Experience Summary
Hello! My name is Dan, and I am an intermediate-level chess player who has four years of experience teaching chess to beginning students, and also an English teacher with six-plus years of experience teaching ESL in Taiwan. I am very passionate about my teaching and love to share what I've learned with my students!
I have been playing chess for about six years, and have studied the game seriously for most of that time. I have raised my skill level to roughly 1500, and am very confident teaching the basics of the game to beginning players. I play regularly in chess tournaments and am very passionate about learning and growing, as a teacher as well as a player.
I have had experience as a writer and editor, and am qualified to teach various aspects of writing, reading, and English. I graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2003 with a degree in English, and my studies were primarily focused on studying the literature of various cultures and time periods. Afterwards, I worked for several years as a contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication).
I recently returned to the Chicago area after spending 6 years teaching ESL and chess in Taiwan. It was a fantastic experience, and now I am back in the Chicago area and looking for new students. If you are interested in chess or English/reading/writing lessons, please contact me! I am an experienced teacher with a lot of materials to draw from.
Lessons are $25/hour for a one-on-one, and $30/hour for a two-on-one. I am also willing to discuss group classes.
I am located in Lake Zurich, in the NW suburbs of Chicago.
Please feel free to contact me for more information, or to schedule a lesson.
Teaching Style
I believe in teaching in a relaxed and positive atmosphere that supports students' growth. Chess and writing/reading/English improvement are my primary objectives, and I believe strongly that improvement happens when the learning process is FUN. Students must enjoy learning in order to improve quickly! I have had great success in the past with this low-pressure approach.
My Hobbies
Chess, Reading, Playing Guitar, Singing, Listening to Music, Writing, Watching Movies
Other Comments
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!
| Chess |
 This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I am an intermediate-level chess player who LOVES teaching the game to beginners of all ages! My chess strength is roughly 1500, and I have six years of experience as a professional teacher. |
| Composition |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I have previous experience writing for newspapers and magazines. Here is an example of my writing: http://www.hybridmagazine.com/music/0807/lollapalooza.shtml |
| English |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and afterwards worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |
| Language Arts |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and afterwards worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |
| Reading |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and my studies were primarily focused on studying the literature of various cultures and time periods. Afterwards, I worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |
| Reading Comprehension |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and my studies were primarily focused on studying the literature of various cultures and time periods. Afterwards, I worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |
| Spelling |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and my studies were primarily focused on studying the literature of various cultures and time periods. Afterwards, I worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |
| Writing |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I received a BA in English from The College of New Jersey, and my studies were primarily focused on studying the literature of various cultures and time periods. Afterwards, I worked for several years as a freelance contributor to a number of newspapers (especially Pioneer Press, a network of Chicago-area community papers) and magazines (especially Hybrid Magazine, an online music publication). |