I am a self-motivated, enthusiastic instructor committed to teaching English to children and adults in a fun and creative way.  I value cultural diversity in my classroom as I believe it enlightens the minds and enlivens the experiences of students and teacher alike.  I believe in encouraging students to be active learners by exploring their world using all their senses and using what they find as inspiration for creativity.

My experiences have allowed me to teach in front of a classroom of up to 20 students and also tutored students one on one. I’ve had the pleasure of engaging with students from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea and Saudi Arabia with the hope of extending my reach to other ethnicities in the future.  In fact, my love for culture began when I was a study abroad student in Oxford, England.  During my studies there, I not only lived with a British family, but had the opportunity to travel to Ireland, Germany, and France.  Returning from my travels back to the U.S., my family and I hosted international exchange students as well so my exposure to diversity is what naturally drew me to obtaining my TEFL certification. 

Helping students feel confident with the material that is taught to them while encouraging them to reach their academic potential, inevitably leading to their success, is what gives me the most satisfaction as a teacher.  In support of this thought, I take a student-centered approach because as Leo Jones, author of “The Student-Centered Classroom” states, it helps students to develop a “can do” attitude while being effective, motivating, and enjoyable.

“In a student-centered class, students don’t depend on their teacher all the time, waiting for instructions, word of approval, correction, advice, or praise.  They don’t ignore each other, but look at each other and communicate with each other.  They value each other’s contributions; they cooperate, learn from each other, and help each other.  When in difficulty or in doubt, they ask the teacher for help or advice but only after they have tried to solve the problem among themselves.  The emphasis is on working together, in pairs, in groups and as a whole class.  Their teacher helps them to develop their language skills…It’s a place where we consider the needs of the students, as a group and as individuals, and encourage them to participate in the learning process all the time” (Jones 2).

Along the lines of encouraging student interaction, participation and collaboration, another important teaching strategy for me is the use of realia in my lessons.  Using realia gets students excited and piques their interest in the topic that is being presented.  They become more curious and observant as they are introduced to a variety of different items, objects, and materials that may be foreign to some while familiar to others.  The variety of learning materials can support what a textbook may be teaching and may awaken those students who are quieter and non participatory.

To enhance my teaching philosophy, I equally take a community-centric approach in my work to ensure that the colleagues I collaborate with come together to create the most meaningful learning experience for our students.

My hope through my teaching is to bring cultural awareness, appreciation, and respect to all the students I encounter along my path to exploring the world and to lead them in the direction of a successful, fulfilled, and rewarding life.