Fun Facts

I have a teenage son who keeps me “on my toes” with what is currently on trend in his age group, and who has led me (kicking and screaming – just kidding!) to innumerable car shows and exhibits. When I am not busy with him, you can usually find me buried somewhere in the public library stacks or at our local Barnes & Noble; I have been a bookworm almost since I learned to read. Other fun de-stressing activities for me are doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and playing Candy Crush.

About Me

I am a recent graduate of Northeastern Illinois University with an M.A. in Linguistics. In the past, I received an M.Ed. in Teaching Reading from Loyola University Chicago. At that time I was teaching high school English, which I had prepared for with a B.A. in English Education from UIC. After a few years, I left teaching for other interests, but then came back to it as an ESL instructor on the college level. That led to my decision to pursue a master’s degree in linguistics.

Experience

My tutoring experience is extensive. While still teaching ESL part-time at DeVry, I started my own private tutoring business from my home. I also tutored both ESL and non-ESL students, primarily in speaking and writing skills, in the tutoring center at DeVry. I have been a volunteer tutor for Spanish-speaking recent immigrants to the U.S., and most recently, I was the linguistics tutor at Northeastern IL's Learning Support Center for two semesters.

Approach

My approach begins with getting to know the client, establishing a rapport. I want to be sure the person feels comfortable with me, including comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes. Then, I make sure we both have a clear goal in mind for the session that day. I also try to get an idea of what the person’s particular learning style is, so I can try to adapt to it.