ランゲージセンター担当講師

＜欧米圏出身講師＞

Edward Chmura 

Hi, everyone. My name is Edward Chmura, and I would like to welcome all of you to this new semester of the Toyo University Language Center Academic Writing Course.

I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, which is one of the largest cities in the United States. Located near the tip of Lake Michigan in the center of the United States, Chicago is also home of some of the tallest buildings in America.

I have more than 10 years of experience teaching English and even long experience as a Japanese-to-English translator. Because of this, I think I have good insights into why Japanese students make certain mistakes in English and what they need to do mentally in order to stop making mistakes.

My hobbies are running, playing the guitar, podcasting, and YouTubing. I also enjoy talking and with people.

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Nora Alaboosi 

Hi everyone and thank you for visiting the Language Centre! My name is Nora and I’m very excited to be your English writing instructor!

I am originally from Toronto but I also lived in Montreal for about 8 years, so I feel like I have two hometowns. Toronto is in the English part of Canada. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. I grew up with many different nationalities and I feel like that is why I constantly crave travelling and exploring.

Living in Montreal allowed me to experience francophone culture. Montreal is famous for its many festivals and delicious poutine which consists of French fries, gravy and cheese. Though I wouldn’t recommend it if you are on a diet ^_^

I have been living in Japan for about 3 years. I visited Japan in 2016 and I immediately fell in love with Tokyo. I love its busy areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya but I also love its quiet neighborhoods and abundant nature. I also enjoy Japanese arts like Kabuki and Ikebana. Someday, I would like to attend a Tea Ceremony.

In my free time, I like to read, play piano, learn Japanese, and walk around Tokyo’s neighbourhoods, especially near rivers like Meguro and Shakuji. I also like to go on day trips to surrounding areas such as Hakone and Kamakura.

I love teaching English and watching my students learn and grow. With hard work and a good attitude, language learning can be fun! I look forward to seeing you in the centre!

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Rachel Holton 

Hello everyone! My name is Rachel and I’m looking forward to working with you throughout this semester at Toyo University.

I’m originally from Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city and I studied Music and English Literature at the university there.
The University of Glasgow has a beautiful campus which many students say reminds them of Hogwarts castle.
I’ve been living here in Tokyo for just over 3 years, and my goal is to visit all 47 prefectures.
So far I have travelled to 24, so there is so much more I still have to look forward to!
I am also studying Japanese, so I understand well the struggles of communicating effectively in a foreign language.

In my free time, when I’m not travelling or practising Japanese, I love to design and make my own clothes.
I’m here to help support you in your learning goals, so feel free to ask me any questions you might have.

Let’s have a fun and productive semester!

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Shanise Zohria Lawrence

Hello! My name is Shanise. I am thrilled to welcome you to a new semester at Toyo University. 

I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia but spent some of my childhood living in and traveling to different states such as Virginia and New York. But Georgia is where many of my memories are! It is well known for its yummy peaches and is where Coca-Cola was created. 

After graduating from university, I came to Nagoya, Japan to study abroad in 2018 and moved to Tokyo a year later. Now, I am a Ph.D. student studying Psychology at an international university. 

I have taught English mainly as a private tutor and conversation teacher, but I enjoy having interesting and fun lessons with each student I meet. 

My hobbies are exercising, watching anime, shopping, and going to cafes in Tokyo.

I am really looking forward to meeting and getting to know you as we help support your English skills throughout the school year.

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Andrew Harvey

Hello! My name’s Andrew, and I’m one of the teachers on this exciting new course at Toyo.

I’m originally from London, one of the greatest cities in the world, with thousands of years of history, and so many things to enjoy. Whether you like music, history, art, food, or almost anything else, you’ll find it in London.

Since leaving London, I’ve lived and worked in several other countries, but I was always fascinated by Japan most of all. I first moved to Chiba almost six years ago, after becoming a teacher, and now live in Tokyo, just near Ueno Park.

I’ve taught all ages from 1 to 81 in my time as a teacher (you might be thinking, how much English can you teach a one-year-old? The answer is: not much!) and most recently worked for two years at a college in Chiba.

In my free time, I like playing guitar, drums, piano, and trying to sing. I also like hiking, cycling, and studying history, psychology, and economics, just for fun.

I’m really looking forward to meeting you, and will do my best to help improve your English skills this year.

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Mariah Rachel Falls（Miah）

Hello everyone! My name is Miah. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with you this term. 

