Search
Mary Sue S.'s Photo

Teacher Certified in English, History, English 2nd Language (ESL)
Mary Sue S.

5.0 (37 ratings)

91 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $35
Contact Mary Sue

About Mary Sue

Bio

As a certified ESL teacher, grades K-12, and certified English and Social Studies teacher, grades 6-12, I bring strong academic content and teaching of reading and writing knowledge to the table, along with study skills and test taking strategy. I currently teach high school ESL students with an emphasis on the academic language of social studies. Last year, I taught a World History, Part I preparation class for ESL students, as well. I have also previously taught Adult ESL classes in...

As a certified ESL teacher, grades K-12, and certified English and Social Studies teacher, grades 6-12, I bring strong academic content and teaching of reading and writing knowledge to the table, along with study skills and test taking strategy. I currently teach high school ESL students with an emphasis on the academic language of social studies. Last year, I taught a World History, Part I preparation class for ESL students, as well. I have also previously taught Adult ESL classes in Chesterfield County. I feel that teaching of academic vocabulary and study skills, along with reading strategies are among my greatest strengths. As a Richmond City employee, I have had a criminal record check and have also been fingerprinted.

Personal trivia: I have edited two school fundraiser cookbooks for Richmond area schools and invented the Mary Munford School butterfly rear window decal which Mary Munford still sells. I frequently see those butterfly decals on cars about town.

Read more

Education

Sweet Briar College
English Literature
VCU
Graduate Coursework
  • Licensed teacher

Policies

Schedule

Loading...

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

As a teacher with endorsements in English and Social Studies, I understand the skills required to be successful in both of these vocabulary and content rich subjects. Each of these subjects requires the student to use critical thinking skills to write grammatically correct answers showing comprehension of the text. Understanding how to read any text,and answer content questions is necessary on an ACT English test. Since this is a timed test with multiple choice answers, a student needs to be armed with proficient reading comprehension and multiple choice test taking skills.
American History

American History

I passed the Praxis to teach all social studies courses in grades 6-12 including American History, and I am also familiar with elementary school American History and Virginia Studies. I have previous experience giving history tours at Wilton House Museum, and I have very good general knowledge on history and desire to learn more.
Bible Studies

Bible Studies

Bible Studies can be both a literal study of the Bible as a religious text or the Bible as Literature. The themes in the Bible permeate our world literature. Many themes in The Bible we find in other religions and are universal stories. Think of the stories of Cain and Abel and Jacob and Esau, and how many works of literature show sibling conflicts. Think of Aslan, as the Christ figure in The Chronicles of Narnia, and how he sacrificed himself for the good of Narnia. One cannot fully appreciate many themes in literature without understanding how these themes are old themes found in The Bible.
Classics

Classics

I have extensively read ancient mythology and have familiarity with Greek and Roman history. As a student of English literature, a knowledge of Classics has been useful in understanding literary illusions in various works. Classics inform all branches of the arts as we can see at the Virginia Museum when we view art from various periods.
Elementary (K-6th)

Elementary (K-6th)

I am a substitute teacher in both Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, and have student taught ESL students at Watkins Elementary in Chesterfield. As an ESL teacher, one teaches content subjects, and I have taught elementary science, mathematics and social studies. An ESL teacher is expected to teach all content to ESL students.
Elementary Math

Elementary Math

I have substitute taught Elementary Math and tutored ESL students in Elementary Math content. I believe that students today often do not know their math facts by heart, and that more thorough memorization of all math facts would facilitate stronger American math scores in standardized testing. While calculators and other technology help solve math problems, a student should not have to rely entirely on these things.
Elementary Science

Elementary Science

I enjoy teaching elementary science, and I am constantly amazed by how many good picture books are written with science content. Elementary science picture book texts are a great way to teach both science content and reading skills. All elementary students can relate to science topics like the weather, plants, magnets, rocks and minerals. Unlike history which teaches more regional content, science is universal for all of us at the elementary level.
English

English

As a native English speaker, English major, and certified English teacher in grades 6-12, I feel fully qualified to tutor and teach in this area. Further, my additional certification in ESL has strengthened my knowledge of the English language and how to better teach reading and writing skills to all students. Being a fluent reader, writer, and speaker of English facilitates our academic and financial success in the future. Ultimately, how we present ourselves in the English language is our "calling card" in the world, regardless of our other marketable areas of expertise.
ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

