James

Certified Tutor

I hold a B.A. Modern Languages-French and a B.A. History from University of Missouri-St. Louis. I have always been fascinated by other cultures and languages; a chance trip to Paris ignited my love for France, its people, its history, and of course, its language. While in college, I returned to France to study for three weeks in Strasbourg, with an additional two months of exploring the country on my own. I am passionate about my two areas of study, having written and presented numerous papers on French history and culture, with my concentrations being the 1871 Paris Commune and World War II. While at university, I tutored French for the Department of Languages and Cultures, working with students from all different ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, and academic levels. I tutor not only because I want to share my enthusiasm for another culture, but also because I know what it was like to be a newbie to French; the difficulties starting out in an immersion program, the self-consciousness about trying a French accent, the struggle to learn conjugations I want to make that process as easy as possible for the next student. My approach is empathetic and patient, whether you are a student planning to major or minor in French, or a student who just needs to pass a few classes of a foreign language to satisfy your degree requirements.