ABOUT

“Learning is a treasure
that will follow its owner everywhere.”
Chinese Proverb 
 

Barbara Norman

 a credentialed, experienced teacher who will give you her full attention

Teaching Experience

18 years' teaching experience

English as a Foreign Language Teacher

8 years' college level EFL/ESL teaching

Languages

Studied Spanish, French and German

Master's Degree

M.Ed. from George Fox University, Oregon

Bachelor's Degree

B.A. in linguistics from University of Hawaii, Manoa

Hobbies

World-wide travel, art, music, gardening, movies, history

Why I do what I do

My father was a college professor who often invited students from other countries to our home for dinners and conversation.


From an early age, I remember informal language classes around the dinner table — students practicing their English, and our family learning a little of their languages.


These are warm and precious memories for me. As an adult I enjoy teaching ESL — especially to adults — because of the professional relationships made with students and seeing their joy in making progress in English.

While practicing and progressing in their language skills, we also exchange cultural information and practices.

I feel greatly rewarded when I see students recognize their progress in using English.

I am enriched by the connection between student and teacher when we acknowledge growth.


Contact Barbara

Meet My Team

Patrick Mooney

English Coach/Business Associate

Best English Coach Teaching Associate

Patrick Mooney is A.B.D. in English literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley. 


He taught literature for the Department of English and College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara, and taught freshman composition for the Writing Program at UCSB, where his work emphasized developing students’ critical awareness of their own writing process, and focused on developing essay structure, style, voice, and phrasing. 


Patrick has also tutored literature, mathematics, philosophy, and the German language at Southwestern Oregon Community College, as well as serving as a conversational EFL tutor at that institution. 


Patrick has received many teaching awards, including the Graduate Students' Association Excellence in Teaching Award at UCSB, where he was also a five-time nominee for the Outstanding Teaching Assistant award.

Education

·        M.A., UCSB; M.A./Ph.D. program


·        B.A., UC Berkeley


·        Universität Bayreuth


Teaching Experience

UCSB College of Creative Studies, Teaching Associate


UCSB Department of English

UCSB Writing Program:  

Standard freshman composition course at UCSB, involving weekly small- or large-scale writing assignments and emphasizing students’ critical awareness of their own writing process and development of essay structure, style, voice, and phrasing. Readings emphasized linkage of reading and writing processes and the development of critical thinking skills.


Santa Barbara City College Writing Center.

Provide feedback on student papers as necessary. Encourage development of self-editing responsibilities and other traits and practices related to ownership of a student's own writing process.


Awards

Graduate Students Association Excellence in Teaching Award, University of California, Santa Barbara. Very competitive campus-wide award recognizing graduate student excellence in teaching. 


Academic Senate Outstanding Teaching Assistant (nominee), University of California, Santa Barbara in four consecutive academic years. Campus-wide award recognizing excellence in teaching, creative and innovative teaching methods, and rapport with students. 


Arnhold Graduate Fellow, Department of English, University of California, Santa Barbara. Competitive fellowship awarded to two students annually, providing full academic funding and stipend to cover living expenses.


Valedictorian, Southwestern Oregon Community College. 


Σωφροσύνη Award for Excellence in Philosophy, Southwestern Oregon Community College


Philosophy department award, presented for excellence in personal academic work and in providing tutorial assistance to other students. One presented each year.


Outstanding English Student, Southwestern Oregon Community College


English department award. One presented each year.


Outstanding Student Scholar, Southwestern Oregon Community College and Governor John Kitzhaber. Thirty-five presented statewide, two to students from Southwestern Oregon Community College.


Best Editorial, Oregon Newspaper Publishers' Association Collegiate Newspaper Contest, 1999.


Contact Patrick

WHY I DO WHAT I DO

My father was a college professor who often invited students from other countries to our home for dinners and conversation.


From an early age, I remember informal language classes around the dinner table — students practicing their English, and our family learning a little of their languages.


These are warm and precious memories for me. As an adult I enjoy teaching ESL
— especially to adults - because of the professional relationships made with students and seeing their joy in making progress in English.

While practicing and progressing in their language skills, we also exchange cultural information and practices.

I feel greatly rewarded when I see students recognize their progress in using English. I am enriched by the connection between student and teacher when we acknowledge growth.


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