Fun Facts

I have received training in various Martial Arts for approximately 11 years. I am currently an Assistant Instructor at a school in Hubbard, OR. I have lived in Japan for one year, in complete immersion with no other native English speakers. I was born and raised here in Portland, OR. I have also ridden an elephant and eaten ants in Thailand!

About Me

Upon graduation, I plan to start a career based on the Japanese language and my love of teaching, helping others, leading, and cross-cultural communication. I have successfully completed an academic year at Toyama University of International Studies in Toyama, Japan. I used to casually teach guitar, and I have a very large amount of experience teaching and leading in Martial Arts. I currently volunteer my time teaching at Counter Point Martial Arts in Hubbard, OR.

In Japan I was hired to help teach a small class of adult students on a weekly basis. Being the only native English speaking student in my school, I have countless incidents of teaching English while describing English grammar rules, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation in Japanese, and have debated the rules of the Japanese language in Japanese with other foreign students or Japanese natives. I also have years of experience in both one-on-one and classroom teaching with students in a variety of martial art related skills. I have also taught guitar in a one-on-one scenarios.

I am very passionate about interpersonal communication and inspiring students to learn on a personal level. Although it is always helpful to abide by a curriculum, I understand that different things work for different people. A language is a very personal subject, like music or martial arts, in that although people must be taught certain, set things in order to use it, it is also a means to express oneself uniquely. For me, the true joy of portland">tutoring, or teaching in general, is the opportunity to get to know people in order to, and as a side-effect of, guiding them down a path that best suits their personal needs.