FAQs

• What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
  I offer competitive rates for local and online classes. Please contact me directly if you'd like to see a rate chart. I offer a discount to long term students. Because I work for myself, there are no "extra" or "administrative" fees.
• What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
  We exchange emails or texts and then meet online or at a location for a free consultation. If a student is a beginner, sometimes he or she will have a friend at that first meeting to help translate and make sure everything is clear, but usually this isn't necessary. Potential students can ask lots of questions at the consultation. There is no obligation, so students can decide whether or not we are well matched.
• What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
  After I graduated from university, I started tutoring at LaGuardia Community College -- one of the most linguistically diverse schools in the world. More than half of my students were second language learners. Later I started teaching there. I have also taught at the Community College of Vermont, Queens College, and in New York City public high schools. I have a master's in social work and a master's in fine arts (creative writing). My bachelor's is in English. I learned Spanish when I was an adult, so I know how difficult it is to learn a second language. I don't speak French, Italian, or Portuguese but I know a little about the grammatical structure and some vocabulary in those languages. While I don't speak any Asian languages, I know a little about how they differ from English in structure. I have additional professional experience as a teacher and writer. I have a master's degree in social work, as well as a master's of the arts in creative writing.