About
I am a retired Spanish teacher with 26 years of classroom experience. I have worked with students of all ages and spent the last 10 years teaching Middle School Spanish in a private school in San Diego. I am passionate about teaching and miss the interaction with my students since moving to North County. I have traveled throughout much of Latin America and I love learning and teaching about the distinct cultural heritage of each country. In addition to my love of travel, I am also a fitness enthusiast and recently became a personal trainer.
I love the Spanish language and culture! Learning a language is much more than memorizing grammatical rules, verbs and vocabulary. Throughout my teaching career I have always tried to make learning fun for the students, regardless of their age. I try to incorporate music, food, games, videos, skits and more to keep the students engaged and excited about learning Spanish. Most importantly, I encourage students to practice speaking in Spanish, both in the classroom and wherever they are able to practice it in their community. I love the flexibility that teaching a language gives me and I'm passionate about what I do!
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Paige C.
Allison
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to meet with new students and find out what their current knowledge of Spanish is, what their goals are, and what they would like to accomplish with tutoring. Building rapport with students is extremely important.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a certified, bilingual teacher with 26 years of classroom experience. I taught in bilingual education at the beginning of my teaching career and later as a Spanish language teacher. I have also tutored former students at both the middle school and high school levels. Teaching is my first profession and I still love it!
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $40 an hour. This is based on my extensive experience as a teacher, as well as the prep time I devote outside of tutoring sessions.
How did you get started teaching?
I had an inspiring, passionate Spanish teacher in high school who encouraged me to continue studying the language until I became fluent. After majoring in Spanish in college and studying abroad in Mexico I fell in love with both the language and the culture. I knew that I wanted to become a Spanish teacher to not only teach the language, but to also broaden my students view of the world.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students grades K-12. Some had little to no exposure to Spanish, while others were native speakers. Always a challenge when such a diverse group is in the same class together!
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Two summers ago I had the opportunity to travel to Cuba with a small group of Americans through a Canadian tour company. It was considered a cultural trip, not a "beach vacation". We visited museums, schools and convalescent communites and tasted the local cuisine. One highlight for me on this trip was bringing baseball memorabilia (they are crazy about baseball) and toys from the US to an after school program. The Cuban kids were delighted with their gifts and in return taught us to dance salsa!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I would make sure that the tutor is not only proficient in Spanish, but has some teaching experience. It is one thing to know the language and entirely different to teach it to others. Rapport between student and teacher is also important.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What is their goal in learning Spanish? Is it to pass a class or to learn the language before traveling to Latin America? Do they want to focus on speaking, reading or writing? How committed are they? Will they put in adequate time outside of tutoring sessions to prepare and study? Is it financially feasible and something they are willing to budget for?