Education
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii
BA in Second Language Studies
I studied Second Language Studies at UHM. In this relatively new field, students study different components of pedagogy and the English language. How to teach a second language in terms of practices in the classroom, theories, and psychology was studied. As was linguistics and the history of the English language. Being that Honolulu is a cosmopolitan city in the melting pot that is Hawaii, UHM is an ideal place to study how to teach English as a second language.
Doshisha University
Kyoto, Japan
Japanese Studies; N2 on Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
I was fortunate enough to be able to study Japanese in the beautifully traditional and modern city of Kyoto. I was able to study Japanese and experience the wonders of Japan. There were picnics under the falling cherry blossoms in the spring; walking through the fiery red mountain forest in the fall; drinking beer along the river in the summer; and going into the outdoor hot springs in the middle of the winter. Japan also has amazing food and cultural festivals. It was a wonderful experience in which I learned how difficult it is to live in a different county where there is a completely different culture and language. I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who can live in a foreign country and speak in a foreign tongue everyday.
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, Oregon
Undergraduate studies in English Literature and Anthropology
Ashland is a small college-town in the south of Oregon. It is known for it's beautiful park (Lithia Park), as well as the Shakespeare Festival. Ashland was a quaint town with blackberries, deer, and fudge shops. While attending school at SOU, I studied two of my main interests: Anthropology and English. I took quite a few culture and physical anthropology classes. I also took many Literature classes in which I discovered some of my favorite authors, such as Virginia Woolf, Henry David Thoreau, and Jack Kerouac.
Honolulu, Hawaii
BA in Second Language Studies
I studied Second Language Studies at UHM. In this relatively new field, students study different components of pedagogy and the English language. How to teach a second language in terms of practices in the classroom, theories, and psychology was studied. As was linguistics and the history of the English language. Being that Honolulu is a cosmopolitan city in the melting pot that is Hawaii, UHM is an ideal place to study how to teach English as a second language.
Doshisha University
Kyoto, Japan
Japanese Studies; N2 on Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
I was fortunate enough to be able to study Japanese in the beautifully traditional and modern city of Kyoto. I was able to study Japanese and experience the wonders of Japan. There were picnics under the falling cherry blossoms in the spring; walking through the fiery red mountain forest in the fall; drinking beer along the river in the summer; and going into the outdoor hot springs in the middle of the winter. Japan also has amazing food and cultural festivals. It was a wonderful experience in which I learned how difficult it is to live in a different county where there is a completely different culture and language. I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who can live in a foreign country and speak in a foreign tongue everyday.
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, Oregon
Undergraduate studies in English Literature and Anthropology
Ashland is a small college-town in the south of Oregon. It is known for it's beautiful park (Lithia Park), as well as the Shakespeare Festival. Ashland was a quaint town with blackberries, deer, and fudge shops. While attending school at SOU, I studied two of my main interests: Anthropology and English. I took quite a few culture and physical anthropology classes. I also took many Literature classes in which I discovered some of my favorite authors, such as Virginia Woolf, Henry David Thoreau, and Jack Kerouac.
Experience
EF Education First
Title: ESL Teacher
I started to teach at EF when I was 24 years old. I was a new teacher in this setting - this was the biggest school I had ever worked at. Most of my experience had been with small groups. And these groups were either all very young children or retired adults. At EF, the class sizes ranged from 17-20, and the students were mostly young adults. It is at this school that I grew the most professionally. I went from having no experience in such a setting, to being placed in a fast-paced, demanding, and constantly changing atmosphere. At EF, I became a leader. I consistently had high ratings from all of my classes - which included General English classes and Special Interest classes. General Classes cover all of the skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. I taught every level in the General Class spectrum. This means, that according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, I have taught elementary, intermediate, and advanced English as a Second Language classes (A1 to C2). I have also taught a variety of Special Interest classes, such as Conversation, American Slang, Vocabulary through Music, Reading, and Vocabulary.
While at EF, being a teacher was not my only role. I was a project coordinator multiple times. I have also created curricula and syllabi for various classes. I was often a resource for materials and ideas to other teachers.
Lunalilo Elementary School
Title: ELL Instructor
I started to work at Lunalilo with an after-school program. In this program, we helped ELL and at-risk students with their homework and offered them support on an educational computer program. After working with this program for some time, I began to work their as an ELL teacher. I taught grades 1-5. I had pull-out classes in which I helped small classes of students with phonetics, reading, and writing. I also had an immersion class in which I supported an ELL student in his homeroom class.
Hawaii English Academy
Universal Language School
ACE English School
Wonderland Language School
Private Students