Experience Summary
My experiences are perhaps too wide for this enclosure. I have 5 degrees, in American history and world history and French and Spanish, plus experience in writing and publishing.
But my best experience involves my being able to take an overworked, frazzled student under deadline and teaching him or her how to pause, focus, and then get caught up and then get ahead. As Ben Franklin would say, we have to learn how to "make haste slowly." I teach a student to be calm, take a breath, and then go forward on his requirements -- in exactly the order that the situation requires.
Teaching Style
I hate to see students stuffed with words and ideas, as if they were thanksgiving turkeys.
I love to help a student understand that much of the truth is inside his own mind. We must teach her, or him, to explore his own instincts, and develop his own style, and philosophy.
My Hobbies
I love chess and backgammon, jogging,languages.... But most of all I love students. A minister once said, "I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad boy." Well, I'd add: "I don't believe there are very many dumb boys and girls, either. If the student has some real, solid bit of brain damage, then he or she cannot learn well... but that involves only one or two or three percent of the population.
The other 97% are capable, eventually, of Honor Roll work.
Other Comments
I understand how busy you are and how frazzled... so I specialize in getting your studies organized, under control.
| American History |
 This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
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| I obtained a PhD in American history, with a triple major: colonial, 19th century, and the modern era. Note that I take history beyond the drums and battles. Some battles were vital (Yorktown, Gettysburg, Midway) but most were raw slaughters that do not tell too much. I am especially interested in teaching a student about the daily life of people; the problems of minorities; the prejudices -- against women; blacks; Catholics; Jews; etc. etc. (And there are a lot of "et ceteras"!)
Having said that, I am also interested in teaching a certain respect for America. We have done terrible things at times but, all in all, it is still a nation to which millions wish to come...
I try to balance the above... |
| French |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
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| I have lived in France for some years and love the people and the culture. More to the point: I can teach not only French language, but also French history and culture, so that the student will feel amazingly at home in France when he or she visits that country.
Note please that there are surprises in French culture. Did you know that the finest general in all French history was... Joan of Arc? Did you know that the kindest Frenchman in all their history was the Marquis of LaFayette, who saved the US in the American Revolution? (He got us all our new ships, 80% of our gunpowder, and 70% of our artillery, all from the French court.)
I would note that I happen to have awards in French literary translation too.
Interested? |
| Social Studies |
Proficiency: Expert
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| Please look at what I have said about my work in history, both US and World... Social studies, when done well, involve those two. |
| Spanish |
Proficiency: Expert
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| Note that I have lived in Spain and have voyaged in South America and can talk in detail about the differences in culture.
This is most important when we get to things like Mexican Spanish versus European Spanish.
For example: "It is one thirty in the afternoon..." Do you say "es la una y media" or "son la una y media?" (The Spaniards say the first, the Mexicans say the second, as a rule...)
And what is the word for a "match"? "Cerilla" or "fosforo"? (Answer: the first is from Spain, the second is from the New World.) |
| Speaking |
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| When one teaches speaking, the great problem is volume. Our teachers often get the student to memorize the lines, which is good but exhausting. I try rather to teach the student the old Roman ideal: hold on to the idea, and the words will follow.
I also teach the student to focus on the members of the audience, one by one, thus avoiding panic.
I also believe that it is vital that a student be taught how to modify his talk as he goes along. Sometimes new ideas come up, sometimes new questions modify what you wanted to say... As one Roman said, you have to be like a gladiator -- you change your tactics, if necessary, right in the arena. |
| World History |
This is one of my top subjects!
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| I try hard to go beyond Europe when I teach world history. Of course Europe is vital. (We cannot understand the USA without understanding, and respecting, Britain and British law.) |
| Writing Skills |
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| I am probably the one tutor on these pages who is internationally published with a major, front-line house. Here I refer to the biography I wrote of an ambassador named Bullitt, who worked for Roosevelt against Stalin.
This means, simply, that I have tons of experience in writing fast, in rewriting much, and under deadline.
Note too that this often requires research. That I have done for some time... |