Portuguese version
My name is Mateus Vailant Thomazella, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Brazil. In the beginning of 2018, a big opportunity appeared for me: the possibility of having an English exchange experience in Vancouver, Canada. Traveling to another country it was not easy, because I needed to face different challenges, such as to speak all time in English, to meet new people and to know a different culture (everything in English). For all those challenges, Paul was very important to me. Since my first class, he received me very well, explaining me everything about how our classes would work and introducing me to my new friends. I’m sure Paul was more than an English teacher during my period in Vancouver. He taught me English as anyone never taught before, making this language less complicated than it seems like to be. He also taught me how to make a good presentation in English as well as how to present them. In addition, Paul always wants to get the best of each student, because he believes that determination and hard work are essential to our success. He used to say to us: “keep hammering”, which means, “don’t give up, you have potential”. So, through English, Paul gave to me and my friends true lessons of life, inspiring us to give our best in everything. I’m really sure he is an inspiration for many students. I also am sure Paul made my experience in Vancouver much more enrichment and less scared. To Paul, I just need to say thank you so much, he made me more confident with my English, more confident in fighting my challenges and improving myself. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet and study with Paul. I hope I may to see you soon Paul. Thanks for all!!
“Meu nome é Mateus Vailant Thomazella, tenho 24 anos e sou brasileiro. No começo deste ano (2018), uma grande oportunidade apareceu para mim: estudar inglês em Vancouver. Viajar e estudar em outro país é um grande desafio, pois, precisamos lidar além do idioma diferente, com novas pessoas e cultura. E para vencer todos esses desafios, Paul foi muito importante para mim. Desde minha primeira aula fui muito bem recebido por ele, recebendo orientações quanto ao funcionamento das aulas e da escola, além de me apresentar para meus novos colegas de classe. Paul foi mais que um professor de inglês durante meu período em Vancouver. Com seu jeito único de ensinar, ele nos apresenta o inglês de uma forma muito menos complicada do que parece. Além disso, Paul sempre quer tirar de seus alunos o melhor que eles podem oferecer, pois, acredita que determinação e trabalho duro são essenciais para nosso sucesso. Uma de suas expressões é “Keep hammering”, ou seja, “continue martelando, continue tentando, o seu sucesso depende de você”. Portanto, através do inglês, Paul nos passa verdadeiras lições para vida. Não tenho dúvidas que ele é para muitos alunos, fonte de inspiração. Também não tenho dúvidas que ele fez de minha passagem por Vancouver algo muito mais enriquecedor e muito menos assustador. Por fim, só tenho a dizer obrigado Paul, foi um grande prazer aprender com você. Espero que possamos nos ver novamente em breve. Obrigado por tudo!!
English version
Tadayuki Hohyama, entrepreneur
ポールとの出会いは僕にとって人生の大きなターニングポイントでした。今から数年前、ESLス クールと国連がジョイントで開催したエッセイコンクールに向けて論文を数ヶ月間書いていました。 期日が迫っていたことやそれがかなりの長編だったため、なかなか添削をお願いするのに信頼の 出来るネイティブが見つからず困っていました。当時僕とポールは顔見知り程度でそれほど深い 関わりはなかったのですが、ダメ元でお願いしてみたところ快く引き受けてくれました。その校正 作業ではあえて厳しく、一つ一つ文章のロジックが成り立っているかなど事細かく指導してもら い、ライティングの大変さや面白さを改めて発見することが出来ました。その甲斐あってコンクー ルでは優勝することができ、ニューヨークの国連本部で開催されたユースカンファレンスにも招待 され素晴らしい経験を積むことが出来ました。また、この経験が自分の英語に対する自信にも繋 がり、予てから希望していたスウェーデンの大学院への進学や現地のベンチャー企業をサポート する組織で働けたりと、自分が望んでいた多くのことを実現することが出来ました。本当にポール には感謝しています。彼とはそれ以来ずっと連絡を取り合い今では友人もしくは兄のように慕って います。皆が感じていることだと思いますが、彼の一番素晴らしいところは単に英語を教えるの が上手なだけでなく、英語を学ぶ人の目標を一緒に明確にし、努力を鼓舞してくれる ”情熱” だと 思います。相手を思いやりながらも、時に厳しくもなれるポールはあなたにとって理想の先生にな ると僕は自信を持って言いたいです。皆さんがもしあと一歩踏み出すのを躊躇されていたら、ポー ルがそっと背中を押してくれるでしょう！
Meeting Paul was super epic. Back in 2014, I was looking for a teacher to ask for assistance in preparing my entry to an English essay contest. Although we didn’t know each other so much back then and what I asked him was very time-consuming, he kindly complied with my request and helped me a lot. Eventually, I was able to win the first prize of the competition, which enabled me to attend a global youth conference at the United Nations Headquarters in N.Y. Without his heartwarming support, I couldn’t have achieved this goal. The fact that I was able to improve my English through the proofreading process of the essay with him also made me confident and encouraged me to move forward in my life, which led to my further study (Masters degree) in Sweden and working for one of the largest startup hubs in Scandinavia. As an English learner, I would say that one of the biggest things that we have to realize is that if we want to maintain our English, we need to get connected to someone who could motivate us always because it can easily get rusty. At this point, Paul is the perfect teacher since not only has he been selected as the best teacher in his previous companies, but he also has strong passion to help students achieve their goals. Therefore, he will definitely help you improve your English and you’ll be touched by his sweetness. My study experience with him has been “Lagom” (a Swedish word for “just right”)!
