kochan2243

kochan2243 Tutor Interview

Q. Hi kochan2243! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. May we ask you to briefly introduce yourself?

A. I am a man, and I was born and raised in Japan, with no experience living abroad. I retired from my full-time job at the end of November 2023. I had been engaged in marketing-related jobs for a long time. I belong to a generation that has been deeply immersed in subculture, so I have interests in various fields.

Q. Please tell us more about your hometown and the area where you currently reside.

• I was born in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, and lived there until I graduated from high school when I was 18. Contrary to its typical image, it was quite an urban city.
• I moved to Tokyo alone for university and continued to live in the western region of Tokyo.
• Since December 2023, I have been living in Nanki-Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture. It is a town famous for its beach with a population of 20,000.

Q. What motivated you to become a tutor on Cafetalk?

• As for English, I had opportunities to teach beginners in the past, so I thought I would utilize that experience for online lessons. Although I have no experience living abroad, I have had many opportunities to interact with English speakers living in Japan.
• As for music (vocals), when I used to live in Tokyo, I had many opportunities to do live performances, but after moving to Wakayama, such opportunities became scarce, so I thought I would utilize my past experience to offer online lessons.
• I understand that a lot of beginners tend to hit a wall at the very beginning for both of these skills, so I thought that I could help them overcome that.

Q. What are you usually up to when you're not teaching on Cafetalk? What are your hobbies and interests?

• Practicing guitar performance, which I haven't been able to dedicate much time to up until now.
• Gathering information about “urban planning” overseas (such as from YouTube).
• Gathering information about “art scenes” overseas.
• Gathering information about the “latest trends in marketing” overseas.
• As for exercise, I enjoy cycling and skateboarding.
• I spend my time supporting the development of “communication strategies” for various NPOs as a consultant (online).
• I want to go on medium to long-term overseas trip, but I’ve been hesitant about it because of the weak yen recently.

Q. A lot of students are probably curious about the atmosphere in your lessons. What can a student imagine a lesson with you to be like? What’s your teaching style?

• I think it’s extremely important for students to create time to study and practice on their own, to be persistent and continue learning, as well as to feel their gradual improvement, whether it’s English (English conversation) or music (vocals).
• This is why I value “finding motivation,” “pointing out significant challenges and teaching how to improvement them,” and “offering ways to practice,” among other things in my lessons.
• ・Since these skills are not necessarily something that is essential for most people’s daily lives, it is important to “find joy and have fun practicing” in order to continue studying or practicing, and I strive to provide such experiences during my lessons.
• I am flexible with my lessons plans and can adjust them accordingly to each student’s individual interests and current skill level, so I will never impose a rigid structure.

Q. Which lessons would you recommend to your students?

• “Re-Learning English Conversation”: I believe many learners who used to study English ended up giving up at some point. I provide assistance for those who want to “re-learn” regardless of their current age.
• “Easy Jazz Vocals”: I also believe that there are many who are interested but haven't had the opportunity to learn jazz vocals. You can experience the joy of singing jazz in this lesson.

Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for your current and future students?

• I think it takes courage to try to learn something new when we all have various lifestyles, but just a little extra courage can greatly change your life.
• I will offer my full support to help you achieve your goals. I would be rejoiced if you are interested in my lessons.
• I have had participants in my vocal lessons who were 90 (accompanied by their daughter). Age and experience do not matter.

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kochan2243

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