Recently certified to teach English as a Second Language, I feel qualified to tutor ESL students. I have student taught and substitute taught ESL students at every level of English acquisition from Newcomers to students transitioning out of ESL programs. I have also tutored and student taught former ESL students who still needed writing and reading support despite transitioning out of the ESL program. Becoming fluent in a second language is an ongoing lifelong progress just as native language acquisition is lifelong. Literacy in a language is never totally complete. There is always more to learn.
European History

European History

As a student of literature from many European cultures, I have osmosed considerable European history. One cannot study the literature of a place without understanding the social and economic climate in which the author lived and wrote. I have passed the Praxis examination to teach social studies in grades 6-12, and I feel that my lifelong interest in history and culture equip me tutor European history.
GED

GED

The GED test is changing this year, 2014, and you can learn more about the changes at the Department of Education website. GED Subject areas are Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. The test will be entirely online from now on, and students will be expected to understand how to efficiently take online tests. I am qualified to tutor you in reading, writing, social studies, and multiple choice test strategy, and simpler high school math operations.
Geography

Geography

As I passed the social studies Praxis examination to teach social studies and geography to students in grades 6-12, I am qualified to tutor in geography. Geography is a subject easily learned with strong visual content (maps photographs,graphic organizers, flash cards, and information journals. Geography is general information, and study skills which can effectively input general information work with geography as well.
Grammar

Grammar

As a certified English teacher, grades 6-12, and a certified ESL teacher, grades K-12, I feel qualified to teach grammar, from its most basic elements to its finer points. Written and spoken grammar are critical elements in communication which reflect our educational level and our view of grammar's importance. People can lose out on opportunities simply due to wrong subject very agreement or verb tense.
Literature

Literature

Literature is my greatest passion. As an English major certified to teach English, grades 6-12, with experience in many classrooms, I feel qualified to tutor in this subject. I believe many students lose interest in literature either due to the text being too difficult to read or because the teacher did not connect student background knowledge to the text. If we can see how a seemingly unrelated text, actually connects to us as human beings, then that text gains relevance and important to us, and so we read it.
Music History

Music History

As a classical music enthusiast, and supporter of the Richmond Symphony, I study music history and how it relates to the performances I see. Further, I enjoy studying how literature,art and music are all reflections of social history. If one looks at a time line of history, culture and music, one can see patterns in how the music and art reflect what is happening at that time in history. Think of the music of the late 1960's and 1970's and how it reflects the Viet Nam War and the rebellious youth of that time. Think of Beethoven living right in between the Age of Reason and the Romantic Period, and one can almost hear the conflict in his music, as if he is torn in tow different directions. Music History tells us what was going on culturally or socially at any given time.
Phonics

Phonics

As a certified ESL teacher, I have experience teaching phonics and taken linguistics and phonics course work. While phonics plays a key part in helping students learn to read, semantics and morphology are also important. 40% of the words in the English language have Latin roots and are often pronounced and read as they "sound," however, other words, must be learned by sight. Phonics is part of learning to read and speak a language, but by no means does phonics knowledge create true fluency.
Praxis

Praxis

I have passed the Praxis exams to teacher Secondary English, Social Studies, and Consumer and Family Sciences. Understanding how to take and pass a Praxis exam is similar to an SOL or SAT, in that it requires reading and understanding what a question asks, not over reading the question, understanding how to eliminate wrong responses, and understanding test strategy in taking multiple choice tests. I am glad to provide copies of my Sweet Briar and VCU transcripts as well as my teaching certificate and Praxis test results.
Proofreading

Proofreading

As a certified English teacher, grades 6-12 and ESL teacher, grades K-12, I feel qualified to teach students how to proofread. I am always shocked that student think that if they hit "spellcheck" that their proofreading is complete. We must be able to proofread on our own without the benefits of a computer, just as we must be able to perform many math operations without a calculator. A simple technique such as slowly reading out loud an essay will help a student "hear" errors. Keeping a proofreading journal of common errors will help a student recognize regular problem errors.
PSAT

PSAT

The 130 minute PSAT test is comprised of critical reading, math, and writing skills, and answers are provided in a "grid on" (fill in the squares on a grid) and multiple choice format. Multiple choice test taking strategy is part of success on this test, and the ability to quickly deduce which are the two best answers will facilitate speed of test taking. Prior reading comprehension success shown in completing sentences and being able to answer reading comprehension questions about the content is a predictor of a higher score. Writing skills are measured through a series of multiple choice questions expecting students to recognize standard-written English, grammar errors in usage and structure, and awareness of how to use language with accurate meaning. On the math section of the test, I can assist with simpler numbers and operations, data analysis, and probability. If a student is taking this test, he or she ought to already be a very capable math student. While a student might be able to slightly finesse his way through some of the verbal aspects of this test, the math operations require clear understanding.
Public Speaking

