Japanese is one of the most popular languages on italki, but it is not quite easy to find the best teacher. Luckily I have had the honor of knowing Haru very well since he has been my student for a while. I have also taken over 10 lessons with Haru. In this post, I will be reviewing from a student’s perspective and a teacher’s perspective as his traits do carry over.
Haru is easily one of the best Japanese teachers I have ever had. He is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He lives up to the “Professional” title with his vast knowledge. However, don’t get “scared” by that title as he is actually very personable.
Haru is a native Japanese speaker. He also speaks Chinese Mandarin (fluently) and English (intermediate as of now). Please check his italki profile as he is working on his English daily! 😀 I have had most of my lessons in Chinese Mandarin because it seems easier for learning Japanese. See why you should learn Chinese Mandarin? ;D No worries, Haru can teach English speakers too ^^ He has a sample lesson in his introduction video so you can get a sense of his teaching style (note: you are going to see someone else in this video… guess who it is… hehe).
Video Introduction
Things that I love about Haru sensei (from a student’s perspective)
Very friendly – So you don’t feel pressured when studying! This is why I said you don’t have to feel scared or pressured by the title “Professional,” Haru naturally makes you feel very comfortable when taking a class with him. It is almost like having a very knowledgeable study buddy.
Knowledgeable – Haru has taught over 3700 sessions (quickly approaching 4000 sessions!) in less than two years. He can quickly answer beginner questions with very clear explanations.
– Haru is versatile when it comes to his teaching style. We had very structured lessons where I knew exactly what we were learning (whether I still remember the concepts… that is a whole different story ^O^ ) Other times I would bring questions to the class, and he would answer the questions thoroughly.
More Than Japanese! – Once you build up your Japanese skill (I cheated here, I had several sessions where I asked him questions in Chinese Mandarin, shhh ^^), you will be able to talk about various topics. Haru is detail oriented and analytical. We had multiple discussions on personal development, time management, and language learning. I love hearing Haru’s thoughts on those topics.
Beginner Friendly – You don’t need to know Hiragana before you take Haru’s class! Hiragana is recommended if you want to advance your Japanese, but hey sometimes we are just that excited to learn Japanese that we can’t wait! Haru will type out romanization so you can start building sentences right away even as a complete beginner! Check out my Hiragana tips if you want to get on the fast track 😀
From a Teacher’s Perspective
Haru is not only a great teacher, but he is also a great student. He works very hard every day to improve his English skill. He is very diligent and always have endless topics and questions to further his studies. He is already experienced in teaching Japanese, but he still works hard daily so that he can help even more people learn Japanese and further craft his teaching skill. He is a great inspiration and a joy to be around with!
If you are looking for an amazing Japanese teacher and have similar preference as me, then you are going to love Haru as your Japanese teacher. Have fun learning Japanese! Ganbatte!