What is your teaching philosophy?

My motto as an educator is "If they're not learning, you're not teaching." This idea is at the core of my teaching philosophy. I am most interested in the teaching and learning process and how the traditional limits of these pursuits can be challenged. I provide an environment where students have an investment in their own learning and have the power and motivation to seek out answers to "essential questions" - a nurturing and safe place where I am learning, taking risks, and discovering along with them. I am determined to create and maintain continuous collaborative communication with students and colleagues to inspire a shared commitment to a higher standard of success for the student.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

A typical first session would involve discovering my student's learning goals, level of English proficiency, and learning style. I would administer a brief initial assessment that would measure the learner's speaking, reading, writing, listening, grammar, and pronunciation strengths and weaknesses. Then, we would map out a learning plan together.