简介

Born and raised in Japan, I received my B.A. in Japanese Language and Culture from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and my M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of Pennsylvania. My career at UNC started in 1994, when I joined the teaching staff as a lecturer in Japanese. Before coming to UNC, I taught Japanese language to foreign students from around the world at Keio University, Sophia University, and International Christian University, as well as to foreign diplomats at the Japan Foundation headquarters. My teaching responsibilities include my role as Residential Director leading the UNC Summer Program in Tokyo, which I've held since 2006. In addition to teaching classes about Japanese culture, I've designed the summer program to provide a full immersive experience for students that includes museum visits, field trips to experience culture and cultural exchange including a tea ceremony and an elementary school visit, and an introduction to the culinary arts of Japan. My main focus at UNC has been on innovating in both my approach to teaching and course content, and I tailor my courses to maximize opportunities for my students to use their Japanese in "real world" situations. In making the classroom environment as true to life as possible, I carefully choose my pedagogical tools and teaching materials, creating immersive classroom experiences in which students are challenged to replicate Japanese language in authentic settings and contexts.