Hajime-mashite! “Nice to meet you!” My name is Anne and I have my IA K-12 music license, as well as my IN Professional Educator license. Although music is my area of endorsement, I have been doing substitute teaching in many areas -- in particular, for middle school math teachers, and also for lower elementary school (K, 1, 2, 3, 4th grade) classrooms. Math is definitely an area I love - nearly as much as music! When it comes to "getting" math, a student needs to have a teacher/tutor who will encourage them to understand the *basic* principles. If a math student (*or* a music theory student) is getting "stuck", it's generally due to the student's having never received a *clear* explanation of some "foundation" (i.e., "basic") step. That's it!
I'd love to help you or your student get a clear understanding of the "basics" - in math, music or music theory, Japanese, English, or other of my "favorite" subjects! Please drop me an e-mail ASAP so we can discuss the possibilities!
I began teaching in junior high, while helping some of my classmates understand English and math concepts. In college fellow music theory students were beating a path to my room, leaving notes for me with my roommates – asking when we could meet so that I could help them untangle the basics of music theory. One of my favorite-ever moments is getting to see that “A-ha!” look on the face of my students! That’s the best!
I have worked nearly five years overseas in Japan teaching English as a Second Other Language (TESOL). I lived in Saitama prefecture (within an hour’s train ride of Tokyo), Tochigi prefecture (about 2-3 hours by bus and train from Tokyo, to the north), and later in Yamaguchi prefecture (on the far western side of Japan’s main island, Honshu; an overnight ferry trip to South Korea). Upon returning from Japan my first time, I decided I wanted to study Japanese on the university level. When I called the foreign language department of the Purdue University branch campus, the Japanese instructor informed me that I needed to enroll in the fourth semester of college Japanese! Imagine my surprise! I then began practicing writing the hiragana, katakana, and most basic of kanji (Chinese characters used in the written Japanese language), adding 5-10 characters a day.
Since that first class, I have also studied intensive Japanese at EASLI (East Asian Summer Language Institute – at Indiana University – Bloomington), as well as at Indiana University – South Bend. I have over 20 credits of Japanese language courses (including 3 hours of Asian History), but have not yet pursued adding a Japanese Language teaching endorsement to my license, preferring teaching individual students or small groups to large classroom settings. My experience also includes working a year and a half at Subaru-Isuzu Automotive as a Japanese Technical Translator/Interpreter, so in addition to a liberal arts education, a background in teaching English overseas, I have also worked in the States as a bridge between our Western culture and Japanese culture – an amazing experience!
Perhaps you or a colleague will be making a trip to Japan – whether for business or pleasure. I have also assisted Americans traveling to Japan (“survival” Japanese, as well as basic Japanese customs/culture) to feel better prepared for their trip. Please contact me through WyzAnt to find out how I might be able to assist you or others you know who will be traveling to Japan, and who would appreciate some advance workshops in language, culture, or both!
Teaching shouldn’t be all drill-drill-drill! Nor is it all about lecturing! No, teaching is having someone who “gets” the subject, and who comes alongside another person so that they can “get” it, too! I enjoy using a variety of methods in my teaching, and have recently completed a graduate education course in Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles. So many teachers and textbooks are geared primarily toward students who are “Verbal-Linguistic” learners. But what about those students whose strength is in what they “see”? Or what about those students who excel in “reflecting” on what they’ve just learned? Those kinds of learners represent just a few of the multiple intelligences among many, and I’m eager to see how I can “come alongside” you or your child in your learning, while incorporating your strongest intelligences and learning styles!
My undergraduate degree is in piano with a minor in English. My graduate degree is in Church Music (area: Composition). My hobbies include writing sacred music, gardening, nature photography, volunteering, travelling, visiting with seniors, cooking, and speaking Japanese! I have two furry “chocolate” friends (they’re brothers) who are helping me learn Siamese, but English is still my “first language”!
If you have an interest in music theory, math, Japanese, or some aspect of English or perhaps would be interested in learning more about the Bible for personal enjoyment, I’d love to come alongside you there, too!
I hope you will consider me when you select a tutor, whether for yourself or for your child. Let’s see how together we can leap over old hurdles, giving you the joy of success and clear understanding!
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Cancellation Policy
Lesson cancellations LESS THAN 24 hours before a regularly scheduled lesson will be billed at 50% the hourly rate.
Change Request Policy
It is certainly understandable that students and their families have unexpected plans that come up from time to time. Here is my change request policy:
•If a change request is received 72 hours or greater (73 hours +) IN ADVANCE of the stated absence, a make-up lesson time will be scheduled.
•If a change request is received LESS THAN 72 hours in advance, students will be billed at 50% the hourly rate for the missed hours of lesson time.
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