About
After many years of teaching English, and foreign languages at Strake Jesuit in Houston, and foreign languages and drama in high schools and universities in the UK, I continue to enjoy the exchange with my students. What I enjoy the most is finding a student's area of interest, and expanding their knowledge through their own curiosity.
Learning English, or a foreign language is about finding the way in to ideas, and to the expression of those ideas. Coming across new ideas is stimulating, and can be life-changing. I work with a student's strengths through story-telling, role-play, and poetry, covering classical and modern literature. As well as the written word, I use kinaesthetic, and visual techniques. I teach literature and language with film and other visual support, in foreign language I use mime to support language learning. I work with a student's individual challenges, to help them help themselves, so they can work through those challenges independently, growing in confidence and knowledge. With reading, I encourage students to love words, both their sound, and their symbolic and literal meanings. With writing, I encourage students to be free within certain structures, to choose words creatively, and I show them how to organize their ideas. I want students to understand a writer not just through the narrative of the story, but through the inside world of that author, what viewpoint he wants to leave the reader with.
I approach each student as an individual, and I teach the whole person, not just the subject. I hope that I can impart a love of learning language that has practical benefits not only for school, but for life.
Qualifications, Publications and Awards:
BA Honors in Russian
MA Anthropogy
MA Education
Certificate in Beijing Opera
Peking Opera Codes, Compendium Publishing
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Fleming Award for Teaching Excellence 2017
I enjoy teaching because it is a way to interact with another person not just as a passerby, but in the sense that you can have a part in the growth and changes of that person. Experiencing a student start to enjoy a school subject, which initially had little meaning and that was chosen for them by another person, finding the connection of that subject to themselves, and thereby finding a purpose for the learning is the most satisfying part of teaching.
Highlights
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Anthony B.
Anson F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Getting to know the students strengths and learning challenges. Getting to know their interests aside this subject. Understanding their learning styles. Asking the student's own targets for this class.
1/What do you enjoy learning in English class?
or Why do you enjoy studying French/ Russian/ Mandarin?
2/ What subjects are you interested in aside from this in school or outside of school?
3/What challenges are you facing in studying English/ foreign language?
4/ What are your preferred learning styles? Are you a visual/auditory/ kinaesthetic learner?
5/ What do you hope to get out of this class?