Certified MA High School English Teacher; 27 Years of Experience

Cristina B.

I have been a certified high school English teacher in Massachusetts for 27 years. With an undergraduate degree in English from Bates College and a Master of Arts in Teaching English from Boston University, I have taught grades 9-12 college preparatory and honors English classes, creative writing, and ESL. While I teach approximately 28 students in an average class, helping students before and after school reveals the strides students make during one-on-one instruction. In a classroom setting, I individualize the delivery of curriculum, but this has its limitations. When teaching individual students, I meet them at their current level and tailor instruction to unique learning styles and needs.

I teach essay writing and revision, critical reading and comprehension, literary analysis, grammar, and vocabulary development. In addition, I help students build and refine their college essays and sharpen test-taking skills such as confidently approaching multiple-choice questions. I have extensive practice creating curriculum, but I have also effectively utilized curriculum generated by other professionals. Therefore, as well as offering new material, I am able to help students with assignments provided by a classroom teacher or online platform. Often, if students are struggling to access existing classroom materials, they simply need a teacher to adapt that material to their level or learning style; this is embedded in my daily practice.

I am passionate about teaching students to produce their own work without the use of artificial intelligence (AI). While I believe technology has its place, I fear the mental outsourcing that seems inherent with the burgeoning use of these rapidly multiplying tools.

Please contact me with a brief description of your needs, questions, or to schedule an initial meeting.