Emily

Hi there, I’m Emily, and I help Alberta students feel more comfortable with English, from understanding a story to putting their own ideas into words. We can talk through a reading, untangle an assignment or turn a rough plan into a paragraph that says what you mean. I hold an Alberta Permanent Professional Certificate. I went into teacher training because I enjoyed helping people find the words for what they meant. Classroom teaching reinforced something I still value in tutoring: listening to the student's interpretation before suggesting a change. I like asking what you think before offering suggestions, because your ideas are the starting point. There’s time to read aloud, try out different sentences and make changes together. Bring whatever you’re working on, even if it’s only a few notes!

I’ve supported Alberta students with English in the classroom and in individual tutoring, from finding a starting point for a response to revising a longer piece of writing. Some students have arrived with pages of ideas; others have found it difficult to write even the first sentence. I’ve enjoyed working with both. A lot of my experience has involved reading stories, poems and short passages together, then helping students develop their own responses. I’ve also worked with students preparing oral presentations and returning to assignments after teacher feedback. It’s taught me to notice the small signs of progress, especially when someone starts offering an interpretation without waiting to be told what to think.