I had a learning disability growing up. My disability was in math, and I know how frustrating and humiliating it was to be "dumb" in a subject no matter how hard I tried to get it. Eventually I just gave up and took the failing grades. I had one good teacher, though, who took the time to break concepts into their smaller parts and teach each part one at a time until I understood it. Then she would help me put it all together. She was the only teacher I had much success with. But I know how important it is to have someone teach the way I was able to learn. That's what I try to do for my students. And I like to teach them one-on-one, because I can focus fully on them and their learning style without the distractions of a roomful of other students. I can key into the student's strengths and weaknesses, and tailor make a program specially suited for them.
Having 16 years experience as a special education teacher, I have learned a lot about individualization. I tutored one boy who, the first day I came, ran out of his house crying,"I can't do it! I can't read! I can't!" He locked himself in his car in the driveway and doubled over sobbing. I didn't force him to read the first day, but I did notice a motorcycle in the garage.I got books and magazines on motorcycles.This boy had severe reading difficulties, but we started by making a motorcycle game together.It involved a little reading. He would laugh when he was beating me.It was good to see him enjoying a reading activity instead of failing and being frustrated again. We read high-interest low-vocabulary books about different types of motorcycle races. We wrote motorcycle stories. We practiced our vocabulary including motorcycle terms. In the end, the young man improved his sight vocabulary, comprehension, word attack and writing skills. More importantly,he started being successful and enjoying reading and writing.
Over the years, I've taught many different types of students. For a few years I taught regular kindergarten and first grade. At the university level, I've trained teachers how to teach reading and writing to special needs students. I've also taught English as a second language to adults and children. For a long time, I taught Special Ed. pre-school. For a while I was an Infant Educator with the zero to three population. That was lots of fun. I have also worked with Resource Room students in elementary school. I spent six years in Mexico helping run an orphanage, and worked with students with high needs there. I also developed a Play Group with Mexican Indian mothers who had pre-schoolers who showed some developmental delays. I taught them how to help develop their babies' abilities. I know my stuff, and I like to make learning enjoyable and meaningful for the learner. I've been a professional tutor for three years, and one of the greatest joys in my life is igniting the spark of learning in my students. I hope we get to work together.
P.S. I have the official results of a recent background check and TB test.
back to top