Friday 18 August 2017

Welcome to Chemistry Class

Dear parents and students.
I hope you had a great summer break.
This is Mr. Koc Secondary science (Chemistry) teacher. I will be teaching G9-12 IGCSE and IB Chemistry.

Starting from the beginning of this new academic year I will be teaching Redox processes  as the first unit of the year.

Students will start getting essential idea Redox (reduction–oxidation) reactions play a key role in many chemical and biochemical processes.
They will learn about;
·        Oxidation and reduction can be considered in terms of oxygen gain/hydrogen loss, electron transfer or change in oxidation number.
·        An oxidizing agent is reduced and a reducing agent is oxidized.
·        Variable oxidation numbers exist for transition metals and for most main-group non-metals.
·        The activity series ranks metals according to the ease with which they undergo oxidation.
·        Electrochemical cells
·        Voltaic cells convert energy from spontaneous, exothermic chemical processes to electrical energy.
·        Oxidation occurs at the anode (negative electrode) and reduction occurs at the cathode (positive electrode) in a voltaic cell.
·        Electrolytic cells convert electrical energy to chemical energy, by bringing about non-spontaneous processes.
·        Oxidation occurs at the anode (positive electrode) and reduction occurs at the cathode (negative electrode) in an electrolytic cell.



I wish you and our students to have a wonderful, fruitful and enjoyable new academic year with full of education. 

Thursday 17 August 2017

Welcome back to English!

Dear Grade 12 parents and students,

Welcome back to English! I am very excited to continue teaching at HJIS and look forward to another great year with you all!

If you do not know me, this is my second year teaching at HJIS. I have previously taught in Kuwait and Spain before coming to Japan. I come from a large family of three brothers including a twin brother who is also an international teacher. In my teaching, I look towards developing a great sense of internationalism within my students, and I hope to continue to do this with your sons and daughters.

This year, we will continue the second half of the IB English Language and Literature course that we began last year. This semester, we will be focusing on Parts 2 (Language and Mass Communication) and 3 (Literature: Texts and Contexts) of the course.

We will begin with Part 2: Language and Mass Communication. The units we will be studying include:

Unit #1: Textual Bias
Unit #2: Advertising and Marketing
Unit #3:  Digital Media
Unit #4 (HL only): Language and the State

If you have any further questions about this course, please feel free to email me at chepburn@horizon.ac.jp

Thanks for your time and enjoy the last few days of summer!

Regards,

Mr. Chris

Welcome to Japanese B class.

Hi,  I am happy with JapaneseB SL  teacher of G12 class this year, too.
First term, we forcus on global issues.
Our learning style like same as last year. But we need to more discuss to colleague  in this year.
So I want to students to think about a topic and develop their opions about it. By means of discussions. I:d like them to listen to different views and express their own openly and clearly.

Thank you

September Math Newsletter

Dear Grade 12 IB HL students and parents,

I hope you had a very nice Summer break and students are ready for a long difficult year.

My name is Mr Bill and I will be Grade 12 Math IB HL teacher this year. I have been teaching Math for 17 years and last 6 years I have been in HJIS community. I am very happy to be here and I am planning to work here as much as I can. I am married with 3 children and live around the school. In the first week of every month, I will try to write in the blogs and give you information about what we are doing in the class.







 In Grade 12, we split  the class into two main classes; IB HL  and IB SL Math Studies. I teach IB Math HL and Mr Tepe teaches IB SL Math Studies

 






HL Topics

1. Sequences , Series and Binomials

1. Arithmetic and Geometric sequences
2. Series
3. Sum of finite series and infinite geometric series
3. Sigma notation
4. Mathematical Induction
5. Counting Principal
6. Factorial
7. Permutation and Combination

8. The Binomial Theorem
9. Expansion
10. Calculation of binomial coefficients using Pascal’s triangle and C(n,r)







2. Functions and graphs

1. Concept of function and function notations
2. Domain, range; image
3. Special functions
l  Even-Odd Function
l  Absolute Value functions
l  Piecewise function
l  Radical Functions
l  Rational functions and asymptotes
4. Classification Of functions
l  Many-to-one Functions
l  One-to-One Functions
l  Even-Odd Functions
5. Composite functions
6. Identity Function, inverse function f-1
7. Transformation of functions







