Globally-Minded Teacher Well-versed in Teaching Across the Spectrum

Ruhiyyih B.

Hello,
My name is Ruhiyyih (Roo-hee-ay). I have been in the field of education for over 30 years. I was on a law enforcement career track. However, a friendly conversation nudged me to go in a different direction. She asked me why I wanted to work with people (criminals) who were broken, when I could work with children, thus promoting healthy development and confidence? Since I enjoyed volunteering with kids, I decided to start in Early Childhood Education. I pursued dual degrees in Early Childhood and Psychology (with a focus on child and adolescent development.) I minored in Special Education and Indigenous Studies. Since that time, I have worked as a certified, classroom teacher in Illinois, Arizona, and China.

Another path opened for me when I decided to teach elementary school overseas. I had the privilege of working in The People's Republic of China for 15 years. I worked in two international schools and became well-versed in the British and Australian curriculums as well as International Baccalaureate (IB) for primary years. While there, I taught preschool, mixed-age, kindergarten, and grade 1. This has contributed to my strong ESL background. Concurrent to being a classroom teacher, I also tutored and mentored high school students, ran a university English corner, and supervised several service clubs.
Over the years I have worked with infants of 6 weeks up to adults in their 70's. As a special education teacher (K-2) and an elementary teacher, I have worked with diverse students and adults - many of whom were on the spectrum.

Knowing how to adapt learning to the individual has been one of the most important aspects of my teaching pedagogy. In all my classrooms there is space for multiple types of intelligence. As a tutor I will endeavor to make it an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. I look forward to hearing from you!