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Jean

Certified Tutor

I graduated from Drake University a long time ago with a B.S.E. double major English and Secondary Education. My minor was Reading. I have held a teaching certificate in Iowa and currently still hold my lifetime certificate in Texas ELA and ELA Composite grades 6-12. During my teaching career, I have over 36 post graduate hours that are not toward a degree. Instead, those hours were to better me as a teacher. Eighteen of those hours were for endorsement in Gifted/Talented. Although, I do not have the TESOL certification, I am rather heavily trained in ESL techniques and have been a rater for ESL placement for several years.

I began teaching Reading to functionally illiterate high school students and achieved great success at bringing them to at least a basic skills level of reading in order to complete life skills within one school year. Those who able to stay with me for more than one school year were often able to gain several years of growth through individualized lessons.
From there, I was moved into the English department where I taught remedial, regular, and Honors/PreAP English for many years. Depending on the year, my schedule would be all the Honors/PreAP junior students and either regular or remedial classes. I ended public teaching career after spending several years teaching middle school English. My last assignment was Credit Recovery at the high school level. I was charged with taking the lowest performing program to improvement within our district. I am pleased to say that not only did our numbers improve, we ended the year with highest numbers in our district and stayed there throughout my tenure.

What was instrumental in taking students who wouldn't graduate without Credit Recovery to graduating at the end of the school year? It's simple! I form relationships with my students getting to know them as individuals and what their goals and dreams are. With information, I can guide, prompt, teach, and encourage them to success. It is the one on one that allows me to connect with the student. We also use a great deal of humor to defuse the stressful and frustrating elements that create roadblocks.

I have served as a curriculum and test writer for the two districts within which I taught. I have also been a Team Leader and Department Chair. Other recognitions I have received are: published in a now defunct Reading newspaper for teachers, Past President of the Greater Dallas Council of Teachers of English, and Teacher of the Year nominee. I have been asked to serve as a mentor teacher for new teachers for over half of my career. In addition, I have developed and led many seminars teaching teachers about the writing process and integration into academic writing.

I enjoy one on one and getting to know my students. When a student can self identify the block to understanding, we can easily find ways to overcome that block. I have found that it often just requires a simple mini-lesson in one area that will open the flood gate to success. I look forward to working with students on this platform. I know that we can overcome and be successful! I am certified from grades 6-12 and work best with students 5th grade and up when it comes to writing. Reading, I can and will work with all grades levels. I feel this best guarantees success for all.