Martin Solórzano, medical doctor
The first day I met Paul Duke was on a cold day in March 2018. It was my second trip to Vancouver to improve my English because the first time it was too short and I didn’t have the chance to improve it very well. I got in the room in a humble way. I was the first one in the classroom and introduce myself as the new student, even though it was my second time there. He said that he saw me before but he never had “the pleasure” to meet me. My face was rush by blood and I felt uncomfortable. He introduced himself and was very honest about everything in reference to our English. I went to Paul and explained my situation “hey teacher, I’m sorry for bothering you, but I’m feeling in disadvantage now because I guess my English is not too good like these guys. I came from Mexico, and my education in English has not been the proper one, I guess”. He was so honest about my level and made me feel comfortable. He didn’t know me, but I guess he knew that I was making a big effort for being there, in the same classroom. From that moment, we established a kind of relationship. I went every day to the school in order to share time with him. I heard his opinion about everything and gave him mine. He’s so smart and always had an opinion about everything.
As a teacher, he is great. He understands the level you are and help you improve your English from that moment. His method is very accurate because is adapted to each one. He is very careful and takes care of you depending on your progress. He forces you to give the best of yourself in each moment. I spent almost four months with him, I can say my English is better now thanks to him. He was very patient with my progress and all the time he tried me with respect even when my questions were so stupid. More than a teacher, he became my friend. I talked with him about my life, my concerns, my doubts, my problems, and my future and he always showed empathy and had answers to all my questions. When he takes you under his care, there is no return, only progress. I would say I’m a better person now due to him. His kindness, knowledge, and understanding were what I was looking for.
I highly recommend him as a teacher, he is the best. About your English, there is one before and one after Paul Duke.
El primer dia que conocí a Paul Duke, fue un frío día de marzo del año 2018. El estaba sentado en su mítico salón de siempre y yo ingresé un poco temeroso de lo que me iba a decir. Fui el primero en llegar al salón y por algunos minutos me senté solo ahí, sin decir ni una sola palabra. Pero luego me presenté a mi mismo y el sé mostró muy cordial al respecto. Desde el momento en que se introdujo a si mimo, noté que no era como cualquier maestro, había algo especial en él, al menos eso fue lo que mostró el primer día. Estuve asustado los primeros días por que uno de mis amigos difundía ideas erróneas acerca de Él, “Paul es muy estricto y casi nadie aprueba las materias que el imparte”. Pero el fue honesto con nuestro nivel y explicó de forma detallada cada paso de su proceso de enseñanza. Le conté de mi vida, de mi pasado, de mi futuro y de mi planes de vida, y el se mostró muy perceptivo acerca de todo. Demasiado cordial y siempre con una opinión honesta acerca de todo. Es muy inteligente, y sabe entender el estado y progreso que tienes con el inglés y adapta su plan de estudios a tú nivel.
Como maestro es muy bueno, muy detallado, su técnica de enseñanza es muy método y no le importa perder varias horas explicando algo que quizás ya debería de saber. Para Él la enseñanza es un placer, y como tal te ayuda ampliamente a desarrollar tus actividades. Es muy cuidadoso con lo que enseña y adapta cada lección al progreso de cada alumno. Me sentí demasiado a gusto con su temática de enseñanza. Muy respetuoso en cada etapa y te obliga a dar lo mejor de ti en cada momento. Más que un maestro, Paul se convirtió en mi amigo, compartimos casi 4 meses juntos y fueron algunos de los mejores meses de mi vida. Su percepción y visión de la vida son únicos. Soy una mejor persona debido a Él. Mi inglés es mejor gracias a El. Decidí tomar una maestría en inglés porque me siento en confianza con el nivel de inglés que manejo ahora, y eso no hubiese sido posible sin las enseñanzas de Paul.
Hay un antes y un después de conocer a Paul Duke y su temática de enseñanza.
Anna Goeun Choi, university student
폴 선생님은 저에게 가장 소중하고 감사한 사람이자, 멘토이자, 훌륭한 가르침을 준 선생님입니다. 벤쿠버에서 있었던 6개월의 시간동안
폴은 늘 저에게 배우는 것에 대한 두려움을 떨쳐버리도록 옆에서 기다려주고, 응원해주고, 지지해주었습니다. 영어라는 낯선 언어를 처음 접할때에도,
그리고 그 영어로 문장을 쓰게되고, 한 단락의 글을 쓰게되고, 심지어 논문을 쓰게 될 때에도 늘 폴은 저에게 도전이 되었던 여러 경험들을 한단계 한단계씩 함께 도와주었습니다. 매 수업시간마다 자칫하면 쉽게 지나칠 수 있는 언어의 여러가지 어려움 들을 폴은 늘 학생의 입장에서, 학생의 시선으로 함께 고민해주었고 이해하기 쉽고 편하게 설명해주었습니다. 특히나 폴은 질문하는 것을 두려워하지 않도록 늘 질문하는 자세를 저에게 훈련시켜주었습니다. 특히나 동양 아시아권 나라에서 교육을 받고 자란 학생들에게 수업시간에 질문을 한다는 것은 매우 익숙하지 않고 어려운 부분인데 폴과의 수업 덕분에 언어를 배움에 있어서 그런 어려운 부분들이 많이 해소되었습니다. 그는 영어를 가르쳐주는 선생님 뿐만아니라, 학생들을 매우 인격적으로, 그리고 사랑으로 대해주었습니다. 수업이 끝나고 나서도 늘 개인적인 어려움들, 타지에서 겪는 외로움들에 대해서 항상 걱정해주고 인생의 여러가지 조언들과 교훈들을 아낌없이 나누어 주고 얘기해 주었습니다. 폴은 늘 가르침에 있어서 열정적이고 진중하고 헌신된 마음을 가진 선생님으로 저에게 영원히 기억될 것입니다.
