About
Hi, I'm Holly! :) I'm a singer-songwriter, am TEFL certified, and am a recent Ph.D graduate in Philosophy. I love teaching, and I wear many different teaching hats!
ESL: I am a TEFL certified ESL teacher. I have taught ESL lessons for 3 years now. I have helped students with various topics, such as pronunciation, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, speaking and test preparation.
Voice: I have been singing for about as long as I've been speaking! :p I sang in choir all through school, as well as at church and university. I have also lent my voice to many musicals, such as Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music, and School House Rock. During my undergrad years, I was the vice-president of Grand Valley State University's co-ed accapella group Euphoria. During graduate school, I was a finalist in many university, local, regional and national singing competitions. I have been studying voice privately for over 3 years now, and am currently completing my certification in Modern Vocal Training. I enjoy singing and teaching various styles of music, and my debut EP (due late this year) reflects that, spanning from country, to singer-songwriter, to alternative pop. When I'm not teaching music, I enjoy performing at various events and festivals, as well as online.
Philosophy: I have a B.A., (Grand Valley State University), an M.A. and Ph.D (Durham University) in philosophy. I have been teaching philosophy since 2014 to students both at the university and non-traditional students at a lifelong learning centre.
Psychology: I achieved the highest possible result on the AP Psychology test I took during my senior year of high school. My interest in psychology has continued far beyond high school, however, as I focused on the philosophy of psychology in my Ph.D thesis. My primary focus in psychology has been on interpersonal and abnormal psychology, but I am also well-versed on other topics.
English and Writing: I focused on English and writing all throughout my high school years and beyond, achieving a near perfect score on the ACT in writing and English. Writing has continued to be an integral part of my life, as I have devoted the last several years to writing my Master's and Ph.D theses.
I look forward to meeting you and/or your child soon! You can book a free 15-minute trial lesson to come meet me and see if you would like to work together.
I am a very personable and encouraging teacher who aspires to inspire my students to achieve to the best of their ability. I think that one of the most important things is for students to feel comfortable, so I always seek to make them feel as comfortable and as at ease as possible.I have taught students from the age of 3 to 83, so I am comfortable teaching all ages.
For students studying with me for specific tests in ESL, Psychology, AP Psychology, etc. we will gear the lessons towards preparing for those examinations, and thus will adhere to the exam board guidelines for the chosen subjects.
For students studying without a test in mind: I do not have set textbooks as I have found that not all students learn the same way, and what is a great textbook for one student, may not be effective for another. Therefore, when you first come to lessons, we will have a brief discussion about where you are now and what your goals are for the immediate and distant future and I will create a curriculum for each student that is specific to their goals and needs.
For students below the age of 10, I usually recommend 30-minute lessons, as their attention span is usually not developed enough to work for longer time periods.