I am an experienced English and Japanese teacher, with a focus on cultivating strong study skills in my students, and can offer real-world knowledge for other subjects as well, such as world religions and social studies.
I graduated from Indiana University in 2015 with a double degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese focus) and International Studies, with a minor in Second Language Studies (also known as Applied Linguistics). I spent 4 years living in Japan, 2 years in Bangladesh, and a summer in Taiwan. This includes professional experience interpreting and translating between English and Japanese, and have JLPT N1 certification as well as TESOL certification.
As a teacher, I have years of experience teaching English, Japanese, and Mandarin for students of all ages, genders, economic backgrounds, language levels, and also from a range of nationalities and cultures--from Burmese refugees to Taiwanese businesspeople to Japanese government officials. As an ESL/EFL teacher, I have copious experience teaching English in a variety of contexts, including academic English, communicative English, and business English, for speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
As I am proficient in multiple other languages, including Japanese, Spanish, and Mandarin (and to a lesser extent Bengali) through a combination of self-study and both formal and casual instruction, I am able to give practical advice regarding how to study effectively both in-class and outside of class. I believe it is important to cultivate efficient self-study tools and habits, and have developed many projects aiming to do just that for my students.
Additionally, I strive ensure a comfortable, conducive learning environment by creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the class with each individual heard and respected. Furthermore, I am particularly flexible and excel in tailoring classes to fit students' needs and interests.
My mission is to create a bridge between people of different languages, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds while constantly developing my own skills and knowledge to showcase the common humanity of us all.