Teacher Paul is the most precious and grateful person to me, as an awesome teacher, and as a mentor. He always helped, supported, and cheered me on to learn English. Paul always helped me overcome my fear of learning English with a series of challenges. When I started learning English, I wasn’t able to write a short paragraph in English but after studying with Paul I was confident to write an essay and even a research paper. He taught me not only the skills of writing an essay but also having confidence to learn a foreign language. Also, he always considered the student’s point of view and explained and taught English easily and interestingly. Paul especially trained and motivated me to have the attitude of not being afraid to ask questions. It is unfamiliar and difficult for students educated in Asian countries, but he encouraged me and supported me all the time and I became the student who asked the most questions. He taught me English with love and a devoted mind and passion. Also he gave me lots of advice and precious life lessons when I had my personal difficulties and was homesick. He is a passionate, sincere, enthusiastic, kind, and excellent teacher.
Diego Molina, business manager
Paul fue más que un maestro para mi. Paul fue un mentor, un amigo quien me enseñó acerca del valor de las palabras, oraciones bien conformadas y lo esencial que es leer y escribir bien el Inglés. Su manera tan natural de enseñar me mantenía pegado a mi asiento en el salón de clases, preguntándome que sigue y queriendo aprender más Inglés. Gracias a Paul mi interés por el Inglés creció con cada una de sus clases. Me sentía tan entretenido aprendiendo en la clase de Paul que no me daba pena cometer errores, porque sabía que cometer un error era una oportunidad de abrir una puerta para más aprendizaje y sabiduría. Toda la enseñanza me dio Paul me influencio de una manera tal que sentí la confianza suficiente de para estudiar una carrera universitaria y trabajar en Canadá. Termine un curso de comunicación social y ahorita estoy trabajando como manager asistente en ventas. Muchas gracias Paul por ser una parte importante de mi vida aquí en Canadá, gracias por toda la enseñanza. Tuve el gran experiencia y privilegio de ser tu estudiante y estoy orgulloso de ello.
Paul was more than a teacher to me. Paul was a mentor and a friend who taught me about the value of words, well constructed sentences and how essential is reading and writing. His natural way of teaching kept me glued to my seat wondering what’s next and wanting to learn more about English language. I felt so relaxed learning it that I was not afraid of making mistakes anymore because I knew that in Paul’s class a mistake opens a door for more learning and wisdom. Paul’s mentoring influenced my life so greatly that I felt confident to pursue a university career and work in Canada. I finished Broadcasting for Web, Radio and TV and I’m currently working as assistant manager in retail. Thanks Paul for being an important part of my life here in Canada. I had the greatest time being your student.
Haruka Fukumoto, university student
Teacher Paul is really nice and skillful person I’ve ever met. His class was helpful for me to learn not only English but also social problems. He knows a lot of things and he is willing to teach them. When I was writing research paper online at 2am, I was surprised because he was on online and gave me some advice and encouragements. He taught me many valuable things. I’m a college student in Vancouver now. I realize what I learned in his class is helpful for my college life, especially for English essay. He takes care of every students. He is the best teacher in my life!
Tomoko Himeoka, psychology Major
私は2016年からバンクーバーに留学しており、現在バンクーバーで心理学を専攻しています。初めてポールに出会っ他のは2016年の12月で、初めて語学学校の進級テストに落ちた月でもありました。他のクラスは合格点に満ちていたのですが、ポールのライティングとリーディングのクラスだけ０.５ポイント足りず不合格でした。当時は悔しくて涙が止まらなかったのですが、泣いていても何も解決しないと思いポールに勉強方法、どうしたら自分の英語を伸ばせるか、勉強のことのみならず自分の欠点、嫌なところ、直したいところなど全てポールに打ち明けました。「変かもしれないけど、おかしい生徒と思うかもしれないけど」という私の言葉にポールの返答は「変わり者は最高だ」でした。
それから毎日の放課後のみならず早朝からも熱心につきっきりで指導してくださり、私は他の先生のライティングのクラスを取っていたのにも関わらず、ポールは授業時間外も私の質問になんでも答えてくれ、いつも支えてくれました。勉強のみならず、友達の悩み事、恋愛、家族のことなど全てにおいて全面的に支えてくれました。
当時の私は自信がなく、本当にしたいことを主張する強さすらなかったのでどうせ私はまただめだから人のいうことを聞くしかないんだと、未来は変えられないと諦めていたですがポールの全面的なサポートと的確なアドバイスのおかげで現在自分の大好きなカナダで大好きな心理学を専攻しています。ポールに出会わなければ今の私はなかったと、勉強の楽しさに気がつけていなかったと思います。
私は日本にいた時、勉強が大嫌いで読書は拷問だと思っていたのですが、ポールのおかげで勉強することの喜び、そして何より常にチャレンジすることの大切さそして生きることの楽しさを教えてもらいました。ポールは私の人生を１８０度変えてくれた一番素晴らしく、そして尊敬する先生です。
When I came to Vancouver in 2016 September, I had no confidence. I did not believe I could improve my English or go to a college in Canada. However, meeting Teacher Paul changed my life tremendously.
I took a reading and writing class, and I failed the first time. I cried, and felt very bad about that, and told myself “See, I am stupid”. Yet, I wanted to pass, and wanted to change my bad routines, so I asked Paul if he could help me improve my English. I told him how I felt when I failed the class. I said “you must think I am weird…” His first response was, “Being weird is cool”.
Since then, he has helped me improve mainly my writing, and reading skills, even though I had these classes with other teachers. He taught me not only English but also how to achieve goals, gain confidence, overcome problems, and be what he calls, a “Hammer,” someone who pursues their goals and works hard.
I call him a walking dictionary secretly because his knowledge is unlimited. He taught me philosophy, psychology, history, geography, biology…..and other topics too. Every conversation I had with him was very valuable and interesting and deep.
He also helped me to write academic research essays three times, and exactly knows what resources to check, other useful perspectives to think about and how to get a reader’s attention.
