Richard: DeSoto tutor

Certified Tutor

In the three-building 'town' of Belingwe, Zimbabwe, I began an academic year in its two-room schoolhouse (one room for those under six years old... and the other room). What I was sure would be an educational disaster of a year, turned out to be a year-long adventure with the greatest of all educators.

In the middle of the African savannah, our small group of 'different-year olds' learned through doing - critical and creative thinking, and building academically, physically, emotionally, and socially. Growing personally and through team efforts - all under the watchful eye of an educator whose intense passion for teaching and explaining 'the real world' was unrivaled. By the end of the year, I knew I wanted to be a teacher with 'all the knowledge of everything' ready to be shared in the most human and humble manner just as my mentor had done.

I have enjoyed learning from great educators in New York City and Edinburgh; teaching students of many cultures, religions, and languages, and teaching with peers in schools from Cairo to Los Angeles to Buenos Aires. In each school and classroom, I continue learning - "Every day is a great day to learn something new" I tell students as I thank them for teaching me something new, that day, from their culture, religion, or language.

I have been influenced by educators such as Rogers, Bloom, and Glasser and have tried to bring their brand of understanding, clarity, and excitement to my own teaching. My ideas on Education are embodied in those efforts to educate that I saw modeled by an extraordinary teacher in a two-room school, deep in the African bushveld.