Experience Summary
I have worked with youth for the past eight years, beginning with my volunteer work as a camp counselor with my community 4-H group. I have since worked as summer camp staff; lead tutor for a private tutoring company; case manager with a focus on academic improvement, college preparation and dropout prevention; and most recently as a kindergarten and third grade English teacher. Because I have worked with children who came to the US as refugees from developing countries, I am very comfortable working with diversity. I have spent time working and studying outside the US and speak advanced Spanish and basic Arabic. Because of my extensive writing experience as a freelance journalist, I am very comfortable tutoring even the highest level of English or writing. I have bachelor degrees in Spanish and International Studies from the University of South Florida, both of which are magna cum laude.
Teaching Style
I believe children are most responsive when treated as intelligent individuals. I try to give my students the same respect I would want. I am very patient and calm, but I love to learn and try to instill a sense of fun and love of learning. Children learn differently, and it is important to be open to different methods of tutoring. I have found through my teaching, tutoring, and personal study that information stays better if students understand why and how things work as much as possible rather than rote memorization. When memorization is necessary, I try to use mnemonic devices such as poems and songs whenever possible (“‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ or when sounded as ‘ay’ as in neighbor or weigh.”).