Because of his support, I am now studying what I love at a university in Canada. It is not easy for me to face challenges, yet Paul taught me that if I work hard and attack the difficulties, my goals are waiting for me. Most importantly, Paul was there to help, support, encourage, and teach me all the time. I can not imagine my life without him anymore. Meeting him changed my life. He is the best person and teacher in my life.
Woody Hyung Min Lim, professional Care Aide
2015년 밴쿠버에 있는 어학원에서 폴 선생님을 처음 만났습니다. 지금에 와서도 그 때를 생각해보면 선생님께 감사하다는 말씀을 드리고 싶네요. 그 때에 많은 친구들과 선생님들을 만났었지만 폴 선생님은 제게 특별했던 선생님이었습니다. 선생님은 늘 학생들에게 영어를 배우는 동기를 부여해주며 학생들을 진지하게도 또 즐겁게도 만들어주는 그런 선생님이셨습니다. 때로는 대학에 있는 교수님들만큼 열심히, 그리고 체계적으로 가르쳐주셨고 때로는 그저 고민도 들어줄 수 있는 좋은 친구도 되셨습니다. 여전히 혼자서 공부할 때엔 그 당시 선생님께 배웠던 것들이나 조언을 떠올리곤 합니다. 어학원을 졸업하고 지금 간호조무사로써 일하고 있는 지금 시점에도 제가 캐나다와 한국의 다른 점에 대해서 고민하거나 문제점이 생겼을 때엔 당시에 선생님께 배웠던 영어뿐만이 아닌 캐나다의 문화적 지식, 캐나다 사람들의 사고방식 등은 제게 많은 도움이 되었습니다.
I met Teacher Paul in Vancouver 2015. Thinking and reminding of the time when I was his student, just want to say thanks to him. I met many friends and teachers in Vancouver but he was very special for me. He was a motivating and inspiring teacher making it enjoyable to study English. Sometimes, he was more strict and professional than professors in university, sometimes he was a good friend. Still I think of how he taught me English and his advices when I study alone. After graduating from school and doing my job which is care aide, what he taught is still helpful for me. Since he was trying to teach English, Canada’s cultural background and how people here think together, it helps me when I struggle to deal with people and cultural differences.
Jorge Quintaro Jaen, lawyer–UN High Commission for Refugees
Teacher Paul helped me improve my written and spoken English. I think one of the things that makes him such an amazing and thoughtful teacher is the fact that he always encourages you to be better, to exceed your expectations of yourself, but also challenges you with new and exciting goals. He showed me the importance of developing critical thinking towards any subject or idea. This has been very useful in my professional and academic life. I am now a lawyer and I am currently working as an individual contractor for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in my hometown in Panama. I would say that Teacher Paul trusts in his students, he trusts in their capacity to expand their full potential and capacities. Being his student was definitely a wonderful and rewarding experience.
Kensei Orimo, social media entrepreneur
Teacher Paul taught me English writing skills such as grammar, vocabulary and connectors, which I can even use for university essays. Now I’m a university student at Uvic, and the past classes with him always reminded me how to write English statement correctly. Teacher Paul was strict from time to time, but I believe it really helps me to continue to acquire English knowledge. Before taking Paul’s class, I just was trying to write English sentences with only grammar. However, Paul also focuses on how to write beautiful English sentence which could impress readers. This change was huge challenge for me, but it was also magnificent improvement.
Pedro Vieria Lopes de Almeida, Law student
When studying with Paul, I always felt comfortable with his teaching method because it creates an environment where students can share their ideas, learn from each other and improve their speaking skills during the way. Reading and writing was definitely the area where I learned the most from Teacher Paul. Before meeting him, I was made to believe that my writing skills were limited and would never be decent, but he opened my eyes to new paths in terms of organizing my ideas, putting them on the paper and creating a good structure for it. Besides grammar, paragraph structures and all that comes with the studies of writing, Paul taught me that essays are just like anything in life. They will never be good enough in the first try. The more work we put into it, the better it gets.
Luciano Gabriel Ramirez, university student
Cuando fui por primera vez a Vancouver, no hablaba casi nada de Ingles. Pero al tiempo que ya me iba de vuelta, había escrito dos ensayos en la lengua Inglesa de carácter académico y algo asi extenso, cosa que no había hecho ni siquiera en Español, lo que me hace muy orgulloso de mi mismo. Pero en realidad debo agradecerle mucho a Paul y a su constante enseñanza. El tambien hizo de mi estancia en Canada muy valerosa. No cambiaria haber estado en Vancouver por nada en el mundo, porque gracias a que estuve allí, me hice de grandes herramientas que me fueron forjadas solamente con la tutela de el.
His teaching not only helped me get on the right path towards getting accepted in a university abroad but also gave me lifetime tools that are even as if not more important than the academic skills I acquired. Some of them, for example, friendship, confidence, respect, and honesty are in reality what makes people achieve the most. I am currently studying in Estonia, at TLU. It is in part thanks to him that I have been complemented so much on my papers. Also perhaps due to his friendship, I got to differentiate good from bad hangouts. I have a inner circle that to some extent clearly displays Paul’s impact on it. He is a cool one.
Megumi Suzuki, business manager
Paul is the perfect English teacher. In the beginning, I had almost no knowledge of English writing at all. However, I ultimately gained the essay skill necessary to take the next step and be accepted to a college in Canada. His skill is not just in teaching English. He loves his students and is always thinking of ways to help them. This warmth includes caring for students in need, even if it’s not related to study, such as when they are struggling with homesickness, culture shock, etc. He kindly listens to their problems and gives them advice and encouragement. For these reasons, I was able to have a beautiful student life during these days. For future students, if you learn English from Paul Duke, it is certain you can improve your language and better understand the value in life. Your worldview will expand and you will have a priceless experience being his student.
