at Nihon University, College of Economics
Barry describes the transition into retirement with insights, experiences, and anecdotes. He urges those preparing for retirement to remember that you’re only as good as your last pizza and that we should prepare and plan for different eventualities. His main advice is that community, activity, and identity are key to establishing a post-career lifestyle and easing into a fulfilling retirement.
Diane Nagatomo
Retired Professor at Ochanomizu University
Diane is a long term active JALT member. She will talk about differences in life pre and post retirement, highlighting family, work, finance, and free time. Her first novel, The Butterfly Café, will be published in July 2023!
