TESOL-CERTIFIED ENGLISH TEACHER and BUSINESS ENGLISH TRAINER (online/in-person)

MY TEACHING PRINCIPLES:
I believe that what really makes a difference in the field of language learning is empathy. Many students take up language courses with some level of fear and a feeling of insecurity. In my 18 years of teaching English online, the best compliment I have ever received, I would say, is "Dana, you made me feel at ease." I know that many learners would like to have flawless grammar, rich vocabulary, and great flexibility, but this is impossible in the presence of anxiety and fear. Hearing this feedback from many students at the end of the lesson has continued to give me a great sense of accomplishment because when I have made a student feel comfortable, this means that I was able to make him/her feel comfortable enough to be able to engage in the lesson. And I strongly believe that's the first step to language learning - putting the student at ease in order for him/her to actively participate in the lesson and be engaged in the exercises. The teacher-student dynamics play a huge role in learner engagement and therefore impacts a learner's potential to progress.