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Teacher Profile
I live in the U.S., in Massachusetts. I have a Master's degree from Yale University and have worked as a writer/editor and teacher for most of my career. I contribute on a regular basis to The English Farm as a content writer and editor. I'm also a musician and artist, and I love photography, reading, birdwatching, and spending time outdoors. My husband and I enjoy traveling—our favorite place to go these days is Montréal, in Quebec, Canada. It's not too far away, and it's like a bit of Europe in North America.
I have formal and informal teaching experience with all ages, in classrooms, small groups, and one-on-one tutoring. My favorite age-group to work with is adults because they have life experience to enrich their learning, and it's fun to get to know each other. I have a CELTA certificate from Cambridge University, U.K., that I earned at ILSC-Montréal, Canada, working with adult students.
I think learning happens best when it's fun, so I approach my lessons as an opportunity to enjoy learning together. My favorite subjects to teach are vocabulary and pronunciation. I love words! Studying the origins and development of the English language is one of my passions. Freestyle learning is also a good fit for me—creating a path for study along with the student goes well with my understanding of self-guided learning. So, if you like to have fun and talk about words, and maybe direct your own studies, I'm the teacher for you.
I worked for 15+ years as a freelance writer and editor for a variety of projects, including articles for encyclopedias and educational reading materials. I also spent a year as a professional classroom teacher for immigrants to the U.S., helping them learn the English language so that they can succeed in America.
In between writing, editing, and teaching, I had a number of jobs in retail, both at a large national company and small local businesses, managing stores and supervising employees.
In high school I studied math, science, literature, music, and French. My Bachelor's degree is in English language and literature, and my Master's degree from Yale University Divinity School is in Religion, with an emphasis on studying the Hebrew and Christian Bible in its original languages. (I especially loved learning Hebrew because it's so different from English.) Learning a language gives you insight into the culture and worldview of its speakers, which expands your own understanding of the world.
Working at The English Farm is one of the best jobs I've ever had, maybe the best job. My colleagues are terrific; the management is as flat as possible, allowing me to give my input; and the students are brilliant and fascinating. I can set my own hours, which is always a plus for me! I've had tremendous opportunities to contribute in other ways besides teaching, including content writing and editing—my specialties in a varied career. Teaching the English language to those who will use it to advance their opportunities has long been a desire of mine. Our students are the cream of the crop in business, and in our world today, it is likely to be business leaders who will create the most change.