What I learned from Private Japanese Tutoring in Brisbane📝

11th May is a special day...

Today, 11th May, marks the 1-year anniversary of my journey as a private Japanese tutor in Brisbane, Australia. Exactly one year ago, I gained my very first student, which was very memorable.

To be honest, getting first student was incredibly challenging. 

I had no referrals, no reviews, and no reputation here in Brisbane.

That day, I felt both nervous and excited before meeting a potential student for the first time.

It turned out to be a turning point. 

The family greeted me warmly with a cup of cappuccino and a slice of cake. Moreover, when I met the student, I was impressed by her passion for learning Japanese. 

We talked about her goals and expectations, and by the end of our 1st lesson, both she and her family welcomed me as her tutor.

I cried after I got home, not just out of happiness for landing my first job, but because I had met such a kind and talented student. 

After that day, I set three personal goals as a tutor:

1. To guide students of various levels, backgrounds, and ages to achieve their goals and to provide real value to each of them.

2. To retain students by personalising lessons around their needs, goals, and motivation.

3. To learn and grow through every interaction with my students.

By reflecting on my experiences, I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m truly grateful to every student who’s been part of this journey. 

Challenges and what I learned as a Tutor

Over time, I could gain 22 diverse students from different backgrounds, ranging in age from 6 to 55 +.

Of course, there were some challenges.

For example, I faced one of the students who was very passionate about learning Japanese to prepare for her solo trip to Japan.

I always looked forward to the lessons because she was always energetic, and a lot of hard work remembering words and phrases during the lesson.

However, one day she suddenly messaged me to say she couldn’t continue.

She was juggling a job, taking care of children and other responsibilities.

I was sad about her decision, but it made me realise I need more careful attention to ensure each student does not feel overwhelmed.

Also, this experience inspired a new idea: creating an online self-paced learning course.

I reflected on my lesson materials and identified which topics would be more helpful and fun for students.

My Favourite Moments

Tutoring experiences were not only challenging but also full of fun memories.

Let me share my 2 students’ stories.

① Cristy, who studied Duolingo for 2 years by herself

Cristy had been studying Duolingo for 2 years by herself when I met her for the first time.

She was so smart, but I felt she was not confident in her Japanese skills.

Thus, in each lesson, I praised her even if she made grammatical mistakes, because I thought trying to speak was more important than speaking perfectly.

Also, I tried not to feel her overwhelmed, so each lesson we spent more time reviewing rather than learning new topics, which resulted in leading to her confidence.

Moreover, I deeply admired her motivation for learning history and culture in Japan.

She’s also very talented in creative activities such as drawing and sewing.

Therefore, we started to make an original guidebook together!! 

We shared both cultures and saw the similarities and differences during the lessons.

As a result (after 10 months), during her trip to Japan for the first time, she successfully could order in Japanese by herself and made her sentences to locals with confidence.

The student made the Original Japan Travel Guidebook

② Lio, who is a 6-year-old curious boy

Lio is a 6-year-old boy who is curious about Japanese cuisine and culture.

I remembered when we met for the first time.

He had an interest in Sushi, Pokémon and Language as well.

Honestly, it was very challenging to teach a 6-year-old child beginner; the lesson required more fun activities so as not to make him feel bored. I used Origami and I related the topics to his interests.

He is the eldest, and he has a younger brother and a newborn sister.

The family was planning to go to Japan. Therefore, he said to me, “I want to learn Japanese because no one in the family knows Japanese. And if I know Japanese, I can guide them.”

He was making notes a lot and practiced phrases, which impressed me.

I heard the family had a good time in Japan, and the good news is that he shows an interest in learning continuously after coming back from Japan.

Origami Activity during the lesson

Appreciation and Next Goal

In conclusion, this experience levelled up my skills, such as supporting, teaching, and leadership, with empathy and entrepreneurship skills.

I'd like to say thank you so much to my lovely students.

Cristy (Australia)

Javi (Colombia)

Alex (Australia)

Jainya (Australia)

Emma (Australia)

Jacob (Australia)

Tessa (Australia)

Jack (Australia)

Ace (Australia)

Andrew (Australia)

Hunter (Australia)

Kat (Australia)

Scott (Australia)

Wayne (Zimbabwe)

Lio (Australia)

Davina (Sri Lanka)

Germand (South Africa)

Levi (Australia)

Ruby (Australia)

Allan (Australia)

Sachie (Australia)

Kenta (Australia)

Katie (Australia)

Our encounter was a precious gift in my life.  

Also, special thanks to my family and friends who gave me a lot of advice and encouraged me during a tough time.

Thanks to your help, I could continue and deliver value to people.

My next goal is to deliver Japanese Culture Experiences to more people from Brisbane, Australia, to every corner of the world by creating a fun and unique learning space where anyone can explore and experience Japanese Culture.

Lastly, based on my experiences, my best advice is to take the first step toward what excites you, even if you have no experience or confidence.

You’ll be surprised how far one small step can unlock your potential.

Why don’t you start your journey today?