Calista

Certified Tutor

I recently graduated summa cum laude from Eastern Oregon University with my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Writing. This honor exemplifies my work ethic and proficiency with English and writing. I am thus well-equipped to teach English literature and grammar as well as expository, persuasive, descriptive, and narrative writing, as these skills were nurtured by the many English and writing classes I took throughout my college career in lieu of other elective courses. I also tutored my peers online as an undergraduate, which included explaining assignments and how to meet the teacher's expectations. Additionally, I had an academic article I coauthored, titled "Collaboration and Subsistence: Alix E. Harrow's Once and Future Witches through an Ecofeminist Lens," published in the scholarly journal FEMSPEC.

Since graduating, I have obtained my Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification from International TEFL Academy and gained experience tutoring English as a second language in a one-on-one online classroom. As someone who believes in the Communicative Approach, I aim to help students improve their vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, grammar, punctuation, listening and reading comprehension, and speaking and writing production in a meaningful way that will help them in real life. I also have experience explaining how informal and formal English and spoken and written English differ and when to use each to assist students with using English fluently. In addition to my familiarity with teaching English online, I also have experience learning a language online, as I took two years of college-level French online. The fact that I have been learning French for several years allows me to take my student's perspective into consideration.

I believe that knowledge is our greatest resource and that tutors are in the unique position of being able to offer their students personalized lessons to best help them absorb the content. Furthermore, I believe that tutors must set students up for success by giving them the tools and motivation to continue learning on their own. My own love of learning was fostered by the many excellent teachers I had, so I am well aware of the importance of having a good teacher or tutor who not only teaches, but also inspires and motivates their students. Given this, I firmly believe that tutoring is a collaborative process, and I work with students to help them achieve all their English and writing goals.

I was born in Salem, Oregon, but I currently live in Spokane, Washington. I am an avid reader and carry a book with me everywhere I go. I also love to travel. Beyond having traveled to and lived in numerous different states in the US, I've visited several countries in Europe and plan to move to Spain in a few years. My love of travel intertwines with my curiosity about new cultures. Thus, while I am thrilled to teach any subject related to English and writing, I am most passionate about teaching English as a second language and enjoy learning about my students' cultures while helping them to improve their English skills.