I am a New Zealand certificated and registered, experienced English teacher, currently teaching in a reputable IBO International School in Suzhou, China, where I have been living with my husband and two children for the past five years.

Before China, we very much enjoyed six years in Laos, and prior to that, we lived and worked for 6 years in Tonga, after many years teaching in New Zealand.

We are very fortunate to have had the opportunities to both travel extensively, and live in beautiful Asia.

Our daughter has recently graduated from high school (with excellent IB English results!) and is now studying in Australia National University. Our son still has two years of High School to complete. My husband is the Concierge Manager for a Travel Company in Shanghai.

Because our children are now older, and more independent, and we are thinking of perhaps another country move, I thought tutoring students online, would be an ideal opportunity for me to stay connected with International students and continue to do what I very much enjoy - helping children to be the best that they can be in regards to communicating effectively in English.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

School Certificate (1983), University Entrance Accredited (1984), Methven College, Canterbury New Zealand

Bachelor of Education (1988), Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand

Teaching Diploma (1988), Christchurch College of Education, Canterbury, New Zealand

Teaching Certification/Registration (1990), Primary and Middle School, General Subjects

PROFESSIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Suzhou Singapore International School – August 2009 – present – Laptop computer school

Head of Middle School English - 2014-current

Teacher (6th, 7th & 8th English/Humanities Teacher - teaching both Language A and Language B students,

Additional roles within the school include:

• Staff Association Committee – elected by staff members to liaise between staff and administration

• Teacher in charge of Middle/High School ‘Roots and Shoots’ club

• Review and rewrite Grade 6 – 8 MYP English/Humanities Curriculum/Units

• MYP Personal Project Supervisor

• Use computers in the classroom in a variety of ways to effectively implement instruction

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

* Differentiation Language Classrooms Workshop – Bill and Ochan Powell, Laos, 2005

* Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences - seminar, Bangkok, 2006

* Planning professional development for the schools in the Mekong region – Ho Chi Minh, 2007 * Introduction to MYP assessment seminar – Brian Webster from Phnom Penh, 2007

* Introduction to MYP Humanities Chinese International School, Hong Kong, Sept, 2008

* Ongoing in-house PD on intro to MYP, assessment, differentiation, adolescent learners

* ESL in the Mainstream – 2007-2008 school year

* ICDL (International Computer Drivers License) - beginning

* Organised and ran ‘Author’s Fair’ Weeks for the school

* Online Triple A IB MYP Language Workshop October – December, 2008

* In-house workshop on AOI’s & Personal Projects presented by Todd Richer, November, 2008 * The 21st Century Classroom – EARCOS Weekend – October 2011

* Various in-school ‘technology in the classroom’ workshops 2011-2012

* MYP Language B: Implementing the MYP Curriculum Category 2 in English, May, 2012

As you can see by my qualifications, and experience, I am a strong Language Teacher - to both students who have English as their first language, and those where English is their second or third language. Teaching predominantly English in International Schools for the many years, has enabled me to be very effective in this area. I believe my unique instructional abilities, combined with my strong interpersonal skills and work ethics are extremely beneficial when instructing my students.

As the bulk of my experience lies within the IBO Middle Years Programme, I am very much a believer in teaching to the needs to the student. My aim to to motivate students in a way in which they want to learn. I have a vast number of resources and experience to be able to take a student from his/her current point and positively move them forward through reading, writing, oral, and visual activities.