3. Complex Numbers, Quadratics and Polynomials

1. Roots of Quadratic Equation
2. Sum and Product of roots
3. Modulus of Complex Numbers
4. Operation of Complex Numbers
5. Powers and roots of Complex numbers
6. Polynomial Functions
7. Horner’s Way
8. Zero of Polynomial functions
9. Sum and Product of roots
10. Polynomial Equations and Inequalities
11. System of Equations







4. Derivative and its applications

1. Limit notation
2. Continuity and Discontinuity
3. Limit rules
4. Rate of change and Derivatives
5. Tangent and normal lines and their equations
6. Basic rules of derivative
7. Chain rule
8. Higher derivative
8. Application of first and second derivative
9. Kinematics
10. Optimization
11. Derivatives of Implicit Functions





5. Logarithm and Exponential Functions

1. Basic exponential and logarithmic rules
2. Laws of exponents
3. Laws of logarithm
4. Changing the base of a logarithm
5. Derivatives of Exponential and Logarithmic  F.
6. Arc, Area, Sector, Radians









6. Statistics and Probability

1. Concepts of population, sample, random sample, discrete and continuous data, frequency table and histogram.
2. Grouped  data and modal class
3. Concepts of mean, median and mode
4. Cumulative frequency
5. Variance and Standard Deviation
6. Concepts of probability words; trial, outcome, event and sample space
7. Complementary event and using Venn diagram
8. Experimental Probability
8. Conditional and independent events
9. Bayes’ Theorem







7. Integral

1. Indefinite integral as anti-derivative
2. Basic rules of integral
3. integration by inspection
4. Anti-derivative with a boundary condition
5. Definite integrals analytically and using technology
6. Areas and volumes







8. Trigonometry

1. Right-angled triangle Trigonometry
2. Trigonometric functions and Unit Circle
3. Trigonometric Ratios
4. Identities for trigonometric functions
5. Compound Angle Identities
6. Double angle identities
7. Composition of functions, graphs and transformation of graphs.
8. Inverse of Trigonometric Functions
9. Trigonometric equations
10. Sine and Cosine theorem
11. Area of a triangle





9. The Power of Calculus

1. Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
2. Derivatives of Inverse Trigonometric Func
3. Rate of change of Trigonometric Functions
4. Integral of Trigonometric Functions
5. Integral by Substitution
6. Integration by parts (LAPTE)
7. Trigonometric Substitution
8. Application with Trigonometric Functions
9. Areas and volumes with Trigonometric Functions






10. Distributions

1. Discrete random variables and distributions
2. Binomial distributions
3. Poisson distributions
4. Continuous random distributions
5. Normal distributions
6. Modeling and problem solving







11. Vectors

1. Displacement vectors in two and three dimensions
2. Sum and difference of two vectors
3. Magnitude of a vector
4. Unit and base vectors
5. Position vectors
6. Scalar vector(dot product) of two vectors
7. Angle between two  vectors
8. Vector equations
9. Vector Product
10. Vectors and equations of planes
11. Angle between a line and a plane
12. Intersection of planes






12. Complex and Polar Form

1. Complex number as a vector
2. Complex plane and polar form
3. Modulus and argument of a complex number
4. Operation with Modulus-Argument form
5. Powers and roots of CN, De Moivre’s Thm



13. ONE OF THE OPTION TOPICS

  •  CALCULUS
  •  SETS THEORY
  •  STATISTIC  AND PROBABILITY
  •  DISCRETE MATHEMATICS


Now, I want to explain some important issues and procedures in my classroom.

1. IB Test:

IB is a-two-years-program. This year May, they will take the IB test. Since our students has covered most of the topics, they can have a good stating this year.We have a good atmosphere here and they like to help each other which is very good for IB. 


2. Jupiter:

Our school use the Jupiter grading system as you know. I will post my Homework, grading and behavior situation on Jupiter. I may write emails via Jupiter as well.

 3. Grading scale and Homework: 

In my Math class, my grading scale is given below:

Unit Test             :  35%
Term Test            :  30%
Homework           :  20%
Quiz-Project        :  15%

After I finish one of the major subject, I will give a unit test about the topic. It will not only measure them how much they could learn the topic but also it will be a good review about the topic.

