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About
David: |
Hi. Thanks for considering me as your potential tutor. First let me tell you about my educational background. I received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from UC Irvine, and during my time there I spent a summer in France and a quarter in Washington, DC interning for a congressman.
My tutoring/teaching experience started at Orange Coast College, where I tutored fellow students in Political Science, ESL, and English composition and literature. I was also a teaching assistant for the school newspaper for a year and a half.
After college, I worked full time at a consulting company, and at night I taught an ESL class as a volunteer at a refugee center. I enjoyed the experience so much that I dove into volunteering full time, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, a tiny but proud country in southern Africa. As a PCV, I taught English language and literature at a high school in a small village, as well as parliamentary debate, poetry, and public speaking.
I developed my teaching style from years of interacting with countless teachers and students. I have always believed in student-centered teaching methods, and my classes have required participation from all students. The paramount goal of teaching is to help students become capable thinkers and doers so that when the teacher or tutor isn't there, they can draw upon their own knowledge and skills to succeed. To this end, I'm very much about working together to find the solution, rather than just giving the student the answer. I find that this approach leads to long-term success and real learning.
Also, I strongly believe in positive reinforcement. In learning, as in life, positivity is the driving force for growth and achievement. I'm not referring to fake praise, and I'm certainly not timid about calling students out on their laziness or correcting students when they're wrong. I just tend to bring attention to and celebrate the successes, even the small ones.
I'm looking to tutor in the Cerritos area during the summer, as I will start a graduate program in international relations in the fall, possibly at the end of July.
Look forward to working with you! |
Learn More About
David's Experience:
ESL/ESOL
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I am confident in my ability to tutor ESL for several reasons. First, I taught ESL at a high school in Lesotho for two year as a Peace Corps Volunteer. During this time, I implemented learner-centered lessons that resulted in vast improvement of student performance, and I collaborated with other teachers to develop more effective pedagogic methods. I strongly believe in stimulating students in different ways, particularly when teaching a second language. I incorporated games, music, videos, and other hands-on activities to facilitate the learning process. Second, I tutored college students in ESL for about two years. Many of my students moved up to English courses and eventually graduated from universities. Lastly, when I moved to the US as a 10-year-old I took ESL courses. I know what it's like to be an ESL student, the thoughts, the concerns. So I can address the specific issues for an ESL student, in addition to providing quality tutorial guidance.
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grammar
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My qualifications for "Grammar" are closely linked to my qualifications for "ESL." Teaching ESL at a high school in Lesotho for two years was instrumental in acquiring the knowledge and skills that enable effective ESL teaching. Grammar was a high priority in my classes because of its crucial role in providing the basic structure of a language. This was the basic formula I used: 1) explain the grammar concept being presented concisely 2) give lots of drills-written and oral-to gain familiarity 3) provide engaging activities that require the use of those concepts. I find that the latter step is the most critical because if students don't know when and in which situation a concept is used, they lose the idea quickly. Also, in order to lock in that concept into the learner mind, they need practice creating sentences or dialogue on their own. Grammar doesn't have to be boring and it certainly can be simplified if the teacher takes a holistic approach and breaks down concepts into manageable pieces.
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Find other tutors in Cerritos, CA
English - ESL/ESOL - government & politics - grammar
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