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Damian S. for tutoring lessons in Los Angeles CA WyzAnt Tutoring Tutor Tutor United States

Damian S.

Oxford University Honored Graduate

Los Angeles, CA (90035)

Travel Radius 15 miles
Hourly Fee $75.00
Discount $63.75 - $71.25 Save up to 15% (i)

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Hello! My name is Damian. I am an original West-Coaster, born in Los Angeles but grew up in England, U.K., so I have a slight accent. Moving countries as a child gave me the chance to be exposed to different cultures. I was lucky enough to take my love of reading and writing to Oxford where I was awarded a scholarship. Upon graduation I was conferred an honorary M.A. in recognition of my academic brilliance (I came second in the Oxford Entrance Exam).

I now reside in Los Angeles with my family. My parents live in France and I visit Europe often. I have a two year old daughter named Poppy. I have made a living as a screenwriter for the past few years but have now returned to my first love of academia. I am pursuing an M.A. in English Literature at UCLA and tutoring English in my spare time.

QUOTE

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

HIGHLIGHTS

I have taught English SAT as well as screenwriting and film studies. I graduated with honors from Wadham College, Oxford. I have over five years of tutoring experience. I came 2nd in the Oxford English Entrance Exam.

Damian's Subjects

Art:
  • art history,
  • film,
  • theatre
English:
Test Preparation:
Language:
History:
Elementary Education:
Business:
Corporate Training:
Homeschool:

Vocabulary

A good vocabulary is the cornerstone of a successful life of communicating. There are over 250,000 words in Webster's yet we use maybe 5,000 of them. Shakespeare's vocab numbered 15,000. He was the greatest writer of all time. Vocabulary is a powerful tool.

European History

I grew up in England where my Dad was a big history buff. I soon inherited the trait and fell in love with European History at age 16 when I studied it at A Level. I was mentored by my history teacher to apply to Oxford and I was always be thankful to the help he gave me. I remain a huge history fan, having just completed a short course on American History. But it is in European past events that my expertise lies.

Writing

I have been writing all my life. Recently I gained admittance to the WGA-W (Writers Guild of America West) which is the union for screenwriters. I sold a feature length screenplay to Warner Bros that has garnered the interest of Leonardo DiCaprio. The script is called FLEMING and is about the life of James Bond creator Ian Fleming: The adventures he had as a spy in World War II.

I am currently working on the TV version which is called THE FLEMING FILES.

English

I have taught SAT English and have a B.A. and M.A. in English from Oxford. I am currently enrolled in a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course. I am also a writer.

Literature

I have been a lover of literature ever since I read ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND at age four. I devoured every Shakespeare play by 17 and got into Oxford partly based on my knowledge of English literature. I remain a fan of books to this day, having just been enthralled by THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. From HAMLET to GOSSIP GIRL, I find that almost every work has value and power. Nothing engages the mind more than a powerful piece of writing.

World History

My scholarship to Oxford was granted for the study of English but I also applied for History and had the choice to do one or the other. I have remained a lifelong lover of the past, enhanced by the History Channel and the endless stream of new books constantly revising what we thought we knew.
As someone once said, History is the agreed upon version of events. Know the facts, and then you can have an opinion. That is my philosophy.

Proofreading

I have done freelance proofreading for years. In Hollywood, I would 'cover' scripts and books which would involve a meticulous checking of mistakes, from typos to grammar.

SAT Writing

As a writer, I have always found that studying writing goes hand in hand with the craft. Every author, every passage even, is an opportunity to learn something about style and technique. Reading the classics is a way to brush up on one's grammar and aspire to write such elegant sentences as are found in the likes of Dickens, Bronte, Melville et al. Some of my favorite works include GREAT EXPECTATIONS, 1984, JANE EYRE, THE SHAKESPEARE PLAYS and THE GREAT GATSBY.

Spelling

I love dictionaries and am a big proponent of learning to spell, despite the modern convenience of the spell checker. In order to understand a word, its meaning and its power, one must know how to spell it!

ACT English

The test consists of five prose passages, each one accompanied by multiple-choice test questions. Different passage types are included to provide variety.

ESL/ESOL

I have a 120 hour TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate issued this year. I took the course with view to teaching ESL overseas, South Korea or maybe Indonesia. I may still go, and am slowly learning Korean, but for now I hope to put my skills to use at home. With my B.A. and M.A. in English from Oxford, the TESOL certificate and all I am currently learning about teaching ESL, I feel fairly confident in tutoring this subject. Thank you.

Public Speaking

I graduated from Oxford where I was regular attendee and member of the vaunted Oxford Debating Society. I certainly cut my teeth there; some of my colleagues were outstandingly witty and brilliant arguers. I'm familiar with everything from the Socratic method to a pithy Best Man's speech. Most importantly, I undertstand projection, enunciation and elocution and am able to instill confidence in people who have speeches to make (which is the #1 source of anxiety for humankind apparently).
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Damian's Hourly Rate

Hourly Fee: $75.00

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Background Check Status for Damian S.

Passed

Damian S. passed a background check on 3/13/2012. You may run an updated background check on Damian once you send an email.

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