I’m originally from Minnesota in the US. Minnesota is famous for its friendly people and beautiful nature. The summers are warm, and many people enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing on the more than 15,000 lakes. The winters are snowy and extremely cold sometimes reaching -30C. When in Minnesota, I love to spend time with my family and go horseback riding. When in Tokyo, I like to practice my photography and embroidery. I love trying new cafes and restaurants too.

I also enjoy traveling and exploring new countries and cultures. I have taught English in the US, India, Vietnam, and Japan. Through my travels, I have learned the importance of cross-cultural communication. Thus when teaching English, I focus on building communication with a global mindset. 

I’m excited for a great term at Toyo University. See you soon!

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Alexandria Santos（Aria Nishii）

Hi, everyone! My name is Aria Nishii. Thank you for your interest in the Toyo University Language Center Writing Course! I’m looking forward to working with you!

I was born and raised in a suburb close to Chicago, Illinois. You might have heard of “Chicago Pizza” but in Chicago, we often call it “deepdish pizza”. Please give it a try if you ever visit Chicago! I’ve also lived in Kobe, Saitama City, and now western Tokyo. I love visiting new places in Japan, so let me know if you have any recommendations!

In my free time, I like to watch anime, play video games, and go to the events of my favorite voice actors. I’m also [very, very slowly] working on my goal of passing level 3 of the Kanji Kentei.

I’ve taught English for 8 years and I also work freelance as a Japanese-English translator and interpreter. I’ve really loved learning Japanese, so my goal as an English teacher is always to make learning as enjoyable as possible. I’m very excited to get to know you and be a part of your language learning journey!

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Stuart Crompton

Hi everyone, a warm welcome to this year’s Toyo Writing program, which I am excited to be a part of.

A little about myself, I am from the Manchester area of the United Kingdom. Well known for it’s music, football
(soccer) and delicious pies. This will be my third year on the Toyo programmes and l am looking forward to meeting you all. I have lived in Japan, on and off, for ten years or so. I have a son and a daughter, who keep me busy, I enjoy spending time with them. As well as this I like to spend time baking, cooking, cycling and investing (among other things).

I have experience teaching English to a wide range of Japanese students, both in terms of ability level and age. This helps me to fine tune my help and advice as well as support you to fully achieve your goals in English.

I am looking forward to meeting you all in the new year and new semester. See you soon!

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Gemma Agravat

Hi everyone and welcome to the Writing Program! My name is Gemma and I’m from London, UK. I’ve been teaching for 16 years in four different countries – my native UK, Germany, Australia and Japan.

My hobbies are travelling and watching movies. I’ve travelled to around 20 countries in Europe, Southeast Asia and East Asia. My favourite is of course Japan, which is why I came here! I used to live in Takamatsu, Kagawa when I first moved to Japan. I still go back there every year to see my friends. Shikoku is a really beautiful part of the world. As for movies, in general I love anything related to 80’s culture, especially action movies. I’ve watched all seasons of Stranger Things six times over!

Learning any foreign language is a challenging task, but we’re here to help you along the way. I look forward to supporting you in the Writing Centre sometime in the future!

 

＜日本人講師＞

四ツ谷　彩子

Hello everyone. My name is Saiko Yotsuya, and I am thrilled to join this writing course. I am originally from Komagome, Tokyo so this area feels like home to me. After graduating from high school, I studied in the United States, which was a challenging and rewarding experience. Before becoming a teacher, I worked for automotive companies (Japanese, American, and German!), during which I had the incredible opportunity to travel to more than 20 countries and learn from diverse experiences around the world. I believe writing is an essential skill that helps us express ideas and connect with others.

In my free time, I enjoy watching baseball games and travelling. I am truly delighted about this new opportunity and can not wait to meet all of you and share this journey together.

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鴨澤　麻里

Hello! My name is Mari Kamozawa. I was born in Kansai and grew up in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kansai, and New York. I have been teaching English at universities in Japan for many years and spent some time working in New York.

One of my hobbies is watching US baseball (MLB) games on TV and cheering for the Japanese players. I also enjoy practicing the tea ceremony in my kimono. It’s not easy to learn, but the tea ceremony and kimono are beautiful and wonderful ways to connect with Japanese culture. The process of learning skills is like a journey, and it takes you to a new world.

Learning English writing is also a journey that anyone can enjoy.

What do you want to write in English? A message for a friend? A formal document? An essay? Or a research paper? Whatever you want to write, you can learn. Step by step, we will learn together. With the right practice, your writing will improve.

Let’s start your journey to better English writing together!