Shoko Hamano - George Washington University, Washington, DC

Professor: Shoko Hamano

Department: Japanese

College: George Washington University, Washington, DC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: JAP001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

We have a lot to learn each class but professor Hamano is a very brilliant teacher and makes learning Japanese fun. I also appreciate the sense of community within the classroom because students become close to each other after the class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: JAPN1001
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I really enjoyed my class with Hamano Sensei. She was very clear, and made an effort to make sure we learned. She gives a small vocab quiz almost every class, so you have to attend it you want the grade, however they are easy it you look over the material before class, they raise your grade and they really help with your process. Would take again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: JAPN001
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

As a person who had almost no background in Japanese, I struggled with her fast-pace style and her very stern exterior didn't ease the situation. There's also inefficient communication between her and the TA which is very confusing for the students. I wish she could've been more approachable and better at explaining the concepts.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: JAPN4121W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Hamano-sensei goes at a fast pace, and her reading material isn't easy. However, if your goal is to improve your Japanese, it would be a serious waste of your tuition to not take at least one course with Hamano-sensei. She's an incredibly caring person with the cutest quirkiest sense of humor. *Important, show her your interest and dedication.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: JAPN1002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

After loving every minute of JAPN 1001, I couldn't have been more disappointed with Hamano-sensei. She only bothers participating with the first two rows of the class, and is massively more intimidating than the other Japanese professors. I learn in the drills, but the lectures are a waste of my time.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: JPN1002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hamano-sensei is a wonderful person but not the best professor. Her classes are mostly lectures and quizzes which doesn't make absorbing a new language much easier. She explains Japanese well, but she's a bit intimidating since she expects so much out of you right from the get-go.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: JAPN1002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I have never had a worse professor at GW. Hamano is disorganized, unhelpful, unintelligible, and uninteresting. Class time feels like a waste, I never know what I'm supposed to be learning, she expects us to know things she never taught us... She is simply horrible.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: JAPN004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Material is covered very quickly. Exams were challenging and lecture is not fun. She's a nice person, understanding but not necessarily the best teacher. Make sure to memorize all sentence examples from the textbook.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: JAPNFILM
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fun class. Good movie selection.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: JAPNALL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Yep, only the driven survive. Hamano Sensei is wonderful! I'll miss her when I graduate this year!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: JAPN001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hanami Sensei is an excellent teacher. Although she can be tough, toughness is what is needed to break you into Japanese. Japanese is not a language for the faint of heart, so obviously only the smartest and most driven will survive. To be honest though, sensei isn't too hard; she explains everything clearly and always answers questions. Take!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: JAPN004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

She made me hate Japanese. Didn't think it would be possible, but she did.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: JAPN004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I am massively disappointed.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: JAPN004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took this course even though I did not need to. That's how much I love Hamano sensei. Simply put, she is a great teacher who will answer your questions and does her best to create a link between English and Japanese for a foreign language teacher that is simply awesome. Your attendance and participation is 20% of the grade, so don't miss class

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: JAPN001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hamano-sensei is extremely nice and easy to understand. Simply put, she is a GREAT Japanese teacher!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: JAPN001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Oh my gosh, how could you not love Hamano sensei? She explains the hows and whys, not just the whats, without being asked. If you do ask a question, she answers clearly and understands perfectly-a rare quality in foreign language professors. Workload is a bit difficult, but I took a harder course at an easier college, so people shouldn't complain.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: JAPN001
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Hamano sensei is very good at what she does. She makes things simple to learn and if you study and do your work, it's not hard to get an A.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: JAP001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hamano-sensei is so funny and sweet! I love Japanese!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: JAPANESE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: JAPN003004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hamano is very cheery, but not very helpful. She expects you to have a natural ability in Japanese, and won't teach to your level, or the class's average level. She teaches to the best-performining students only. If you want to take Japanese with Hamano, you better be prepared to work VERY hard, and NEVER fall behind.