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Institute for Global Network Innovation in Technology Education

Toyohashi University of Technology,
Institute for Global Network Innovation inTechnology Education

News from QC（Vol. 20 2016/1/18）

Reports

Memories of New York Life
Yuko Ichikawa, National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College
We have already finished the training
program in Queens College. In New York I
spent priceless time; I met many people,
experienced various things and strengthenedbonds between the colleagues. These six
months was a dreamy time for me. Fromamong what I experienced, I’m going to writein this report about the wrap up presentation,

Wrap up Presentationstudying with students and playing the piano.

presentation in the real stage and I was satisfied
about it. I became to have a confidence to speak(1)Wrap up Presentation

in English in front of people. I felt that I got

In our training program we attended thecloser to our goal that is teaching in English.

course named “Teaching in English”. In thiscourse under the theme of “Teaching in English”(2) Studying with students

we discussed about how we embrace theMy credit course was “Linear Algebra II”,

diversity of cultures and how we use thewhich was taught by Prof. Kenneth Kramer.

educational technology, and we listened to theHe taught the classes with precise writing on

speech from the Japanese professors who areblackboard and proper talking without ateaching in Queens College. And we had a 15textbook. It was a shame that only lessminute presentation with a free theme as a final

than ten students took this wonderful

assignment of the course. We already had had acourse. I got warm welcome from them and15munite presentation at the end of the training

we gradually became to talk frankly. One dayin TUT. At that time I felt fear for talking in

he asked me “Yuko, do you know the JapaneseEnglish in front of people but this time I didn’t

mathematician Hironaka?” Why don’t I know?

feel fear and prepared for it. We practiced theHe told me that he learned calculus frompresentation in the TIE class just before the real

Heisuke Hironaka, one of the most famousstage. We borrowed a classroom and also

mathematicians not only in Japan but also allpracticed it voluntary outside of the class. Prof.

over the world.

Jennifer Valad took care of us and advised how

During the semester we had two midterm

we could improve it. The title of mypresentation was “Mathematics in Music.”

exams, one report and the final exam. One ofI

the classmates asked me “Hey Yuko, we arestarted talking about the relation between sine

going to study together for the exam. Do you

curves and sound, just intonation and equal
temperament,

whysoundchordswant to join us?” I said yes because it must be asoundgood chance for English conversation. We

beautifully, and I introduced that these are thestudied together several times: in the classroom

bridge to the Fourier analysis. My efforts paid

during weekends, in a common room of theoff then and thanks to Jennifer, I had my best6

math department, and in the library. I mainly

lesson. Those were very good occasion fortaught them because I’m a math teacher. “Yuko,

English communication.

check my proof,” “I can’t understand this proof”

After I went to New York I had manyand so on. They tried hard to understand mychances to introduce myself and always said,poor English and said “Okay, I understood what

“Playing the piano is my favorite activity.” One

you want to say.” I still can’t speak English

day Jane emailed Prof. Eva Fernandez and me:

fluently but anyway I could convey what I“Yuko, Please let me know if you would like towanted to say.

extend your concert to others… Eva would likeBy the way Prof. Kramer invited me to ato hear you play and so would I…” I have notparty for the math department. At the party

had own recital except for the concerts in which

many people gathered in the common room andI played as one of many participants. I’m not a

enjoy eating China food and talking. I had a lot

professional and it was sheer arrogance to thinkof fun. Some students who studied with methat I should have my own recital. But

were there. At the end of it when the chair

Konstanza said, “It is your decision.” So I madeprofessor of the math department addressed,

up my mind to have it. I decided pieces to play

one of the student said to me “Yuko, you shouldand started preparing for it. The fact that I

make a presentation to him, then you can get ajob and stay here.” I was very happy to hearthat and thought if I were 20 year younger, I
would do that.
(3) Piano
Another thing I worked on other thanEnglish is playing the piano. Queens College
has a music school: Aarons Copland School ofMusic. Since I would like to take piano lessons

Recitalfrom one of the professors at that school, I
asked Prof. Steven about it. He introduced me

Yuko Ichikawa

to Prof. Jane Cho, who is the dean of the music

Friday, December 11, 2015 6:00 pm
Aaron Copland School of Music
Queens College, CUNYschool. She arranged things so that I could take

Recital Halla lesson from Prof. Konstanza Chernov.

Piano Sonata No.21 in C major, op.53
III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo

In the Summit apartment where we lived

Kinderszenen, op. 15
VII. Träumerei

there are two music rooms with grand pianos.

R. Schumann

Ballade No.1 in G minor, op.23

Students who live in Summit may use themL. v. Beethoven

F. Chopin*****

freely. In the music building there are many

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.21 in C major, op. 53 (Third Movement)
One of Beethoven's great middle‐period works, this sonata is one of his most famous. It was dedicatedto Count Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel von Waldstein and has thus acquired the nickname "Waldstein" as aterm of endearment. At 543 measures, the 3rd movement is the longest in all of the Beethoven'ssonatas. This C major work is powerful, clear and bright.

small practice rooms with an upright piano andseveral studios with a grand piano. I negotiatedSchumann: Kinderszenen, op. 15 (VII: Träumerei)
Träumerei is the seventh piece of Kinderszenen's 13 pieces and the most famous of them. Träumerei
means "dream." It is small, but very lovely.

to use them and got a key to those rooms.

Chopin: Ballade No.1 in G minor, op. 23
The Ballade No.1 is the masterpiece of Chopin's early period. Composed in his Paris era, it is nostalgic forhis hometown in Poland. Of Chopin's four Ballades, each of them very poetic and dramatic, the Ballade
No.1 is the most popular of them.