Ryota Nakazawa, Eagle Industry Co., executive
Teacher Paul helped me a lot of times when I studied English. His training was really clear how to use English correctly, so it was not difficult to understand even complicated grammar. I was strongly moved by his enthusiastic mind that he shared his life with us. Even now I remember his episode why he wanted to become a teacher. One day I want to become like him who with strong mind.
Giselle Maki, university student
Teacher Paul me ajudou de muitas maneiras. Em minha continua jornada de aprendizado da língua inglesa, posso dizer com convicção que a presença dele foi e é de grande significado. Desde os aparentemente mais fáceis aspectos do inglês como gramática básica, até os mais profundos e complexos aspectos das culturas canadense e de outros países, e tudo sobre diferenças étnica-culturais: ele lembrou, ensinou e gravou em todos nós, seus estudantes. O tempo que passei tendo-o como professor foi certamente marcante e inesquecível: o suporte e apoio, os Tim bits! Tudo o que ele fez, e disso eu tenho certeza, foi para nos ajudar a aprender inglês e nos ajudar a sermos pessoas melhores. Não consigo agradecê-lo o bastante!
Teacher Paul helped me in many ways. In my ongoing journey of learning English, I can surely say that his presence was and will surely remain very meaningful. From the seemingly most easy aspects of the language such as basic grammar to the most deep and intricate aspects of Canadian and other countries cultures and all about ethnic and cultural differences: He reminded, taught and engraved in us all, his students. The time I had as his student was surely remarkable and unforgettable: the support, the encouragement, the Tim bits! Everything he did was to help us improve our english and be better people. I could not thank him enough!
Dr. Kiyoshi Ishida, M.D., PhD
I was looking for an English tutor for my younger son (21 years old at that time) several years ago when he stayed in Vancouver for three months. I found Paul by using Craigslist in Vancouver. He is an alumni of the University of British Columbia and he had good experience in teaching English as a Second Language. I recommended him to my son. My son took his private tutoring lessons during his stay in Vancouver. I heard that my son had a very good time working with Paul. Actually I personally met Paul in Vancouver later and I got impressed by his academic career and his friendly but also sincere attitude. It’s just an aside, but his wife is a Japanese. He can not speak Japanese fluently but he had a good experience in teaching a lot of Japanese and Asian students. He knows well about Japanese culture and Japanese customs. That might be particularly good for Japanese students or Asian students. I highly recommend Paul to all the ESL students.
Osama Alshanti, university student
إنه لمن دواعي سروري أن أتعلم اللغة الإنجليزية مع أستاذ بول. قدراتي في اللغة تطورت و أصبحت بفضله أمتلك ثقة أكبر بقدراتي. أستاذ بول شخص ودود، متعاون، و مجتهد كثيراً. إنني ممتن لما بذله من مجهود معي. بإختصار، أستاذ بول هو قدوتي.
It was a great honor to be with teacher Paul. He has helped me improve my English skills and importantly, have the confidence to speak in public. Moreover, he is very friendly, helpful, and cooperative. I am very thankful for his diligence. In short, he is a role model for his students.
Sayuna Katsuyama, linguistics major, Simon Fraser University
ポール先生はわたしが今まで出会った先生の中で1番素敵な先生の1人です。生徒が目標を達成するためにどんな手助けをしたらいいのかを1番にわかっているとてもプロフェッショナルな先生です。わたしは今までにポール先生のクラスを 4〜5回ぐらい取りましたが、その全てのクラスが興味深くとても役立つものでした。ポール先生は生徒のやる気を向上させる方法を知っているため、特に英語が苦手な生徒も頑張ることができます。わたしが特に好きだったクラスは最後のセッションに取ったリサーチペーパーのクラスです。初めはそんなに長いリサーチペーパーを書いたことがなく、クラスを落第してしまうかと怖かったのを覚えています。 しかし、ポール先生はわたしが目標を達成するために毎クラス熱心に指導してくださり、そのおかげでわたしも楽しみながらリサーチペーパーを書くことができました。その時に書いたリサーチペーパーは未だに私が今まで書いた中で一番長いものの１つであり、自信があるものの１つでもあります。 卒業してから3年以上経ちましたが、ポール先生は今もわたしの先生です。 今でも時々困ったことがあるときはポール先生と話をしに行き、いつもとても良いアドバイスをもらいます。ポール先生はただ単に先生というだけではなく、今まで受け持った世界中にいる生徒のことを常に気にかけている、とても素晴らしい人です。ベストティーチャー・ポール先生！！
Teacher Paul is an incredibly professional teacher who knows how to help students achieve their goals. He knows how to encourage student’s motivation, especially when students are having difficulties using English as an additional language. One of my favourite projects with him was a research paper. I remember at first I was terrified that I couldn’t write such a long paper and thought I was going to fail. However, he helped me step by step to achieve the goal, and I actually enjoyed writing the paper. The paper I wrote at that time is still one of the longest ones I’ve ever written, and one of my favourite ones too. More than 3 years have passed since I graduated, yet Teacher Paul is still my teacher. I still visit him whenever I face difficulties, and he gives me great advice. He is not just a great teacher but an incredible person who always cares about his students no matter where they are. THE BEST TEACHER EVER TEACHER PAUL!!
Nico Novaes, music marketing, singer songwriter
Na primeira vez que eu entrei na sala de aula para assistir a aula do Paul eu estava assustado e com medo, talvez porque era minha primeira vez estudando inglês fora do meu país, talvez porque eu estava na aula do nível Masters e não fazia ideia se conseguiria acompanhar.
O Paul rapidamente tornou muito fácil me engajar na aula e eu tive dificuldade zero em administrar meus estudos e estilo de vida enquanto eu vivia minha própria experiência Canadense. Ele com certeza é o melhor professor que eu já tive, não somente por conta do seu método de ensino da língua inglesa, mas também porque ele está sempre inspirando seus alunos a irem em frente, fazer o que amam, enfrentar o que precisarem para tornarem-se quem eles quiserem ser.
