Michelle
Certified Tutor
I am an energetic 26-year-old with a large love and enthusiasm for all things German.
Starting with German 1 in 8th grade, I then participated in a foreign exchange program, AFS, and studied abroad during my junior year of high school and lived with a Host Family in 2006-2007. I continued to study the German language and culture all the way through college and graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2012 with a major in German Communication and Culture. I also have a large passion for Pennsylvania Dutch, along with the history of German immigration and the
influence of immigration on the United States.
I recently lived in northern Germany from 2013-2015, where I lived on the island of Helgoland and worked in hospitality. I was a desk receptionist for three hotels. I then moved to Hamburg and worked for a publishing company until October of 2015.
I look forward to working with students of all ages and all levels. I have a creative and flexible teaching style that focuses on the needs of my student and however they learn best. I don't believe that there is a "right" way to learn a language, as long as the student is interested and trying, then they are learning. Language is a tool we use every day, and shapes the way in which we view the world.
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Undergraduate Degree: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania - Bachelors, German Communication and Culture
Psychology, history, politics, architecture, Pennsylania Dutch, traveling, reading, cinematography
What is your teaching philosophy?
Everyone is different, and it's imperative to work together with the student to find the best way to encourage them in their learning and to find joy in exploring new topics.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Get to know one another and discuss how the student likes to approach learning, as well as find out what the student's goals are.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Providing them with resources of their own and teaching the student where to turn in order to practice and learn on their own. Encouraging them to look into the things that they find interesting!
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Engaging students in topics that they find interesting is key. Learn what you like, and we'll find a way to talk about it, in German!
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Find a different way to explain the topic, and try again. All roads lead to Rome :)
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
German can be easily broken down into several smaller phrases and words. Understanding how the language comes together is important, and it will take time to learn. Patience and practice.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to create a friendly learning environment and encourage students to try their best. There are no stupid questions.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Find a way to make the topic more relatable to the student. Help them understand why we are learning the subject and how it helps them to know and understand it.