Experience Summary
My professional career has centered on writing, first as a reporter/editor and then in corporate public affairs, internal communications and marketing communications. Even as a writer, I was drawn to teaching others how to communicate effectively and conducted internal workshops and one-on-one tutoring for less experienced writers. On a more formal basis, I taught business writing part-time at two universities. I also have been employed as a reader for a company that grades state assessment tests, most recently fourth grade reading on the MEAP -- Michigan Education Assessment Program.
Teaching Style
To me, there is nothing more gratifying than achieving the "aha" moment when a child or adult understands a concept and can put it into practice. Because there is no single path to arriving at that moment, I believe it is necessary to understand how a student best learns and then tailor my tutoring to his or her learning style. My first priority is to to act as a detective to ask questions to determine how a student responds to various teaching styles. I also try to discover a student's interests so they can be incorporated into lesson plans. I believe that building a student's confidence is as important as teaching skills.