All of
Charlotte’s current tutoring subjects are listed at the left. You
can read more about
Charlotte’s qualifications in specific subjects below.
Bible Studies
I have been a Christian for more than 25 years. I had learned somewhat about the Lord as a child but wandered away until my adult years. I have been a Sunday School teacher, women's group leader, and within the prison ministry I have also taught the Bible. My personal Bible studies have been ongoing daily, almost non-stop over all these years, and I know the Bible well. I find it extremely helpful to use commentaries along with the Bible itself in order to dig deeper into the more intricate meanings and the backgrounds of biblical truths and narratives.
My favorite method of Bible study is Precepts as taught by Kay Arthur: the best teacher of God's Word is God Himself, as the Holy Spirit, and with minimal outside guidance each of us has the capability of completely and thoroughly understanding what God wants to communicate to us. It is my joy to work with you in discovering how to apply what God has written for us to life today.
Elementary (K-6th)
I have worked with elementary age students in classroom settings, as well as in small groups and one-on-one tutoring. Younger students have unique learning styles, and it is important to relate to each student as an individual rather than simply presenting the material and expecting all students to catch on immediately.
It is also important that learning be fun. It's a big big world and there's a whole lot to discover: learning is an adventure, and younger children have an innate curiosity that should be tapped and encouraged so that as students they can not only keep up with their peers but often even exceed them.
ESL/ESOL
I am a native speaker, originally from California and now living here in Orlando. English has always been one of my top subjects: I have excellent grammar, spelling, and pronunciation. I am a certificated ESL teacher.
I am currently teaching a weekly ESL class to adults. My students are visibly improving in their English speaking abilities, and they also tell me that they are learning. We use a textbook, and also other games and worksheets that I create from the internet. I assign homework each week, and we discuss it in class. We work individually and in groups, and we have fun! It is important to learn to speak and understand English well in order to move forward in America and not feel held back by limitations. I want to help you go as far as you want to go.
Phonics
My experience with phonics is mostly with children, although I rely heavily on phonics when I am teaching my adult ESL class. I taught my children how to read with phonics, and I also learned to read with phonics. To this day I find that using phonics is the simplest way to read new words. We go syllable-by-syllable, and learn not only how to pronounce the word but also what each syllable means and how we can use that to define the new word.
Phonics can be fun! There are plenty of games to use, as well as common everyday items. My method is to begin at the level of the student, and in moving from there we set goals that the student desires to attain. A good knowledge of phonics goes a long way in strengthening reading skills.
Religion
The study of religion is an important part of understanding the various cultures of the world, both present and past. It is also important to be able to look at each religion objectively and without allowing personal beliefs to influence that study. Likewise, it is important to look at beliefs in general including those not traditionally considered as religions, such as atheism.
Religion is defined as being man's attempts to reach God, or whatever his view of God is (such as nirvana, the universe, and so on). Throughout history man has created for himself a wide variety of religious rules and beliefs. While I am an unwavering Bible believing Christian, I am also fascinated with other belief systems in the world. I am familiar with the basic beliefs of most of the more familiar world religions, and I would love the opportunity to explore even more religions and belief systems with you and/or your student.
Study Skills
Good study skills are critical for success in school, as well as later on in life: a good student in school is more likely to be able to learn necessary job skills, and to be able to grow and adapt with the company as the job changes and expands.
I incorporate teaching good study skills along with the regular tutoring. Study skills include some basic common sense rules, such as regularly set aside an amount of time for homework and review, but study methods should also be tailored to the individual student. Music can be helpful or it can be a distraction; likewise, television can either help or hinder, as can environmental noise, temperature, lighting, and so on. The important thing about good study skills is that we figure out what works best for you, and then follow that plan consistently.