Howland Tutoring Service
the name
The name "Howland" comes from a 19th century whaling ship, the John Howland, which in 1841 brought to America Nakahama John Manjiro, the first Japanese person to live and study in the United States.
Howland Tutoring Service is committed to continuing the connection and spirit of understanding between Japan and the U.S. begun by John Manjiro.
the beginning
After spending ten years teaching English at a private high school in Nagoya, Japan, Todd Swenson returned to the U.S. and launched Howland Tutoring Service to serve the needs of the families of Japanese businessmen temporarily assigned to the Westchester Country, New York and Greenwich, CT areas.
our students
Our students are all age levels from preschool, elementary school, middle and high school students to adults including housewives and businessmen. They also represent all ability levels from beginners through advanced learners.
our tutors
Some of our tutors are bilingual in Japanese and English. Others are English-only. Many of our tutors are certified ESL teachers and public school teachers. All of our tutors are friendly, knowledgeable and eager to help our students succeed.
our lessons
Lessons are held in the privacy and convenience of the student's home. Our tutors come to you.
In order to meet the needs of each student, the vast majority of our lessons are one-on-one. Most lessons are 60 minutes. However, shorter lessons are available for little ones with shorter attention spans and longer lessons are common with high-schoolers.
The content of the lessons varies depending on the student's needs ranging from basic English conversation skills to help with schoolwork to preparation for advanced testing.
the art
Friend and artist Kazutomo Ijuin created this Seed of Hope as a promise to the future following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
The seed of Hope gifted to me by Ijuin-san sits on my desk and is there as a gentle reminder of our responsibility to our students and to their future.