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Hello everyone!
People sometimes ask me why I became an online tutor.
The answer is simple.
I love teaching.
My teaching journey began in the year 2000, when I came to Japan as an ALT in Kyushu. At that time, I planned to stay in Japan for only a year.
As you can probably guess, things did not go according to plan. I've learned they never really do.
I enjoyed teaching so much that I decided to stay.
After working as an ALT, I spent 11 wonderful years teaching at a kindergarten. Those years taught me so much about children, communication, patience, and how to make learning fun. Every day was different, and every class brought new smiles and new challenges.
Eventually, my career took a different direction.
I moved into a managerial role at an education company, where I still work today.
I enjoy my job very much. I have the opportunity to support teachers, help schools, and work on projects that improve education for many students.
But there was one thing I constantly missed.
Teaching.
As my responsibilities changed, I spent more and more time in meetings, planning, and management. Those things are important, but they slowly took me away from the classroom.
I realized that although I enjoyed my career, I could never quite find the same personal and professional satisfaction that I felt when I was teaching students directly.
There is something very special about helping someone understand a new idea, watching their confidence grow, or hearing them say something in English that they could not say a few months earlier.
That feeling never disappeared.
Thankfully, technology has given us wonderful new opportunities. Today, I can continue my career during the day while also teaching online in my spare time.
For me, it is the best of both worlds.
One of my favorite places is my work space in the spare room of our house. It's not a big classroom like I used to have. It is just a cozy little room with my computers, teaching materials, books, and a box of snacks and drinks.
But every time I sit down before a lesson, it feels like I am stepping back into the classroom again.
From that little room, I have met students from all over Japan and many other countries. I have taught children, teenagers, university students, business professionals, and retirees.
Every student has a different goal, a different story, and a different reason for learning English.
That is one of the things I enjoy most about tutoring.
Even after 26 years in education, I still learn something from my students every single day.
Some teach me about their culture.
Some teach me about their hobbies.
Some remind me that learning takes courage.
And many inspire me with the effort they put into improving their English.
I hope my students feel that every lesson is prepared especially for them, because it is.
Seeing a student become more confident is still one of the most rewarding parts of my week.
Looking back, I am grateful that I said "yes" to coming to Japan all those years ago.
It changed my life in ways I never expected.
And I am equally grateful that today's technology allows me to continue doing what I love.
Thank you to all of my students, past and present, for allowing me to be a small part of your English learning journey.
I deeply appreciate every lesson we share together.
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