"I have taught Language Arts and Speech to students from 3-80 years old. Some of them were not native English speakers; some were not even in the US. Some have also had various disabilities that have made learning difficult. Regardless, my belief in helping others has supported me in finding a way to communicate with them and nurture their self confidence and curiosity. That opens the door to helping them explore their world and communicate about it.

I happen to believe that all our electronic communication gizmos are making it difficult for learners to experience the world directly. Young students need to find a way to use their gizmos to open doors into the real world. Older students who have learning deficits need to learn where their personal gap is, then acquire the skills to close that gap. There is a time to look at your cell phone or tablet; there is a time to look someone in the eye and articulate your personal truth.

I have both a Bachelors and a Masters in Speech/Theatre. I was graduate Assistant to the Wyoming Forensics Team, traveling all over the region to tournaments and enjoying their national success. I later taught several speech classes at Heidelberg College - Japan. Our intent was to offer freshman level US-style courses to the students could then transfer to an American college and successfully finish an American undergraduate degree. While in Japan I also held an honorary secondary teaching certificate and taught Conversation, Vocabulary Building, Reading, and Writing at a High School for students returning from living abroad. I have also taken these teaching skills into informal programs like summer programs, after school programs, and camps, and a cognitive development program.

If it sounds like we might fit together well, give me a shout and let's talk about what we can achieve together." less...