Experience Summary
During my five years of undergraduate work, I was very involved in the area of child education and care. I was a volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Wisconsin, where I worked on elementary basic skills and study skills with an eight year old boy with autism. I also tutored a ten year old boy and a six year old boy in all general areas of study during my summers, with an emphasis on reading comprehension, grammar, and organization and study skills. My studies at the Universite de Caen Basse-Normandie, in Normandy, France, enhanced both my comprehension and my expression of the French language to the point where I would be confident teaching the building blocks of the language to children at the elementary, middle, or high school level. I currently work at Easter Seals of Southern Nevada Early Intervention Program as a Child Developmental Specialist. I provide what is called "special instruction" to both children and families to encourage development and learning. I have extensive experience with children who have special needs. In addition to my professional work experience, I am both a babysitter and homework tutor to two eighth graders and a fourth grader in the Las Vegas area.
Teaching Style
I have been surrounded by children my entire life, and I am very confident in my abilities. In my opinion, the most important part of an effective teaching style is developing a connection with the child. When they look forward to seeing you and can tell that you are truly excited to be working with them, only then will you see their full effort being put forth. I make it a point to be outgoing, accessible, and most importantly, confident in their abilities. I believe in the principle of reinforcement through praise, and not only being a mentor/tutor, but also a friend. I am a firm believer in the importance of having children stick to schedules, and I incorporate this everyday into my work.