I am a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. I received my undergraduate degree - B.A. in English Literature and Secondary Education - from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. My previous teaching/tutoring experience includes a semester of student teaching 11th grade students in English at James B. Conant High School and engaging in one-on-one tutoring in Reading and Language Arts. Additionally, I do possess some experience working with ESL students. I am equally passionate about teaching Literature (including Reading and Writing skills) as well as Social Sciences to students. Though teaching writing skills can be challenging at times, I find the effort to be worthwhile because I love watching students experience a sense satisfaction and achievement when they finally master the ability to successfully express themselves through their writing. My teaching and tutoring experiences have taught me that everyone learns at their own pace and that it is essential that an instructor possess patience and understanding in order to enable a student to learn successfully. Additionally, I am a strong believer in the philosophy that "practice makes perfect." No amount of studying theory or concepts will provide a student with the insight as to their strengths or weaknesses in a particular subject that actually requires a student to actively apply those theories or concepts to a learning exercise and/or problem. When I am not attending to the obligations of work and home, I have a number of interests I like to dabble in. I am an art lover and enjoy checking out the various collections at museums both in nearby areas and abroad. I am an amateur photographer and in high school I learned how to develop black and white photos in the darkroom. Additionally, I took my first screen printing class last year and quickly fell in love with this particular medium. I am hoping to take an intermediate level of screen printing sometime in the near future. I also love to travel and have been fortunate enough to visit some great places over the past few years. Next on my list of countries to visit include Spain, Portugal and Italy. I am still an avid reader, my favorite genres being historical fiction and biographies.