Teaching Philosophy

My teaching method is eclectic, utilizing whatever works best. Naturally, I also aim to be consistently accessible to students, respectful of your efforts, and responsive to your needs. We are in this together; I am learning and growing as a teacher no less than you are as students.

The fact that I first started learning Japanese when I was considerably older than you probably are constitutes a positive element in the process: if the teacher could do it so can you. Moreover, the shared perspective of a linguistic outsider confers a distinct teaching advantage: I know exactly what is involved in grappling with a complicated sentence structure or an intractable kanji. Having traveled along the same linguistic route, I can certainly sympathize, comprehend, and help to ease some of the hardships of the journey that confronts you.