My first tutoring experience was with my daughter when she was in middle school. Even though she was a very good student, she had never learned to write a strong essay. To show her the different ways to structure an essay, we reviewed "The Three Little Pigs" and "Cinderella." It was funny to combine children's stories with a serious subject! She caught on right away. I can help students to write essays, paragraphs, business letters, resumes, cover letters and other correspondence. I am a passionate reader as well, so I can also help with understanding English-language literature.
I love writing and languages. I won a prize for creative writing when I was in high school, have published several books and now write stories about our family's adventures. As a professional writer, I have edited and written for a variety of publications.
I am especially expert at helping students revise and edit papers for high school, college and graduate classes for any subject area. When papers include technical information, I can work with students to make sure that the language is clear and conveys the important points.
One of my recent students, from another country, had to turn in a book report for a graduate class. Although I was familiar with the book's topic, I had not read it. Since his written English was not adequate, he had received permission from his professor to have the text edited by a tutor. In one session, I revised his work to best express his ideas, even those that he had had difficulty stating. Since I read very fast, I was able to find sources in the book quickly.
My second language is French, in which I majored at the University of Pennsylvania. I use it with my husband, who came from France originally, and my granddaughter, who learned French at school. I can help students with French pronunciation, grammar, reading and conversation as well as understanding French literature and culture.
Note to prospective French students: I tutor adults or students who are preparing for a visit to a French-speaking country and want to learn some basic French for the trip. I also work with middle school or high school students in French 1 and 2, especially with beginning conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. I do not tutor students in French 3 and 4 except in special circumstances.
At one point in my career, I worked with adults who needed to improve job-related reading and writing skills. I particularly enjoyed planning these lessons. Adult students bring their life experiences with them, so there is a rich background on which to draw.
My Master's Degree is in English as a Second Language, which I completed at the Universite de Montreal in Quebec, Canada. I have taught ESL at community colleges in the Philadelphia area.
As a tutor, I look for ways to capture the student's interest so the subject doesn't feel like a burden. I take a creative approach to each student's individual learning challenges to design the best strategies based on that person's needs and interests.
I am very patient and don't mind going over the same material until the student understands. The most important thing about learning is not to be anxious or scared, and to feel confident. Inspiring students with belief in their own ability is the key to successful tutoring, in my view.
1. I have developed a very successful strategy for learning, practicing and remembering vocabulary and grammar in English and French. Ask me about it!
2. I prefer to work with students aged 12 and over, as well as adults, since I don't have training in elementary education.