Experience Summary
Having raised three children with very different learning styles and strengths, I became keenly interested in the ways children learn. As a professional singer and entertainer, the classroom was a natural place to bring the multisensory approach to children with a variety of needs. I have taught grades K-12 in a private school where multisensory methods were the key to each student's success. I have also used those methods with the children I have tutored. I am certified in English and have written over thirty articles for magazines and newspapers. I also have a strong background in science, especially in the areas of ecology and biology.
Teaching Style
I enjoy making my classroom or tutoring area a place where children feel safe to learn, ask questions, and have fun. Since the art of language and literature is my primary area of interest, I use the Socratic method of questioning to pull ideas from my students. This invites discussion and query resulting in the engagement between us as participants. More often than not, the students realize the thematic elements through such guided questioning. There is no alternative to practice when it comes the study of grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. Reading is often a sore point with many students and my job is to prompt them to want to read. Using drama, role playing, "popcorn" and reciprocal reading has proven successful in my classes. Children love to imitate and I give them ample opportunity to show off their acting skills...and mine, too.