I am a graduate of The University of Rochester and The George Washington University. I received my B.A. in Linguistics and Japanese Language and Literature, with focuses in French Language and Psycholinguistics, and an M.A. in Internal Affairs. Since graduation, I have spent over 5 years working in K-12 educational assessment, developing curriculum and learning materials in several subject areas, especially English-Language Arts and Social studies; I also have several years' experience tutoring adults looking to improve their English as a volunteer ESL tutor and training colleagues and friends on basic and advanced usage of office software; I also have 2 years' experience teaching piano lessons to elementary school students. Most recently, I have completed certification in web development and big data analysis, because I am a strong believer in continuing to learn, grow, and use new skills. I am used to being the person friends and family go to when they have questions about a study topic because I enjoy helping them find their way to the answer and gain confidence in their knowledge.

Teaching students, whether informally in the office or by helping a friend, or formally as a piano teacher and ESL tutor, has always been a very rewarding experience for me. It has provided me with the opportunity to help others develop confidence in their abilities as well as to grow and develop as a teacher myself. I have learned so much about myself and subject areas by tutoring, and that helps me give even more to my students. I believe learning is at it's fullest when it is a collaborative experience. Although there are times when I need to directly provide information as a tutor (and to give students tools for retaining that information), I prefer to guide and question to help students find the way to the answer themselves. I believe that by practicing these skills and by emphasizing understanding of the process in addition to knowing the process itself, students will have the tools to approach new problems with confidence. I also believe that this helps create a supportive environment where mistakes are seen first and foremost as opportunities to learn (and not something to be ashamed of).

While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about English, Literature, Reading (Kindergarten - SAT levels), ESL, and workplace software tutoring; While Reading and English are more of my passion, I also enjoy tutoring elementary and middle school math. I think these problem-solving skills are important in building confidence and can be applied in other areas. (I once helped a student by explaining ways basic Japanese grammar is similar to math!) In my experience helping struggling students prepare for Standardized Tests, I really enjoy exploring approaches to the Critical Reading and Writing portions as well as finding the test prep strategies that work best for my students. In software tutoring, I enjoy focusing on the tasks that help my students achieve their goals, while helping them understand the why's of each step so they can reproduce and apply their knowledge in new contexts. In ESL, I enjoy adapting my approach to the needs of my student and providing a supportive environment to practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills.

I really believe education is important, both for providing the tools to address life challenges and increase opportunities for success, as well as to grow more fully into our potential and discover new passions. In my free time, I enjoy improving my coding skills, playing piano, and enjoying the outdoors through long walks, hikes, and bike rides.