IR Student & Chess Player Offering Patient Tutoring in Chess, Spa

Haile J.

I'm a rising senior at the College of William & Mary, where I'm double majoring in International Relations and Government. Since this past February, I had my first experiences tutoring middle schoolers from Berkeley Middle School in Williamsburg, Virginia. My goal is to teach through empathy and patience, rather than just repeating the same explanation a different way.
My Spanish background comes from several years of coursework plus a study abroad program in Cádiz, Spain, where all of my classes were taught entirely in Spanish, including a research project I wrote and presented in the language on my own. I'm comfortable working with students at a range of levels, from basic grammar and vocabulary to more advanced conversation and writing, and I try to correct mistakes in a way that builds confidence instead of just pointing out what's wrong.
I also grew up playing chess competitively as a kid, entering tournaments, and I picked the game back up more recently as an adult. I'm currently rated around 1100 on chess.com and climbing steadily, which I think actually makes me a good fit for teaching beginners specifically, since I still remember what it's like to be learning the fundamentals instead of assuming certain moves or ideas are obvious. Across chess, Spanish, or general homework help, my approach will stay pretty consistent. I try to figure out how each student learns best instead of sticking to one fixed method, and I care more about making sessions feel encouraging and honestly fun than about rushing through material quickly.