In the piano lessons Prof. Konstanza
described how to play in many ways and*****

always asked me, “Do you understand what I

Yuko Ichikawa is a mathmatics professor at the National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College, inJapan. She took piano lessons between the ages of 4 and 17, but stopped playing when she enrolled acollege. About ten years ago, she started playing again, and is currently taking lessons with Professor
Konstantza Chernov of Queens College.

mean?” So I never confused at any time in her7

could play even late at night made me able tocoming! It is definitely the most precious

practice much longer.

memory during my New York Life.

The location and date were decided at thebeginning of December. I emailed and invited

One of the teachers who attended this

all the people who I knew in New York. At thetraining course last year said to us “You should

recital about 30 people gathered and enjoyedread ‘Banana Fish 5 ” before you go to New

my piano. After my performance, Prof.

York.” So I dared to bring 12 comic books inKobayashi played her accordion and people

the carry-on baggage. During six months, wealso enjoyed it as well. To tell the truth, I was

lived in the scene of this story. I can imagine

not satisfied with my performance so muchthe scene; “The local train of F line to Coney

because I had made some mistakes and I was

Island stops running from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m…”
Thank you very much.

not at my best. But I really enjoyed playing. It
might be the only chance to have my own

Akimi Yoshida, 1985-1994, Shogakkan.
The hard-boiled story in New York City.

5recital. I really appreciate everybody’s help.
Thank you for your help! Thank you for

Wrap-up our roundabout walking in New YorkTomoyoshi Akiba, Toyohashi University of Technology
podcasts 6 , as is usual with my walking.
However, at that time, I suddenly changed mymind, stopped playing it, and started to think
about the thesis for this article. "What have wedone in New York?"
We first came to Queens College on June
28th, and started to join the English learning
Today's walking route.

courses given by English Language Institute(ELI).

Since

themorning

following

We attended two sessions a day,theMonday to Thursday a week. On Friday, wethanksgiving day was fine, I decided to walk toalso attended the special lectures on various

Manhattan again. Indeed, I had already had aresearch topics provided just for us by thewalk from Queens Collage to Manhattan threefaculties. We built relationships with our ELItimes, so it was my fourth trial. In this time, I

teachers, classmates, QC faculties, and students

planned to take a roundabout way to walk

who came to be known at the campus. Throughalong with the J/Z line, which goes fromthese classes and daily lives, we were exposed

southern part of Queens through the center ofto English every day and, I suppose, improved

Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan. At the beginning,

our skills day by day.

I started to listen to one of my favorite68

http://allearsenglish.com

Though I had had a lot of roast turkey at theAfter walking to south from Queens College

thanksgiving party at Jenn's home yesterday, I

to Kew Gardens for nearly an hour, I turned tofound I was starving when I was almost by thewest toward Manhattan. From here, the route

Manhattan Bridge, which I had to go throughwas along with the J/Z line of New York metro,

to step into Manhattan. So, I decided to have

which goes not underground but on an elevated

my late lunch at a restaurant7 that is famous

railway on the way at Queens and Brooklyn.

for serving its original cheesecake. I ordered

The shopping street is also running below it,

the famous steak burger and a glass of craft

which is one of my favorite scenes in New York.

beer8, both of which were my favorite I have

I enjoyed seeing a variety of shops and kept

found during my stay in New York. From there,walking.

I found that the street was illuminated withChristmas decorations. But, I knew that I would
not be here in New York on Dec. 25th...

Our turning point was at the end of the ELIclasses, the middle of August. After finishing
the final exam of the summer semester, we felt

November, then December came. We

a sense of fulfillment of completing our first

noticed that we had almost run out of our time

mission at Queens College. We enjoyed a shortin Queens College and started to feel

holiday and started to prepare our forthcoming

impatience with the end of our staying. We alsochallenges.

began to sum up our achievements to present
them at our final wrap up presentation on Dec
18th.

The road came into a residential area whereI saw many old-fashioned apartments built ofbricks, then into a beautiful shopping street

After finishing my lunch, I started to walkcrowed with a lot of people. So, I noticed that I

again and reached to the Manhattan Bridge. I

was already in Brooklyn, which meant I had

was thinking that my trip would be completedpassed the halfway.

when I got to the other end of the bridge. At themiddle of it, I saw the great Brooklyn Bridge

From the August 27th, our second mission

standing between the Long Island and thewas started. It was to attend the regular courses

Manhattan. Behind it, I saw also the Statue ofin fall semester given by Queens College from

Liberty standing in the far distance and theMonday to Thursday. We also started to attend

western sky glowing with the setting sun. I was

special English courses given just for us, GFD

standing there and looking at them for amembers, on every Friday. Through theseminutes, then, slowly walked towards the very

classes, we learned the English skills focusedend.

on teaching. Furthermore, some of us attended
the evening courses of ELI in order to improve
ourEnglish

further,whilesomejoined

extracurricular activities in Queens College tomake further connection with English speakers.
Each of us tried to grope our own training plan
to increase the effect of our study.

789

https://www.juniorscheesecake.com
http://brooklynbrewery.com

The Brooklyn Bridge at sunset. Can you findthe Statue of Liberty standing far behind it?

Toyohashi University of Technology
Institute for Global Network Innovation in Technology Education
Center for International Education
1-1, Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
Tel: +81-532-81-5161
Mail: unireform@office.tut.ac.jp

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