sono sensei wa kibishisou ni mieru keredo, jissai wa totemo shinsetsu desu.

That teacher looks strict, but in reality is very kind.

Breakdown of sono sensei wa kibishisou ni mieru keredo, jissai wa totemo shinsetsu desu.

• は: topic particle
• です: to be
• 先せん生せい: teacher
• とても: very

Questions & Answers about sono sensei wa kibishisou ni mieru keredo, jissai wa totemo shinsetsu desu.

Why is 厳しそう used here? Is it the same as 厳しい?

Not quite.

• 厳しい = strict
• 厳しそう = looks strict / seems strict

The ending -そう here means “seems” or “looks like” based on appearance or impression.

So:

• その先生は厳しい。
  = That teacher is strict.
• その先生は厳しそう。
  = That teacher looks strict.

In your sentence, the speaker is saying that the teacher gives the impression of being strict, but that impression is different from reality.

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Is this the same そう as in 雨が降るそうです?

No. Japanese has two common そう patterns, and they mean different things.

1. Appearance / seeming

Used in your sentence:

• 厳しそう = looks strict
• おいしそう = looks delicious

This is based on what something seems like from appearance or impression.

2. Hearsay

• 雨が降るそうです = I hear that it will rain

This means “I heard that...”

So 厳しそう in your sentence is the appearance/seeming use, not the hearsay use.

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Why is there a に after 厳しそう in 厳しそうに見える?