About my tutoring and teaching

Hello! ¡Hola! Olá! Bonjour! Ciao!

I have been tutoring for over 15 years and have enjoyed the opportunity of helping people (ages 5 to 75!) practice and nurture language, communication and intercultural skills. I studied French in middle and high school in Canada and learned Spanish through immersion at age 17-18 on a Rotary International Youth Exchange in Chetumal, Mexico. My first job teaching groups was as a university Spanish language laboratory facilitator at age 19. As part of my Bachelor of Arts Honours in International Relations, I was thrilled to spend my third academic year immersed in French (Spanish and Portuguese…) in Strasbourg, France.

After my degree, I spent nearly two years at a non-profit organization in northern Peru, where (100% in Spanish) I taught and facilitated sessions and workshops (academic tutoring, drawing, painting, youth leadership and environmental sustainability), and helped launch a rotating library of hundreds of books to engage children and their families in joyful reading. Many posts on this blog are about how diverse Peruvians, and the incredible lands, waters and skies which they steward, inspired me to pursue education as a vocation. I believe in heart-centered education for people of all ages that centres equity, joy, creativity, cultures, reading and critical literacy, debate, fun and respect for all humans and all other beings (plants, animals, insects) with whom we share this beautiful planet.

I have been a certified BC (Canada) K-12 teacher since 2016. My official specialties are in teaching English, French and Spanish as additional languages. I also have IB PYP Level 1 certification and experience using IB MYP and DP frameworks, curriculum and assessment in multiple public and private schools. In addition, I have several years’ experience teaching and tutoring IB DP history, geography and introductory university economics. I taught in BC schools until 2019 and then became an Education Program Manager for nearly two years for a reputable non-profit organization focused on environmental education for K-12 students, educators and communities (in English and French). Since August 2021, I have been teaching in-person in schools and at a non-profit organization focused on music education through orchestral playing. I have also learned some Italian, Hebrew, Lekwungen, Quechua and continue to find languages to be a unique insight into worldviews. I love spreading my passion for lifelong learning as complemented by my travels and interdisciplinary study and employment experiences.

Qualifications:

CELTA certification (for English as an additional language) (University of Cambridge course, through International House, Vancouver, 2012)
Honours Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, with minors in French and Spanish (Mount Allison University, 2013)
Bachelor of Education (University of British Columbia-Vancouver, 2016) / BC certified K-12 teacher, with specialization in secondary French and Spanish and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB MYP).
Master’s of Education in International Education (University of Massachusetts-Amherst; degree in-progress). Foci: languages, literacies, cultures; creation and delivery of critical pedagogy/curriculum; integration of the ‘A’ in STEAM-Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).

I only take on a limited number of students to ensure quality, personalized instruction. Students must be willing to dedicate regular time to their studies. Many of my students have English, Spanish, Mandarin and/or Farsi as a mother tongue. I leverage my knowledge of multiple languages to best support each student’s growth. I have tutored students across three Canadian provinces, five countries, spread over four continents. At present (2023), I am only able to accept three more students given my other commitments. I am based in Moncton, NB.