Akemi Kagawa - Orange Coast College

Professor: Akemi Kagawa

Department: TBD

College: Orange Coast College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took Kagawa Sensei for Japanese 180 as well and she's very particular about her standards for students. Many complain about this, but she clearly states her expectations in the syllabus. You need to try, participate, and do your work for a good grade. She does become much more laid back in 185 if you want to continue taking Japanese.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: JAP180
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Be prepared to work hard and put in a lot of hours for your grade. Her syllabus clearly lays out the semester and her expectations. Although I got a solid base of Japanese culture/ language, I was really disappointed by the atmosphere. The classroom is very stiff and she humiliates/lashes out at students who are not one of her favorites.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Alright, Kagawa Sensei has a sort of dictator approach to teaching. I come from a martial arts background so this wasn't a huge deal but dang the fun wasn't really there totally in learning a foreign language. She actually liked me as a student for some time (small group of favorites) and the class was still very difficult to get a high grade in.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: JAPN280
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She is not an unfair professor! She requires you to learn how she runs her class and wants to structure it the way a Japanese class would be. My entire class minus three people got A's last semester and those that didn't got B's. Raise your hand as much as possible even if you're unsure and do the reviews she uploads right before each test. Easy A.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: JAPN180
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kagawa is a strict professor but not unfair. She clearly outlines what her class will be like in her syllabus and grades accordingly. If you study and put in the effort you should be ok grade wise. The issue arises from her personality. She tends to be quite discouraging and her class is boring. I have a B and consider dropping after each class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: JAPN180
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Her class felt so cold. It felt a lot like a strict high school class . Lots of homework, though that's expected. Points off your grade every time you're late before class or after the break , no touching your face, and 5 percent off your grade if caught with your phone out. No good penmanship? Points off. "Master pieces, always master pieces"

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: JAP180
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Taken her Japanese Class at Cerritos College in 1996. I think this is the same instructor. Her instruction was straight out of the text book of Yokuso Book 2. Not the best but ok. I had no problems when her, just the students I couldn't interact with, and that failed me. I was able to pass all other Japanese course but not this class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: JAPN180H
• 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:

If you really follow the syllabus to a T you will not be hurting down the line. She makes all of her expectations very clear and if you go to office hours with personal problems (example a funeral or other family obligation of a serious matter) she is very respectful and willing to accommodate. Great Prof. Extra credit opportunities

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: JAP180
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I have graduated from a 4-year university by now but honestly my hatred for this professor has not changed single bit. I did everything accordingly and for some reason she was always condescending towards me, sometimes was also racist. She took point off just because I stretched in class one time. She is unstable. Eventhough I had an A, I dropped

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: JAPN180H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very tough grader, you better participate/involve for points, honor class is way harder than regular not just the materials, but she's hard on honor students. Of course everything must be her way of writing and must be nearly perfectionist. Thing is it's a very good, challenge class to take since most of OCC classes are too easy like high school.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Everything has to be her way, she dictates all her students, you have to have a beautiful writing(perfect writing), she takes lots of unreasonable points off(leaves u wonder why point off for small size etc), she just like you to learn Japanese her way, she needs to relax and have empathy, its not a hard class but she grades it SUPER HARD!!! No no

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Japanese is a difficult language to learn (3 sets of characters to read, write, vocalize, past/non-past verb conjugation, several levels of politeness). Those not willing or able to devote 20 hours per week, should not sign up for college-level Beginning Japanese, as they will blame the instructor when they fall behind (study harder or drop).

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: JAPN180
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The class was diificult but thats not what made me drop her class. The atmosphere of the class went horrible towards the middle of the semester. She became incredibly impatient with people and their questions. It became very intimidating to ask her anything. She would even engage in conflict with her best students. Never again.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Finished the class with above a 95% final score. Kagawa-sensei makes the class VERY simple if you pay attention- she provides EVERYTHING for you. She really went out of her way to do this. Show up to class, don't disrupt others, and participate- you will pass with a B no problem. Many say she is rude, but that's only to those who are goofing off.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

In the syllabus she stated that if we work with a classmate on homework we need to write their names on our paper as a form of making sure we don't plagiarize. So my classmate and I did that but she took our homework as no credit because we "cheated". Then she passive aggressively reprimanded our class about "cheating".

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: JAP185H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She's a nice professor. She's a really tough grader but as long as you do the homework and study regularly, you will be fine. And also don't forget to participate in the class, you don't need to worry about saying the wrong answer. You just need to have confident.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: JAPNA180H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It's certainly a challenge, but if you can learn to break free from being spoonfed and having teachers repeat answers, you will be fine. If you can channel the embarrassment from her snapping at you for making mistakes into determination to succeed, you will thrive in this class. You will learn respect and Japanese culture without even trying.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: JAP180
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Be warned: This professor is tough, nit-picky, and she will not hesitate to humiliate you in front of the class if you ask a question or make a mistake. She has a terrible temper and even yells. There is an incredible amount of work that has to be put into this class to do well, I wouldn't say it's worth it at all for the amount of mistreatment.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: JA180
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I came to class everyday, prepared and ready to learn. I always had proper conduct and even greeted her in the halls. It didn't matter. She's horribly mean and likes making students feel stupid. She's hard to understand and yelled at me during class when I misunderstood a minor thing. 1/2 through the semester I had an A, I dropped. Not worth it.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: JAP180
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

When taking a foreign language consider the culture as well. Japanese people are very prompt and probably the least rude people on Earth. Therefore, when she tries to teach respect- the Japanese way- people think she is rude but actually, in Japan, you are the rude one. She's a great teacher that cares and makes you work hard.