A: Why did you become a Japanese teacher? When I just arrived in Taiwan, I had never thought about becoming a Japanese teacher or even just teaching Japanese. But I didn’t want to come back to Japan right after studying Chinese at a language school. I really liked Taiwanese people and I thought about what I could do there, and I figured that I could become a Japanese teacher. Though it was for a simple reason did I start teaching Japanese, it turned out as one of the best experiences in my life!
A: What makes the job as a Japanese teacher worth doing?
In a way, you get a great degree of freedom as a Japanese teacher and thus there are thousands of ways in how people teach. Therefore, a lesson can be good or bad and can affect the students drastically depending on the teacher. Students often told me that I was “an unlikely-looking teacher”. This was because I wasn’t a typical teacher who stands on the platform and talks all the time. Instead, students were always leading my classes with my assistance and I incorporated games into my lessons as well. I always wanted to get Taiwanese people interested in the Japanese language because it is the foundation for student’s progress and as well as Japanese teacher’s progress. It’s the same as people saying that parents learn as kids grow.
A: What’s your dream for the future?
My dream is to become the bridge for the exchanges between Taiwanese and Japanese. I hope to create a comprehensive system where Taiwanese and Japanese people can introduce their own culture to each other out of their own interests and thus reduce the distance between them.
A: Could you say a few words to future Japanese teachers?
Frankly speaking, teaching Japanese is not as hard as you might think. But there are still excellent teachers who truly enjoy communicating with others and who are considerate of others. Of course, having the knowledge of Japanese language is important, but it is something that you can learn right away. What I found really hard was creating the atmosphere and the classes. Many Japanese teachers I know, including myself, found this really hard. I don’t have an answer to this, but try your best to find a teaching style that reflects your personality!
A: What makes the job as a Japanese teacher worth doing?
In a way, you get a great degree of freedom as a Japanese teacher and thus there are thousands of ways in how people teach. Therefore, a lesson can be good or bad and can affect the students drastically depending on the teacher. Students often told me that I was “an unlikely-looking teacher”. This was because I wasn’t a typical teacher who stands on the platform and talks all the time. Instead, students were always leading my classes with my assistance and I incorporated games into my lessons as well. I always wanted to get Taiwanese people interested in the Japanese language because it is the foundation for student’s progress and as well as Japanese teacher’s progress. It’s the same as people saying that parents learn as kids grow.
A: What’s your dream for the future?
My dream is to become the bridge for the exchanges between Taiwanese and Japanese. I hope to create a comprehensive system where Taiwanese and Japanese people can introduce their own culture to each other out of their own interests and thus reduce the distance between them.
A: Could you say a few words to future Japanese teachers?
Frankly speaking, teaching Japanese is not as hard as you might think. But there are still excellent teachers who truly enjoy communicating with others and who are considerate of others. Of course, having the knowledge of Japanese language is important, but it is something that you can learn right away. What I found really hard was creating the atmosphere and the classes. Many Japanese teachers I know, including myself, found this really hard. I don’t have an answer to this, but try your best to find a teaching style that reflects your personality!
