Ms. Julie Cain (K-12 category)
Ms. Tomoko Graham (K-12 category)
Please join us congratulating this year’s AATJ Teacher Award recipients, Ms. Julie Cain of George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, IA, and Ms. Tomoko Graham of Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, MA. The AATJ Teacher Awards recognize outstanding teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, advocacy, and leadership in Japanese education both locally and nationally. AATJ presented the awards to the winners at the AATJ Awards Luncheon during the ACTFL Annual Convention held in Nashville on Saturday, November 18, 2017.
Julie Cain, George Washington High School, Cedar Rapids, IA
Ms. Cain has been teaching all levels of Japanese language, including AP Japanese, at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She excels in teaching through specialized instruction and exchange programs with a sister school in Okinawa, but also by building trust and relationships with her students. She sees herself as “more a teacher of kids than a teacher of Japanese”. Ms. Cain has also contributed to her entire school and school district as a Department Chair of World Languages and Instructional Design Strategist to coach other teachers. Moreover, she has contributed to our field as a College Board AP Japanese committee member and as an editorial board member for ACTFL’s Foreign Language Annals journal.
Ms. Tomoko Graham, Noble & Greenough School, Dedham, MA
Ms. Graham has been teaching all levels of Japanese language for over 30 years, both at universities and high schools. She loves her job, saying, “Day-to-Day classroom teaching is the heart of my profession”. She has contributed to Japanese language education beyond her school in the New England region, by organizing Northeast Council of Teachers of Japanese (NECTJ) annual conferences, study groups, and also the Annual Japan Day at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She has also contributed to our field as a College Board AP Japanese workshop instructor, consultant, and committee member. Ms. Graham impresses everyone with her tireless efforts and her dedication as a great mentor and inspiration for many professionals.
