I have a Masters Degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. I worked for 20 years in the Social Work field including 10 years coordinating family support services in Washington state's Early Childhood Education Program (modeled on Head Start). My education and experience have allowed me to develop excellent communication skills and a talent for building trust with children and their parents.
In addition to my Social Work experience, I worked in an elementary school for 6 years in a variety of capacities. I was a substitute teacher, a teacher assistant in a Special Needs preschool classroom, a part time counselor and I was in charge of an after school tutoring program. I particularly enjoyed tutoring. Many of the children were struggling with their reading and grammar skills. Having always been an avid reader, it was very gratifying to assist them discovering the joy in reading. I loved watching an 'ah ha' moment when a perplexing grammar rule finally clicked.
For the past 3 years I have been tutoring English with Chinese children on line. This has been a perfect fit for me. I love travel and learning about different cultures and it's been a privilege to be trusted by parents to come into their homes weekly and tutor their children.
My belief about teaching/tutoring is that establishing a trusting, respectful relationship with the student and parents is the foundation of success. I am experienced and good at that. I also believe learning can and should be fun! I like to celebrate baby steps. I believe errors are opportunities and correction should be presented positively. I also know that thoroughly understanding a student's challenges is necessary to successfully planning a strategy for success.
I prefer to teach elementary age students. I have had the most experience with that age range and really enjoy younger children. I am qualified to teach reading skills, including fluency and comprehension, phonics, spelling and grammar. I also have a TESOL certificate (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
I have many interests and hobbies that keep me very active. I'm passionate about travel and have been to 49 states and 33 countries. I love reading, watching movies, gardening and making stained glass.
My personal motto is:
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."