Experience Summary
I am committed to the study of languages as is reflected in my undergraduate studies and work experience. At the College of Saint Benedict, I graduated with a B.A. in both English and French. While pursuing my B.A., I worked in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages as an assistant to a French professor who also served as chair of the department. As an assistant, I corrected homework and exams. I also tutored individual students in French.
After graduation, I worked for Concordia Language Villages in a French immersion camp. I was responsible for designing evening cultural programs and teaching language lessons to both advanced and beginner levels. This was excellent preparation for my move to France in September of 2007 and for my work as an English teacher's assistant in a French high-school. Although I was technically an assistant, I was still responsible for designing my own lesson plans and for class management.
I enjoyed teaching English as a second language, and so I currently volunteer for Minneapolis Public School Adult Basic Education as a classroom assistant in several ELL classes.
Teaching Style
I have taught children, high-school students, college students, and most recently, adults. Besides my experience working with people of all ages, I have also worked with many different cultures and skill levels. My exposure to teaching people with such diverse backgrounds has been very rewarding and has given me a more well-rounded teaching style. I am skilled at adjusting lessons to maximize the student's learning. This is especially useful when tutoring because, unlike teaching a large group of students, tutoring allows for more flexibility and custom tailoring of a lesson. This is also what makes tutoring such a useful tool. The personal attention gives students an advantage over others who don't seek the extra help. I am a congenial and creative teacher who is always patient with students. I enjoy helping them succeed.