Public Speaking

As both an ESL and English teacher and tutor, public speaking is required both of me and expected in my students. The Standards of Learning expect students at various grade levels to display comfort and success with speaking in small groups and then larger groups. I am able to teach both school students and adults to speak before a group. I can teach voice modulation, diction, articulation, voice pitch, and body language to help the public speaker deliver a stronger message with better audience reception. All speakers ought to speak a little slower than they think is acceptable. All public speakers ought to view themselves on a videotape and self-critique public speaking errors such as fidgeting while speaking, poor eye contact, mumbling, and moving weight from one foot to the other. Small nervous gestures may distract an audience, and if one can see those errors, it is easier to correct them.
Reading

Reading

As a certified English teacher, grades 6-12 and ESL teacher, grades K-12, I have experience in teaching reading and vocabulary strategies for students at all reading levels. Phonics, vocabulary, and decoding strategies all play parts in successful reading. Further, texts should be taught at just above a student's reading level. Correctly matching a text to a student's reading level is critical for a student to learn content and vocabulary.
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

SAT reading requires not only good reading skills to understand what is said in the reading passages, but test strategies for reading general comprehension texts and the questions asked. One strategy for successful SAT reading includes reading the question and multiple choice answers prior to reading the passage. Understanding key words in the passage is critical in effectively answering questions, as well.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

SAT essay writing is a newer part of the SAT, and requires good mechanics and content. The more experienced and confident a student is in writing brief essays, the more successful he or she will be on writing the SAT essay. Just as a student needs to be prepared to write an End of Course SOL writing persuasive essay, a student applying to colleges must be prepared and experienced at writing effective, grammatically correct essays.
Social Studies

Social Studies

I have passed the Praxis test to teach social studies in grades 6-12. I am also familiar with Virginia Studies in the elementary school and have done volunteer VA history tours at Wilton House Museum in Richmond, VA. I feel qualified to teach social studies at any grade level, frankly. I have excellent general information and can educate myself on any material I need to teach in social studies, if I do not already know it. I am glad to supply my social studies Praxis test results.
SOL

SOL

As a certified teacher, I understand Standards of Learning at every grade level and have access to practice tests and released tests. I have also drafted preparation strategies to help students learn content and understand HOW to take a multiple choice test along with being quite sure students understand the drag and click techniques required in many SOL tests today. Passing an SOL requires not only content knowledge, but multiple choice test taking strategy and comfort with an online test at a computer. Most SOL tests require a 50% correct pass rate so the question becomes not learning all of the content for a student who is having difficulty but learning the most important key content.
Speech

Speech

As a teacher certified to teach ESL in grades preK-12 and English in grades 6-12, I am qualified to tutor in speech as I have experience helping ESL students with accent remediation, and English students with public speaking skills. I have taken linguistics courses for my ESL teacher certification. As a certified ESL and secondary English teacher, I am familiar with the skills necessary to deliver strong oral presentation and to effectively communicate. Speech pathologists are able to teach students who have genuine articulation issues in their native languages, however speech pathologists do not consider heavy accents in second languages to be a speech pathology issue. In other words, it is "normal" to have accent issues in a second language and this is where an ESL teacher can help. An ESL teacher can look at a student's natural articulation patterns in his or her native language and see how they differ from English language patterns and tongue placement in the mouth. Examples of my prior speech tutoring experience include tutoring ESL adults on how to make stronger power point oral presentations to colleagues and peers at work, and students on how to deliver English and Social Studies oral presentations. With slowed speech, careful articulation and enunciation, students will begin to see improvement. Particular speech issues are evident for any ESL student depending on his or her native language. We all have unique challenges speaking a second language. Targeting the differences between the native language and English articulation helps a student to remediate his particular unique speech challenges.
Spelling

Spelling

Spelling is a crucial part of both reading and writing. The more experienced we are as readers, the better our spelling and vocabulary will be. Exposure to words, many times over, helps us spell well. Like good grammar, accurate spelling lets others know that we are literate, able readers, and good writers. Keeping a spelling journal of frequently misspelled words helps all of us spell better.
SSAT

SSAT

The SSAT is offered to students in third through eleventh grade. This test is offered at the elementary, middle school, and high school level. Each SSAT has five separate sections which include quantitative math, verbal, reading comprehension, and a writing prompt exercise. Like the PSAT and SAT tests, these tests require comfort with a multiple choice format and strong critical thinking skills. Practice with similar test questions and spontaneously responding to writing prompts with a well developed essay will facilitate success.
Study Skills

