Thank you to all the applicants for the showing interest in Komatsu Summer School!
We are thrilled to receive overwhelming responses from university students all different countries. For those who missed out on this year’s opportunity, there is still a chance next year! So please make sure to check back here again.
In the meantime, if you have any concerns or enquiries, feel free to contact us via email or social media.
Application Period: 2/14 – 2/28
Interview Period: 3/8 – 3/22
Notification of Results: 3/26
Camp Dates: 8/2 – 8/9
Japanese & English.
All seminars are taught in English.
Other programming is in Japanese.
Translation and support will provided to an extent.
Able to participate in KSS2021 from August 2 – August 8 (JST)
Enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate institution
English level: native or near fluency
Japanese level: intermediate or above
Able to commit 4-6 hours per week to work together with a house leader partner
Familiar with liberal arts education and its mission
Willing to participate in programming held ONLY in Japanese
Create a seminar topic that is related to liberal arts education
Experience in educational settings
Komatsu Summer School (KSS) is an annual bilingual educational camp, composing of approximately sixty Japanese high school students coming from all over Japan. Since 2014, over 200 high school students have graduated from KSS. The camp is located in Komatsu City in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is a thirty-minute train ride southwest of Kanazawa.
During KSS, high school students attend seminars co-designed and co-taught in English by international and Japanese university students, known as Seminar Leaders and House Leaders here at KSS. For one week, high school students are exposed to the rich traditions and culture of Komatsu as well as knowledge of professionals from various fields of expertise. As students begin to look towards their future after high school, KSS hopes to provide them the opportunity to break out of their comfort zone, discover new interests, and connect with diverse individuals.
Seminar Leaders serve as an invaluable part of the journey at KSS. They serve both as a teacher as well as a mentor to high school students inside and outside of classes. Join us as we make lasting friendships, gain valuable teaching experience, powerfully impact the students’ lives, and explore a unique side of Japan this summer!
Mission: To expose Japanese students to a variety of opportunities and to expand their horizons
KSS was created by Princeton in Ishikawa (PII) host families in Komatsu to bridge PII students with Komatsu City and the larger Ishikawa community. Today, it has become a program that connects students from all over Japan and the world.
At KSS, our aim is to help high schoolers discover and realize the diversity that lies beyond what they have experienced up until that point. Whether that means interacting with the other students and staff, being exposed to a liberal arts style education through the seminars, learning from speakers at the forums, or participating in other activities, KSS is here to support the students in their growth and development as young adults.
As a Seminar Leader (SL), you serve two roles: a teacher and a mentor. You will design and teach a seminar in English over four days to two groups of students, each session lasting 90 minutes each day. SLs will also actively engage with a “house” consisting of five students outside of class. This house will form the bulk of your student interactions outside of the seminars. Not only will you eat breakfast and dinner together, you will also participate in social and cultural activities. However, you are also encouraged to interact with high schoolers outside of your house and seminar as well.
Look back and think of a class you took and loved during college. Pick a few specific topics from that class, then collaborate with a Japanese college student to customize and focus them towards Japanese high school students. Now, take the place of your professor and teach it together. Of course, your inspiration can come from anything else that you are interested in or passionate about as well. As long as you are confident you can develop a concrete seminar around your topic, anything is fair game. In previous years, SLs have designed courses from a wide array of topics. The possibilities are endless.
KSS gives you the chance to teach something you are passionate about, be exposed to the Japanese language and culture, and connect with Japanese society on an even deeper level. You have the opportunity interact with high school and college students from various backgrounds and participate in fulfilling activities. More importantly, KSS fosters lasting relationships between the high schoolers and college students, which will allow you to stay connected to Japan even after you return home. While KSS may only be a week long, you will be surprised by how much you grow and how everyone becomes a close-knit family!
We understand that leading a seminar and house may seem like a daunting task. So for both roles, you will not be alone. You will be paired with a Japanese House Leader (HL), and they will not only help to co-design and co-teach your seminar, they will also help you to lead your house. HLs are fluent in both Japanese and English and well- versed in Japanese culture. You will be working together to hash out the details of the seminar long before and throughout KSS. Inside and outside of the classroom, language support will always be provided to ensure you are kept in the loop.
Yes! We try our best to provide information in both English & Japanese. However, keep in mind the events mainly target high school students so they are held in Japanese.
Yes! Past SLs, your HL partner, and staff will help you from start to finish.
Not necessarily, but we highly recommend it. Building a seminar from scratch with no reading materials or previous experience can be challenging.
Three weeks before the start of KSS2021, Houses will begin virtually meeting to get to know each other. Activities such as ice breakers will be hosted by the House Leader. This is an opportunity for everyone to interact with each other. Additionally, all seminar teaching materials (i.e. lecture notes, powerpoints with voice recordings, videos, etc.) will be distributed to the high school students to allow them to prepare in advance.
For all enquires, please contact us via social media or email us at komatsu.seminars@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you this summer at Komatsu Summer School!
©2014 Komatsu Summer School. All Rights Reserved.
