MEET THE TEACHERS

Both of our ESL teachers are TEFL-certified with practicum experience teaching at the American Language Institute at California State University, Long Beach.

Aki Izumi

Stephanie Mayeda
Hello, everyone! My name is Aki Izumi. After graduating from the
Japanese high school, I moved to the US to go to university, got my BA in
Spanish, and worked for one of the Japanese distribution companies in LA
as a Sales Representative for over 16 years. I have a 6-month solo
backpacking experience, traveled to more than 20 different countries
throughout my life, helped the seniors as a hospice volunteer, and regularly
visited and helped the children at the orphanage in Mexico. I really enjoy
Latin dancing, boxing training, and hiking. I always live such an active life!
Being able to speak English has changed ​my life positively and drastically. I
look forward to not only teach English, but also create a positive impact in
your life.
​
皆さんこんにちは！ 泉亜希と申します。 日本の高校を卒業後大学への
進学を機に渡米し、スペイン語の学士号を取得しました。その後、LAの日
系企業で営業として１６年以上働きました。６ヶ月間のひとり旅を含め、
今まで世界２０ヵ国以上旅し、ホスピスでのボランティア、メキシコの孤
児院の定期訪問のボランティア活動も行ってきました。ラテンダンスを踊
ることをはじめ、ボクシングトレーニングやハイキングが大好きで、常に
アクティブな生活をしています。英語を話せるようになり、私の人生は劇
的に変わりました。今回英語を教えさせて頂くことを通して、皆さんがア
メリカでの生活をより楽しめるようお手伝いできたらと思います。
​As a TEFL-certified educator, I have worked with various levels of English learners from beginner to advanced and always make communication and interaction the cornerstones of my teaching. I enjoy giving back and volunteering my time at my local Japanese community center where we teach and connect people with Japanese culture. I especially love teaching young children about various Japanese holidays and traditions.

​When I’m not teaching or volunteering, I like to spend my time learning new songs on my ukulele, finding treasures at my local thrift stores, or watching old movies from the 50’s and 60’s.

Any Questions? Come to our Orientation Day!

We highly recommend coming to our ESL class Orientation Day! Our teachers will be giving a short presentation about the class and will be more than happy to answer any questions. No registration is necessary for orientation.
When: Tuesday, October 22nd from 11am-12pm
Where: Classroom 205 at the GVJCI.

You can also email Stephanie at smayeda@jci-gardena.org or call our office at (310) 324-6611 for any questions or concerns.