Study Skills

As an ESL teacher, I have experience with teaching techniques to learn content information. For example, teaching students to carefully use a dictionary to look up words, to maintain a vocabulary journal of words they do not know, to write definitions which make senses to them, not verbatim from a dictionary are all ways to help glue vocabulary into one's brain. Teaching students to create graphic organizers of content information, or to create an outline are other ways to help students to learn ways to remember content. Also, good old flash cards for key points in content and vocabulary are also helpful. Teaching students to take notes and rewrite notes also helps students to learn content.
TOEFL

TOEFL

I'm certified to teach English as a Second Language, I feel qualified to tutor TOEFL students studying to pass their TOEFL examination. I have taught ESL(English as a Foreign Language) students at every level of English acquisition from newcomers to students transitioning out of ESL programs. I have also tutored and taught former ESL students who still needed writing and reading support despite transitioning out of the ESL program. I also teach accent reduction to business professionals seeking to Americanize their accents in spoken English.
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is probably the single most important predictor of our future academic success. Students who arrive in kindergarten, with smaller vocabularies and consequently more limited general information, will have a more difficult time in school, as these same students are playing "catch up" from Day One. We are all, at all ages, constantly learning new vocabulary. Some vocabulary we can understand in context, but other vocabulary we must actively study and learn. Graphic organizers and vocabulary journals (personal dictionaries) help students develop vocabulary. Students also ought to use a dictionary, which they understand. Copying definitions too difficult to understand are of no use to a student.
World History

World History

World History is important for all of us to know. We need to understand our world, what has happened in the past, and how it impacts the present. As I have passed the social studies Praxis examination and am certified to teach Social Studies in grades 6-12, I feel qualified to tutor in World History. Further as an English major certified to teach English in grades 6-12, I have learned that few things occur in isolation. To understand the literature of different regions, we have to understand the history of the people in those regions. The more we know about the history, culture, art, literature and music of a place, the more we understand the people.
Writing

Writing

Writing is both an expression of our own thoughts and also a way for others to assess if we understand information. Being able to articulate our thoughts with good grammar and content helps us to show what we know. Since writing across the curriculum is an important part of education, students need to be able to write with good content and mechanics. Writing is required to pass the End of Course Writing SOL in public high schools as well as on the SAT and further testing. Writing well is the hallmark of higher education. One cannot succeed beyond a certain academic level without writing well.

Examples of Expertise

Mary Sue has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 2 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

See all of Mary Sue ’s answers ›
Mary Sue S.'s Photo

Questions? Contact Mary Sue before you book.

Still have questions?

Contact Mary Sue

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (37 ratings)
5 star
(36)
4 star
(1)
3 star
(0)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

Reviews

Great Tutor

Mary was very patient and thorough with my daughter. I wanted to give my daughter some experience taking the PSAT standardized test before her sophomore year. Mary suggested the best materials, came prepared with exercises to improve her performance, and gave my daughter homework for the next class. Her encouraging words made the sessions fun for my daughter. I have seen my daughter's confidence grow as a result of their sessions.

Karen, 7 lessons with Mary Sue

Excellent tutor - can't say enough!!

We are so indebted to Mary Stuart S. for working with our daughter who is a high school ESL student. We have a child in our home from another country who was struggling with reading comprehension and the reading SOL. Mary Stuart took her on as a student and brought so much knowledge and passion to the lessons. It was clear that her enthusiasm had captivated our daughter and we saw immediate and significant improvement right away. She has a demeanor that is engaging for her students and uses real world analogies to explain the material. She also provides thorough feedback after each lesson with tips on what to work on. I was particularly impressed with the resource materials she provided our daughter that were spot on and will be useful to her as she continues her education. She is so patient and has a way of teaching that is not at all intimidating to her students. Suffice to say, I truly believe that if we had not met her our daughter would not be graduating from high school this week. We are so incredibly grateful to her and look forward to continuing the relationship as our daughter transitions to community college and prepares for the SAT. We have used WyzAnt several times and Mary Stuart is the best of the best.

Laura, 31 lessons with Mary Sue

Very Good Tutor

After each tutoring session for my little brother, she writes a review on what they did and how well he performed. She kept me updated on almost everything they went through and materials she had him do. His reading level has increased since I started bringing my brother to Mary. Overall she is excellent and her schedule is very flexible.

Francesco, 12 lessons with Mary Sue
Hourly Rate: $35
Contact Mary Sue