Get to Know Toshio Hirano - CASAS Clerk, Professional Musician, Immigrant from Japan

Toshio teaching and entertaining in
Teacher Vasyl's Morning Low Intermediate ESL Class

Last week, Teacher Vasyl's morning Low Intermediate ESL class practiced and improved their English skills with the help of San Mateo Adult School CASAS clerk Toshio Hirano. 



Jimmy Rogers
Country Singer from the 1920s

Toshio led the students in a sing-a-long of the song, "My Heart Skips A Beat."  It is a song from the 1960s with an old-time country sound and rhythm.

Toshio taught the students how to sing in this style, like his musical hero, Jimmy Rogers.  

Most people can guess from his name that Toshio is from Japan. 

Almost everyone knows that Toshio gives the CASAS test. 

Many people know that his office is in Room 28 where he does all the paperwork for the CASAS test.  He also helps students make appointments in Distance Learning, gives advice about learning English, and shares tips on great places to visit in the Bay Area and across California.

Toshio, Mr. T, Teacher Jay
and Santa

Some people know that Toshio plays guitar because he often plays at school events. 

Some people know that Toshio can square dance because he leads the San Mateo Adult School Virginia Reel during Adult Education Week.

Toshio explaining the Virginia Reel
to students during Adult Ed Week.

But not everyone knows that Toshio is a professional musician with a story interesting, someone made a movie about him.

When he was 23 years old, fresh out of college, Toshio came here to the US to learn more about American Country music.  For four months, he rode his bicycle around the Appalachia mountains.  He wanted to learn more about the music of that region, mountain music.  Because he wanted to understand the lyrics, he had to understand the region and the culture.  "Without an understanding of the culture, the lyrics don't really mean anything.  The slang, the way they use sentences.  I learned the culture through the music."  Spending time with the people of the region, he learned about their history, their culture, their worldview, and their beloved mountain music.  He also practiced and improved his English.

Toshio, daughter Annabelle, wife Katherine

A year later, Toshio returned to the US, this time for good.  He lived first in Georgia, then Tennessee, then Minnesota, then Texas - where he met his wife Teacher Katherine - and now California.  He has lived in California a long time and had many interesting jobs. 

You can practice your English by asking Toshio questions about his life, his music, and how he became fluent in English.

Here is the trailer for "Waiting For A Train," the movie about Toshio:

 

 

 

And here is an interview with Toshio on PBS:

 

And here is Toshio singing in the style of Jimmy Rogers, his musical hero: