I believe that a teachers first job is to teach effective skills in learning and retaining material. This needs to be tailored to the specific learning needs of the student. A teacher also seeks to help the student apply the information in a pragmatic manner. I also believe that a teacher ought to be able to maximize the learning potential and success of each student he or she has.

I am a recent graduate from Oregon State University, where I majored in History and English. I am currently completing a certificate in Religion and Culture at Oregon State University. I have also taken a two year training program in public speaking, after which I helped coach and evaluate other people participating in the program.

I spent a year as an ESL instructor in Thailand. There I did both in-class instruction and one-on-one tutoring. I also taught public speaking and cultural studies classes. I have also done informal teaching session for elementary students and teens. I have also spent a number years of tutoring children to adults in English, history, religion, and other topics. I have accumulated over seven years of teaching and tutoring experience

I enjoy reading, writing (and am working on getting a couple of pieces of writing published), traveling, hiking, canoeing, astronomy, and cooking. While I am not currently involved in any activities, due to not being a full time student, I have been involved (and sometimes was in charge of)various cultural programs and shows in school. I have also been involved in social activities like food drives and dinners for seniors. Due to my interests in history, I hope to be able to volunteer in one of the historical societies soon.