Comigo não foi diferente. Na verdade, as palavras do Paul me ajudaram desde daquela primeira vez na sala de aula, e continuam me ajudando a alcançar a vida que eu sempre sonhei. Hoje meu inglês é muito, mas muito melhor que antes, e continua evoluindo todos os dias, tudo por causa do jeito que o Paul enxerga as coisas e transmite para as pessoas.
When I first got into Paul’s class I was scared and afraid, maybe because it was my first time studying English outside my homeland, maybe because I was in a Masters Level class and had no idea if I’d be able to keep up. Paul instantly made it so easy to engage in the class and I found zero difficulties on managing my studies and lifestyle during my Canadian experience. He’s for sure the best teacher I’ve ever had, not only for his English language teaching methods, but also because he’s always inspiring the students to go for it, do what they love, face whatever they have to face to become whoever they want to be. Actually, Paul’s words have helped me since that first time inside the classroom, and keep helping me accomplish the life I’ve always dreamed of. Today my English is much much better than before, and keeps improving every day, all due to Paul’s way of looking to things and transmitting it to people. Keep Hammering!
Daniela Valderama, university student
Last year, I had the pleasure of having Paul as my English teacher. I had some trouble sharing my opinion in public because I was scared of making mistakes. However, Paul believed in my skills and encouraged me to trust myself. He also helped me improve my English skills after I was not comfortable with practicing them. I felt happy and motivated since he creates a really friendly learning environment and every day I learned something different from him. I am going to leave Colombia to go to college in Vancouver and I definitely feel more comfortable and confident to be in an environment where everyone speaks English.
Samuel Chang Bravo, modern languages major
Paul helped me improve my English proficiency so that I would be ready for college and achieve my career with ease. Not only did he prepare me to write university-level research papers, but he also showed me how to give a proper academic presentation in English. Paul also encouraged me to always ask questions, of friends, family, and more importantly myself. This helped me realize that the career I was taking in college was not the one I truly wanted. Now, a couple of semesters short from my graduation with an Art’s Degree in Modern Languages, I can wholeheartedly thank Paul for not only helping me become fluent in English, but also for all of his life lessons and honesty.
Vivian Lasagno Zaratin, psychology major
Meu nome é Vivian Lasagno Zaratin, 24 e sou brasileira. Em 2018, retornei para a minha universidade em São Paulo e eu estou estudando psicologia. Quando eu penso sobre o professor Paul, duas importantes palavras vêm a minha cabeça: desafios e conhecimento. Em 2017, Paul me passou diversos tipos de aprendizados desde o acadêmico até para a minha vida pessoal. Ele não apenas me ensinou como escrever uma incrível pesquisa acadêmica e dissertações, mas mais importante que isso, também me transmitiu uma sabedoria pessoal de como se tornar uma pessoa mais forte, que sabe que a vida não é fácil. Durante minhas aulas sobre o “Research Paper”, eu pude aprender que para conquistar meus sonhos, eu preciso trabalhar duro e com persistência. Paul me deu o conhecimento suficiente e o apoio necessário para suportar meus desafios, dificuldades e estresses. Nas aulas do professor Paul, eu pude ultrapassar meus limites e desenvolver mais meu auto-conhecimento.
Para mim, o percurso árduo para realizar os meus sonhos me trousse uma grande transformação pessoal. Eu penso que todo este conhecimento interno foi muito mais importante do que chegar ao fim do meu incrível “Research Paper”. Muito obrigado professor Paul por tudo, você é uma pessoa e um professor incrível. Eu carrego comigo todo o conhecimento e sabedoria que você me ensinou.
My name is Vivian Lasagno Zaratin, 24, I´m Brazilian and in university in São Paulo studying Psychology. When I think about teacher Paul, I think about two important words that are part of me now: challenges and knowledge. In 2017, Paul taught me diverse things for my academic and personal life. Paul not only taught me how to be a very good writer and reader, but more important than this academic wisdom he also taught how to become a stronger person who knows that life is not easy. During my research paper classes, I experienced and learned that to achieve my dreams I would have to work hard and with perseverance. Teacher Paul gave me enough knowledge to endure and encounter my challenges, and he supported me with my difficulties and distresses. In Paul classes, I surpassed my limits and discovered more about me. For me, this wisdom was much more important than my amazing final research paper. I think that the hard way we have to face to accomplish our dreams bring us a huge personal change. Thanks Paul for everything, you are an amazing person, and of course a teacher as well. I keep with me all knowledge that you taught me.
Sheena Tseng, nurse
Teacher Paul是我所遇過的最好的英語老師。他激勵學生以盡可能的方式學習英語。他建議我們在教室外吸收英語。他鼓勵我們重複觀看我們最喜愛的電影或電視節目，以便在上下文中獲得更好的理解。所以我反復觀看了“實習醫生(Grey’s anatomy)”，每次重複觀看同一集，我聽見更多的詞彙，以及聽到如何正確使用動詞時態。我可以向你保證，只要你嘗試Teacher Paul建議你做的任何學習活動，人們就會對你的英語程度刮目相看。此外，他在我們的日常生活中也相當關心我們。多年以後，大部分的學生都與他保持聯繫，並且一起繼續充實我們的英語程度以及我們生命中想要達成的目標。他總是給予我們鼓勵和支持。Teacher Paul對我來說遠遠不止是一位優秀的英語老師。他更是我生命中無價的朋友。關於我：目前是澳大利亞的一名護理學生，追逐我成為海外護理師的夢想。在我遇見Teacher Paul之前，我從未採取行動追求這個夢想。是他的鼓勵，激勵我跨出第一步去追逐我的夢想。是他改變了我的人生。
Teacher Paul is the best English teacher I have ever had. He motivates students to learn English in every possible way we could. He suggested us ways to absorb English outside classroom. For example, he encourages us to watch our favorite movies or TV shows repeated to gain a better understanding in the context. So I watched “Grey’s Anatomy” repeatedly and each time I picked up more vocabulary and heard how to use verb tense correctly in speaking. I can guarantee you, as long as you try whatever teacher Paul suggests you to do, people will be impressed of how you use English very well as a non-native speaker. Moreover, he also cares about us in our day-to-day life. He is always there to give us encouragement and support. Teacher Paul is far beyond an excellent English teacher for me. He is a priceless friend in my life. I’m currently a nursing student in Australia to chase my dream to become a overseas nurse. Actually, I had never taken actions to pursue this dream before I met Paul. It’s his encouragement that motivated me to live the life I have been dreaming of. It is fair to say that he changed my life.
