Who I Am Beyond the Resume

 

My name is Gabrielle, and I believe in being completely honest and transparent. I want to offer those who care to know a genuine glimpse into who I am as a person, going far beyond a list of professional achievements.

 

My Life, My Classroom

 

My world is currently centered around my family. I am a stay-at-home mom to my 8-year-old son, whom I have homeschooled since preschool (he's now in 3rd grade). In February 2021, my wife and I formally adopted my 13-year-old sister-in-law, who has special needs, after losing her mother to cancer—just one week after I lost my own father to cancer. I have homeschooled her intermittently throughout the pandemic, refining her schoolwork at home to meet her unique needs.

My wife and I have been together for 17 years, and our journey has taken us across the United States, providing a wide spectrum of experience—from the posh suburbs of Orange County and Las Vegas to low-income apartments in Los Angeles and Ohio. This exposure has taught me that people are people, regardless of their circumstances. I deeply applaud and respect anyone looking to grow and learn, no matter what cards life has dealt them or where they are on their journey.

 

Education, Goals, and the Path Ahead

 

Since my parents couldn't afford to put me through college, I've forged my own path, putting myself through school to better my family's life and set an example of a growth mindset. My education originally focused on early childhood development and psychology.

My family and I are now transitioning to a new chapter; we plan to travel to Mexico and Europe, with the ultimate goal of finding the best place for us to settle long-term. To prepare, we are all currently learning Spanish as a family. I have enthusiastically added Spanish, English, and teaching courses to my college roster. I have always enjoyed and thrived in English—I helped my son achieve a high school reading level when he was 8—so when I discovered the opportunities available to a traveling online/in-person English teacher, I knew it was the perfect fit for my family and our international transition.

I am certified through TEFL.Org with three courses: the 200-hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma, the 40-hour Teaching English Online course, and the Teaching Neurodiverse Students course. I genuinely love teaching and learning. My dream is to move to a quiet ranch style home with a garden and travel, teaching English to students online from across the world while also connecting with local students.

 

My Teaching Philosophy and Commitment

 

I am a very fun and easy person to get along with. I love to joke around and make the potentially frightening experience of learning an enjoyable and memorable one. While I can certainly maintain a serious demeanor if preferred, I believe that laughing and loving what you're doing are parts of life's medicine.

As a people person with studies in psychology, sociology, gender, psychopathology, and mythology, I am highly open, accepting, and understanding of different lifestyles, religions, cultures, races, orientations, genders, neurodivergence, and special needs/abilities. If you are a good person who values and respects others, we will get along perfectly!

I deeply value your time and effort. I commit to getting to know each of my students as an individual to create the best teaching experience possible. There is no one-size-fits-all lesson plan or teaching style. Being flexible and understanding of each person’s unique needs, wants, and learning styles is the key to an effective lesson plan.

I hope to be invited on your journey to greatness! Together, we are a rainbow of possibilities.