After term, we have only one term test. It is gonna be taken in one of the last weeks of each term. In this test, I will ask questions about all subject that they cover within that term. Only the last term has a different situation. In that test, I will ask question from all over the year's topics. So they should remember all of the subjects.

Homework is one the most important issues that help student understand and solve questions easily. They have HW almost after every math class. In addition, I will give them some big projects that will be done with a group or individually .

  
4. Notebook: 

Notebook is very important for Secondary Math Classes. It is important that they keep the notes very neatly to have review later. To organize and write whole year's topics, they need a big A4 size square grid notebook. I definitely don't want them to use a small notebook and then they change their notebooks very frequently. 

They can buy a notebook themsleves from a stationary or internet. Otherwise our school buy ASKUL notebooks as you see in the picture. It is 400 yen and students can but it any time from me.





       5. Calculator:

       Graphic Design Calculator (GDC) is a compulsory item in IB math.It is strongly recommended that they should buy TI-84 Plus C model. There are many different prices on internet. I kindly advice you to use following web site to search and buy:

     www.amazon.com
           www.amazon.co.jp
           www.ebay.com


      5. Textbook:  In the classroom, we will follow Oxford Publishing Math IB HL Textbook and I will print out the pages and hand out the students. So they can study the topics at home in advance. But I think students may need another resource to make practice and study subjects.

For SL students, I can provide the materials and textbook for the Oxford book which is on the left. Then Students should buy the Cambridge one to study individually which is on the right.


For HL students, I will provide Oxford , I strongly recommend you buy The Cambridge one.






You can check and buy the books in the following links:

Oxford

Cambridge




Important Note: 

You can find and download  the solutions of the Oxford books' exercises in the following web sites:


www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/ibmathhl





        I hope  we will have a satisfied and fulfilled year together with your kids. I know their passion on learning new areas. I am looking forward to teaching your children In IB curriculum.

     If you have any questions, please feel free to contact to me.

     Thank you very much.

  Have a nice day.




Welcome to JAL class!

Hello! Welcome back to Horizon 2017-2018! Shizuka sensei  is here, and I am so excited to have you this year. You know my face already, but I introduce myself here a bit. My name is Shizuka Miller, I am from Nagoya, Japan. I have been teaching more than 20 years in Nagoya, Tokushima, Hawaii, Tokyo and Kanagawa. I like traveling, watching movies, reading books, and hiking. When I was a student, I was in a drama club (high school and university), playing some instruments (piano, saxophone, koto and so on), and I miss playing tennis!

During the summer I went to Tottori and Shimane prefecture, and I finally finished visiting all the 47 Japan prefectures!! I also went to Bangkok, Thailand and had a great time.  I read 5 books this summer, I will share them in class. How was your summer? Please be ready to explain your summer in Japanese!

 I talked with Emi sensei about your Japanese skills and this year we will focus on writing and Humble expressions and Honorific expressions. We will talk about details next week.

Please bring one notebook and your computer!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at smiller@horizon.ac.jp
Talk to you soon,

Shizuka Miller

Wednesday 16 August 2017

Welcome to IBDP Japanese A class

Dear G12 Parents

I hope you have a great summer break with your child.
The new academic year is just around the corner.
I am really excited for the new year.

I am Higa, teaching G12 IBDP Japanese A class in this year. I am glad to keep working with this class mates.
It is absolutely going to be great and challenging year for new G12 students with fun events, fun learning, fun? examination.

In JNL class, we will study Part2 "Language and mass communication" in autumn term, review Part3&4 in winter term, review Part1&2 in spring term.
I am planning to weekly organize Kanji quiz same as last year.
At first class, I will instruct what they do and need to bring for this class.
(Just in case, please kindly remind your child to bring PC for JNL class.)

I am looking forward to working/cooperating with you through this year.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

Mr. Higa
Secondary Japanese Teacher

Welcome to Art Class!

Hi there!  My name is Ms. Mutrux and I'll be your art teacher this year.  I'm really excited to be teaching at Horizon and especially to be living in Japan.  In my class, we'll be creating some cool projects, learning new skills, expressing ourselves, and talking about art.  I can't wait to meet all of you!