Nita Zhang, garment company executive
Guru Paul Duke telah menunjukkan kepada saya bahwa Anda mampu mencapai tujuan hidup Anda selama Anda memiliki keberanian, keinginan dan ketekunan. Saya tidak hanya belajar bahasa, tapi saya juga mendapatkan pengetahuan yang banyak. Itu adalah pengalaman yang berharga dan tidak terlupakan!
Teacher Paul Duke has showed me that you are capable of achieving your life goals as long as you have courage, desire and perseverance. Not only was I learning language but also gaining plenty of knowledge. Studying with him was a precious and unforgettable experience!
Jacob Yousif, student—Concordia University
Paul has been the greatest English instructor I’ve ever had. His engaging methods of teaching made it easier to follow up with the lessons, and understand complex grammar rules. I relied heavily on his reading and writing workshops for my IELTS exam which I needed for university, where I am. His writing instruction has incredibly improved my writing skills as well as my reading comprehension. I highly recommend teacher Paul for those who are interested in learning English or need help in writing.
Akino Kobayashi, accountant
I’m one of the lucky persons who have had a chance to study with and learn English from Paul. He is a English teacher, but he helped me a lot with many dimensions of my problems, even when they were not about English. However, he didn’t just help me. He taught me how I should face them and overcome them. Almost two years have passed since I left Vancouver, but his words are still alive in my mind. So, I’ve been trying to reassemble the accounting systems at the company I work for. This is a first time I have tried and I have to face huge amounts of information. However, I’ve been able to do it because his words, “ if you are going through hell, just keep going” remain in my head and cheer my motivations up. Thanks, Paul. He is definitely the best English teacher. He made my days in Vancouver a life-changing experience. I will never forget it.
Daniela Ortega Camero, university student
El 30 de enero de 2017 llegué a la escuela de inglés donde conocería a uno de los profesores que no solo contribuyó a mi aprendizaje de idiomas, sino que también generó un impacto en mi forma de ver la vida. El profesor Paul me estuvo acompañando en los ciclos finales de mi instancia en el curso, para entonces era extremadamente importante probar que eras capaz de expresarte y comunicar tus ideas a los demás de la manera más clara e impecable posible, esta situación me estresaba, ya que no quería cometer ni un solo error.Paul siempre se dio cuenta de que este patrón ocurría en la mayoría de sus alumnos, por lo que hizo que cada una de sus clases fuera agradable, de esa forma todos hablaban libremente sin sentirse bajo presión. Sus técnicas en las clases fueron muy buenas: discutimos temas de interés para todos, hicimos presentaciones de un tema que nos apasionaba, y solíamos ir a tomar café con toda la clase para hablar cómodamente, y así mejorábamos nuestro léxico y fluidez sin ni siquiera notarlo. Creo que el profesor Paul me ayudó a darme cuenta de que el inglés es uno de los idiomas más fáciles de aprender; Además, gracias a que Paul nos enseñaba, yo y mis compañeros, forjamos grandes lazos de amistad. Paul también me ayudó a darme cuenta de que la auto corrección mientras aprendes un idioma es esencial, que tu inglés es mucho más sofisticado si usas conectores, que debes practicar constantemente una y otra vez para mejorar tu nivel, y lo que es aún más importante : “Cualquier persona en el universo tiene la capacidad de aprender este idioma”. En este momento me estoy preparando para ir a la universidad en Canadá y comenzar una nueva etapa en mi vida. ¡Gracias al profesor Paul me siento preparada y segura para enfrentar los desafíos que vendrán!
About a year ago I decided to embark a new path in search of progress and adventure; I began studying English in Canada.Paul is one of the teachers who not only contributed to my language learning, but also generated an impact on my way of seeing life. Teacher Paul was accompanying me at the final cycles of my instance in the course, by then it was extremely important to prove that you were capable of expressing yourself and communicate your ideas to the others in the clearest and most impeccable way possible, this situation stressed me out, since I did not want to make a single mistake. Paul always realized that this pattern occurred in most of his students, so he made each of his classes enjoyable, in that way everybody spoke freely without feeling under any pressure. His techniques in the classes were very good: We discussed topics of interest to all, we made presentations of a topic that we were passionate about, and we used to go for a coffee with the whole class to talk comfortably, and so we improved our lexicon and fluency without noticing it. I think that Professor Paul helped me to realize that English is one of the easiest languages to learn; furthermore, thanks to Paul teaching us, me and my classmates, we forged bonds of friendship . Paul also helped me to realize that self-correction while you learn a language is essential, that your English is much more sophisticated if you use connectors, that you must be constantly practicing again and again to improve your level, and what is even more important: “anyone in the universe has the capability to learn this language”. At the present time I am preparing myself to go to College in Canada, and begin a new stage in my life. Thanks to teacher Paul I feel prepared and confident to face the challenges that will come!
