Sakura C. Tutor Interview

Sakura　C. Tutor Interview

Q. Sakura C. Hello! First of all, can you briefly introduce yourself?: A. Nice to meet you! I'm Sakura C., an online teacher. I am a former elementary school teacher living in the United States. I studied education in college and am a licensed teacher of English in kindergarten, elementary, and junior high school. I think I have a positive and bright personality, and I love to teach !
Q. Tell us where you're from! Tell us about the town where you grew up.: A. I was born and raised in Kyushu, in a moderately sized town, with a historic castle and shopping district, and manga and anime subculture facilities right next to each other. In the summer, you can hear the Japanese drumming of the summer festival here and there. Although the population has been declining in recent years, it is said that it's a comfortable place to live for elderly people.
Q. And now you live in the U.S.! How is life in America?: A. The town, the supermarkets, the houses, everything feels bigger and more open, and I live in a relaxed atmosphere! I've done language studies and volunteered abroad in the past, but I never thought I'd be moving abroad at this age. English and Spanish are predominant in the area, so I've been working hard on my own language studies every day.
Q. Besides the U.S., you've also been to South America before. When did you stayed there?: A. It's been five years now since I volunteered to teach in South America. During the year-long program, I did activities in a facility for teenagers with family problems and supported English and math classes in a private elementary school.
There were times when I had trouble communicating in Spanish, but I learned a lot from the local children and it was a very valuable experience.
Q. You have now a license to teach to elementary, junior high and high schools, but what made you want to become a teacher?: A. I was influenced by my homeroom teacher when I was in the upper grades of elementary school. Not only did he teach us the subjects, but he also taught us how to be human beings through his passionate approach of the individual.
I didn't get good grades at the time, but he always encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher. Thanks to this, I was able to dedicate myself to my studies in junior high and high school with the goal of becoming an education major.
Q. When you're not giving lessons on Cafetalk, how do you spend your time? Let us know about your hobbies and interests!: A. I've been a housewife for a year now, and I'm not eligible to work for now. I'm spending my time freely studying languages, which I hadn't been able to do in the past, and I've started using social medias. I try to make a step-by-step teaching plan and prepare carefully so I have plenty of time to prepare for my lessons.
Q. You mainly teach lessons for elementary and junior high school students. Do you have any advice on how to get elementary and junior high school students to study effectively?: A. I think it is important to have a fun and positive approach to continue. One of the greatest strengths of online lessons is the one-on-one attention to detail. We value students' willingness to learn and work hard to make lessons bright and fun.
Q. You also offer Japanese language lessons! Could you tell us about how you teach Japanese and the lesson style?: A. There are many high-level students in the Japanese language lessons, and I find that they are a good motivation for me as a language learner. We read newspaper articles together, use advanced expressions to create example sentences, and use dialogue from anime to correct intonation. Overall, the lesson style is based on the preferences of the students.
Q. For students who are interested in your lessons, please tell us about your sessions.: A. The content of the lessons is flexible and varies from one lesson to another. The one thing they have in common is the casual style with a positive, fun atmosphere. Since many of my students review their lessons, I send them a summary of each lesson so that they and their parents can check it later and start the next lesson with a recap of the lesson.
Q. "Ex-teacher in junior and high school will teach you correct elementary level English!" is your most popular lesson! Could you tell us the secret of this popularity?: A. Junior high English is an important step in building grammar and vocabulary, which will form the foundation for the following year's of English studies. However, there are a lot of things to memorize, and if there is one thing you are bad at, it is a subject you will not understand. English is a great tool to connect with people in other countries. What a shame it would be to end up hating English! By repeating the basics over and over again, I try to help students gain confidence little by little.
Q. Do you have any recommendations for lessons other than junior high school English lessons?: A. The ""All elementary school courses"" is a lesson I taught when I used to work at a public elementary school. Based on my experience as a teacher, I carefully guide students according to their progress and level of proficiency. Especially for children with lower and middle grades, I would like to encourage them at their own pace and hope they'll say ""I got it!"" and want to say it more. I ask that parents consult me in advance about the subject themes and teaching methods.
Q. Finally, do you have a message for those who take your lessons regularly, for those who are willing to take your lessons in the future and their parents?: A. I've learned a lot through online lessons. I make every effort to provide as much content as possible in the limited time we have. I am flexible in terms of lesson contents and level, so please feel free to contact me. I'll see you for a lesson!