Experience Summary
Having grown up in Costa Rica attending a bilingual school, I am fully fluent in English and Spanish, and tutored language learners often in high school and college. I received my B.S. in Biology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where I was involved in the Science Education club, and assisted in several university and state-funded after-school programs for middle school students. After college I immediately went into a PhD program in Ecology & Evolution at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where I maintained a 4.0 GPA, and taught undergraduate Genetics and Ecology labs for one year. I am currently working towards my bilingual Single Subject Teaching Credential and a Master's degree in Education.
Teaching Style
I believe in a student's capability to reach his or her goals, and find that students are much more rewarded through a learning experience in which they use their previous knowledge to arrive at conclusions, versus having someone show them the correct answers. I believe in the interconnectedness of academics and life outside of school, and try to incorporate relevant meaning into educational content. I am patient, and able to adequately address student needs, weaknesses, and strength. Most importantly to long-term success, though, I am encouraging and positive, and love helping students realize their own potential.