Maïwenn
France
I am a veteran English teacher of more than 15 years. I have worked in private schools, private academies, universities, one-on-one in-person tutoring, with private companies and, for the last 9 years, online in various roles. I was born in the USA (Nebraska), have a Bachelor’s degree (Hollins University) and a dual Master’s degree (American University/The University for Peace in Costa Rica), speak two languages (English and Spanish) though my Spanish is an ongoing process (thus why I can empathize and understand your process).
Currently I reside in small, mountainous city called Alcoy, in Spain. Residing with me are my two black cats: Nico Robin and Tattersail (bonus points if you can identify the origin of those names). I have lived all over the world (you’ll have to meet me to get details- I have LOTS of stories, some unbelievable), but have tired of moving about and am happy with my life here in Spain and being able to work from home and help others achieve their goals 😊
My hobbies are where my hearts is, mostly in the home. I love to read, do puzzles, watch tv shows/anime/movies/documentaries. I like to sit outside listening to an audiobook and do some sort of art project. But I also want to be active. I go to the gym and quite like weightlifting. I love nature and will do anything that gets me out there, except swim in the ocean (ok, ok, I have this weird phobia of fish). My interests are in everything (really, it’s weird). I will talk about whatever you want to talk about, even the things I know very little about because the idea of getting more knowledge on something I am in the dark about is BRILLIANT!
I’ve always been teacher, whether it was my first puppy and kittens, or with my three younger siblings. My first job out of university was to be a youth counselor for “disaffected” youth (which was just a label for kids who had trouble processing their emotions, any of them having suffered abuse). This job was incredibly hard and has made me who I am: empathetic, strong and willing to admit when I need to learn and improve. As a teacher I know learning never stops and I don’t mind being challenged in class. However, I will set a stable environment with expectations of students agreed upon together to reach their goals.
I want them to have fun and feel safe. But I also want to teach them HOW to learn so they won’t need me forever. I want them to have good student habits and be responsible for class reviews. I ask them to tell me when they are stressed or have tests or too much homework so I can modify my own expectations. That way they know they are valued and have a voice, and that learning English isn’t just for school grades. It’s so they can communicate and connect in this world.
I want to have a professional and respectful environment. I try to make sure I know their boundaries and that they don’t feel overly criticized or expected to share personal details. I invite every student to be as open as they wish and I try to find ways to challenge each person to eventually go outside their comfort zone so that they can make progress. I have a very scientific approach as I myself am fascinated by the science of learning. I try to establish active learning with focus on the neuro-connections needed for long-term memory, as most adult students express a frustration of being “stuck” and often regressing.
Every student has different goals, challenges and learning styles. Here’s what students and parents say about their experience learning English with me.
France
Mandy has been my teacher for nearly two years, she is always kind, she teaches me grammar, reads books with me, asks me many questions to make me talk, she is my teacher and friend, I’ll continue to learn with her.
China
Mandy is a very nice teacher, she help me a lot on my speaking English and grammar. I'll keep learning with her:)
Italy
Mandy is a very responsible and supportive teacher. She pays attention to how Skye is feeling in class and always lets me know what she understands and what she still needs to work on. I really appreciate how she adjusts her teaching and works step by step to help Skye learn.
South Korea
I love her suggestions for achieving my goal, and the lesson completely tailored to the strategy we discussed. It was really helpful. Thank you!
Spain
I have been studying with Mandy for two years now, and she has helped me improve my speaking a lot. I always struggled with it, and now I feel much more confident.