Aya Hioki, student–University of British Columbia
Teacher Paul has been a huge motivation in my life. I am currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of British Columbia. I met Teacher Paul when I came to Vancouver in 2014, and took his class for almost a year. He was always the one who came to the school first every morning. His classroom door was open, welcoming students no matter what. He is one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever met. He is always open to students who struggle, have questions and concerns, and want to learn. He recognizes dedicated students who are making efforts and trying to get better. Every time I looked for him to ask questions or get opinions, he was willing to give the best answers and advice as he could. He is always respectful of students as individuals and for their cultural background. He shows his curiosity to learn more about students and their culture, which makes him a fantastic teacher.
His academic writing and research paper class were my favourite classes. He was not there just to teach us techniques or how to write a good paper, but to help us improve as good students to both mentally and academically prepare for higher education. When I was applying to UBC, I asked him for help with my essays for the application. He knew how much I wanted to grab the ticket to UBC, and he was willing to offer the help. From the early morning to long after school finished, besides revising my English, he helped me with self-reflection, going through my past experiences and organizing my thoughts. These are my unforgettable memories with him and I really appreciate his dedication.
Since completing my transition to UBC, he has periodically checked in on me to ask how I am doing. He has shared his on UBC experience with me and given me advice and guidance in my career path. Now I am successfully achieving my political science major. I am heavily involved in campus activities and working as a student leader and a teaching assistant. Without him, I would not be able to stand where I am now at UBC. He has been more than a teacher for me. He has not only taught me English, but also given me emotional support and life motivation. Thanks to him, I have become not afraid of making mistakes, challenging myself and keep hammering on my dreams. I am very fortunate to have him in my life.
Chika Kawamura, university student
ポール先生はさまざな分野に飽くなき興味関心を寄せ、そして文章を書くことと語学学校の生徒たちを指導することに人生を捧げています。私は数多くいる彼の教え子の一人で、カナダの大学へ入学するために必要な論文の書き方を指導していただきました。先生は単に学術的な書き方だけではなく、その文章をさらに魅力的かつ個性的に見せるにはどうすればよいかを限られた授業時間の中ではもちろんのこと、授業終了後にも時間を設けて本当に熱心に指導してくださいました。ときには文章を書かなければならない生徒本人以上にその論文の方向性を考え、時間を忘れて試行錯誤してくださいました。たった2.5週の間に最低７枚の論文を不慣れな英語で書かなくてはならない状況は留学生にとっては大変困難で、苦しい時間を過ごします。しかしポール先生のその熱心な指導が多くの受講生の心を動かし、励みとなります。その苦しみを乗り越え、卒業する際には皆口を揃えて「このクラスを受けて本当に良かった」「英語で論文を書くことに自信や達成感を持てた」と言います。これらの感想はポール先生が、彼の持つ知識を総動員して献身的に生徒たちを支えてくださった証になると思います。また、先に述べた彼の熱心な指導から、ポール先生の文章を書くことへの並々ならぬ情熱を感じることができます。現在の私：保育士資格取得講座に通う学生.
Teacher Paul is a person who has endless interest in a variety of topics and dedicates his life to teaching international students English. I was one of his students, and he helped me prepare for university in Canada. He told me how to write a research paper not only academically but also creatively and attractively. His passion for writing has inspired many students who have taken his writing classes In fact, the alumni were satisfied with the class, and they were able to feel that they got a confidence and sense of accomplishment of writing an academic paper in English. This is the evidence that teacher Paul supports and encourages students with all his knowledge(←Is this grammatically correct?) and devotion.
Ukyo Takahashi, university student
私がポールと出会ったのは日本の高校卒業したて、18歳の時でした。バンクーバーの二年制大学に入学するために英語を勉強する必要があったため同地域の語学学校に通い始め、そこで出会った先生の一人がポールでした。彼のクラスでは主にリーディング・ライティングの授業を受けていたのですが、その一環であるリサーチペーパーは明らかに他の授業とは一線を画すものでした。読書に始まりそこから得た情報を有用化して一本筋が通る様に文字に起こさなければならない。さらには大学で三ヶ月与えられるところを一ヶ月でこなすという、それまで私が行ってきた英語学習とはまるで次元の違うもので不安に満ち満ちていました。しかし、そんな焦慮とは裏腹に私はそのクラスをパスすることが出来ました。その背景にはポールの見事に形式化された英語教授法と彼の献身的なサポートがありました。私は面倒くさがり屋でテスト前日まで勉強をしないような生徒でしたが、彼の授業では初めて能動的に勉学なるものに取り組めました。様々な側面から一つのことを論理的に紐解く、勉学のみならず日常生活にも必要不可欠なスキルを英語とともに教えてくださいました。彼は英語を教えるスキルのみならず人格的にも優れた人物だと思います。彼の授業を受けられたこと、そして何より、彼のような人格者に出会えたことをとても光栄に思います。
I was fortunate and honoured that I met Paul before I embarked on a new college experience in Canada. When I first took Paul’s class, I was an 18 year-old naive kid. No sooner had I graduated from high school in Japan than I came to Canada to take some English classes. I was in dire need of improving my academic English skills since I had to attain an English proficiency criteria invoked in a conditional college admission in order to matriculate to college. This fret instantly diverted me from what was actually crucial in learning all the time: the joy of studying. Paul cracked down the stiff notion of mine by giving me a methodical English lecture. His well-organized lecture helped me not only improve English skills but discover the scintillation of learning. English can be learned everywhere in the world as I did myself in Japan. However, whom I will definitely guarantee you learn English as a practical device from is only him. In the end, I would like to introduce “tenacity” the word that he taught me in my last class with him. If you try what is seemingly impossible for you at the time, whether succeed or not, you will get something that help you overcome it next time. Seizing your own success necessitates your continuation of efforts. Well then, what if you need to improve your English skills to attain your goal? Easy. Ask Paul for help. Paul, the best teacher ever in my life must be whom you start hammering on it with.