Riverways: Spring ‘22 Riverways was my first university-level introduction into teaching in a classroom setting, and the first time I was loosed on a classroom (mostly) on my own. I taught a week-long poetry workshop to 6th-9th graders in Omak, WA, in conversation with Washington State Poet Laureate, Rena Priest. Being able to see the creativity of the kiddos and the poetry they made was so cool, and it was a fantastic introduction into the classroom.

 

Tutoring: Winter ‘23-Present AP Lang and Spanish @ University Tutoring: I began working for University Tutoring at the beginning of 2023, tutoring high school Spanish students one-on-one. Helping kids develop study strategies and watching them develop confidence in classes they did not enjoy has been super fulfilling and has made me want to continue working with high schoolers in the future!

 

LARP Camp @ Majestic Adventures: Summer ‘23-Present LARP Camp is improv-meets-DnD, but in the woods, and all the teenagers are trying to hit you with swords. I like to say that this is the only interview I’ll ever have in which knowing how to use a longsword will get me a job. 

I mostly had a group I affectionately dubbed the “perpetuals” — the older kids who were around most of the summer. This was an exercise in group storytelling, eight hours of lesson planning a day, every day, and the place where I’ve learned the most effective ways to manage a classroom without being the bearer of doom. Here’s to playing pretend at age 21. 

 

TESOL Leon: Summer ‘23 Lesson planning but not in the woods, learning what is useful for language learners not on a one-on-one basis, and learning how to be embarrassed without spiraling when I inevitably used the wrong word. TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages — we instructed B2-adjacent students preparing for their C1 English language certifications, structuring each week around a different theme related to the types of activities and material on the test. I learned a lot about translingual and anti-racist teaching, and realized how important it was that I incorporated that into my classrooms.