I teach English conversation, Reading, and Listening; prepare students for speech and essay contests; help senior students with English interviews and foreign university applications; and sometimes accompany (35-45) students on an annual homestay program to Canada.

As part of the ACE/SOS Programs at the Lighthouse for the Blind, my job was interviewing, evaluating, placing and teaching Blind and Low-Vision people in appropriate computer, ESL and/or Career Development classes in an effort to help them continue their education in college, receive internships, and/or enter the workforce. I was also responsible for creating, maintaining and training others on a database designed to track employee training. We used specialized software such as JAWS and… Show more As part of the ACE/SOS Programs at the Lighthouse for the Blind, my job was interviewing, evaluating, placing and teaching Blind and Low-Vision people in appropriate computer, ESL and/or Career Development classes in an effort to help them continue their education in college, receive internships, and/or enter the workforce. I was also responsible for creating, maintaining and training others on a database designed to track employee training. We used specialized software such as JAWS and ZoomText, and various other technologies designed for a variety of vision, hearing and otherwise physically impaired individuals. Show less

I was hired as an ESL Instructor in the founding year of the college. I helped developed the course, evaluated and placed students, and taught the four skills to students from 12 countries. Cascadia Community College is one of 12 “Vanguard Learning Colleges” in the U.S., awarded to community colleges which promote student-centered learning, and has a unique "shared campus" status with the University of Washington.

The JET Program was what brought me to Japan the first time. The program has changed over the years, but then it was a way to put native English speaking teachers in public Japanese schools with Japanese teachers of English in an effort to improve communicative English education in Japan. I was placed in Shizuoka High School, Shizuoka City, Japan. The first year I traveled to several other high schools in the area as well. We were asked to "team-teach" with the Japanese teachers… Show more The JET Program was what brought me to Japan the first time. The program has changed over the years, but then it was a way to put native English speaking teachers in public Japanese schools with Japanese teachers of English in an effort to improve communicative English education in Japan. I was placed in Shizuoka High School, Shizuoka City, Japan. The first year I traveled to several other high schools in the area as well. We were asked to "team-teach" with the Japanese teachers, and were required to write many reports. It would take me several books to describe this position fully. Show less