Hello, and welcome to TOKI! My name is Michael, and I hope to be your TOKI English instructor. My goal as a teacher is quite simple: to help you get to where you want to go in your study of English. Whether you are aiming for proficiency in English for use in business, law, writing, reading, or conversation, I will do my very best to help you achieve your goals.

I have been a teacher for fifteen years, teaching all ages from primary school to high school to college to adults. Before becoming a teacher, I was an editor of books and periodicals for lawyers and judges. Since I edited legal periodicals, you may have guessed that I studied the law. Well, you are correct! I was a lawyer in private practice before becoming an editor, which means that I graduated from law school.

I received a Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School in Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Trinity College in Connecticut.I also received a certificate in secondary teaching from the University of Virginia and a certificate as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages from Arizona State University. Finally, I am certified to teach online through TOP, a teaching online program.

As I said, I will do my best to help my students achieved their goals. I use all sorts of media in my teaching – books, magazines, videos, audio. Simple, natural conversation can lead to great things, and one should never be afraid to make a mistake, because mistakes are how we learnt to improve!

My hobbies include reading, writing, cycling, and music. I love jazz, and I play piano, guitar, and electric bass. If you ever visit my city, you might find me playing cocktail piano at local wineries and breweries!