Fun Facts

Music has been my passion since I was a child. Now I find that using music in language teaching is highly effective, especially when working with young learners. Being a native Russian speaker, I also love to teach Russian.

About Me

I got my first BA in teaching music a long time ago. Since then I received MA in teaching English and German and got through 1 year of a 2-year MBA program at KIMEP. My personal career was put on hold when my son was born and later diagnosed to be on the ASD spectrum. I was determined to help him. Although he still has that diagnosis and gets overwhelmed by excessive social interactions, he is a straight "A" student and does not need my help in school anymore.

Experience

In the former Soviet Union, I was a teacher of English as a foreign language to both preschoolers and students in middle school. Since I settled in the US a long time ago, I had to tutor my child on the ASD spectrum in all subjects. Last summer I was given an opportunity to work with another child on the ASD spectrum as a behavior technician. I also tutored Russian-speaking teenagers adopted from Ukraine in English grammar. I am currently working as a private piano teacher for young children.

Approach

As a parent to a child on the ASD spectrum, I understand how important it is to be flexible and look for a different approach if one that was tried before proved to be ineffective. Struggling learners are not always full of energy, especially after a long day in school, so it is very important to incorporate fun and games into lessons. I find songs to be very helpful.