Mark F.

Mark is a nationally recognized dynamic and results-oriented language instructor and bestselling author and with 35 years of experience in teaching and tutoring Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Business English and ESL. Mark has a proven track record of motivating his students to want to learn. Mark is talented at increasing student academic performance and improving fluency by providing creative, engaging, and immersive language learning environments that foster student participation and academic excellence.

Mark, a former keynote speaker for the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language, is gifted in relating to and erasing students’ insecurities regarding language learning. Mark himself was denied access to a French class in middle school because his Algebra scores were too low, and when he finally made it to a French class, he found that he did not understand the grammar.

From these humble beginnings, Mark found the key to mastering languages and went on to earn a BA in Spanish/French Education from Illinois State University and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois where he was rated as an excellent instructor by his language students. He is currently certified by the State of Illinois to teach Spanish and French at grade levels 6-12. Mark also holds a Master Certificate in TEFL/TESOL awarded by Bridge Education Group.

Mark is friendly, approachable, energetic, and vibrant. A true expert multilingual language teacher, Mark is fluent in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. He created and recorded the entire foreign language program line for Macmillan Audio of New York in 9 different languages, including the bestselling “Behind the Wheel Spanish” program. For over a quarter of a century, Mark has created and produced many bestselling language programs in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and ESL for Spanish speakers.

Mark happily brings to your student thirty years of language teaching success. He has studied and/or taught and tutored languages at the private school, high school, and university levels at institutions such as the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana Illinois, Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, l”Université de Grenoble in St. Martin d’Hères, French, la Universidad Ibero-Americana in Mexico City, and the Universidad Católica in Quito, Ecuador. He now warmly welcomes your student(s) to learn with him.

Victoria M.

Victoria is a Chilean woman that has a Bachelor Diploma in Education and a certification in ESL teaching. She worked for 3 years in an IB International school with kindergarten, planning, teaching and evaluating students with a diversity of conditions. She also worked during summer in an International Summer Camp in charge of the youngest student from all around the world as an ESL teacher, teaching english from scratch and creating a space of joy and acceptance over cultures.
She is a passionate, enthusiastic and dedicate teacher that loves seeing her students grow and be part of their learning process.

Gissela V.

Born in Ecuador and raised in Chicago, Gissela began her education career at the age of eighteen tutoring middle school math and reading. Deciding to pursue education further, she traveled to her home country where she worked as an ESL Teacher for three years. It was during this trip that she fell in love with teaching and returned to Chicago to graduate with a Bachelor’s in English Literature and Secondary/Middle Ed. with an ELL endorsement. Eight years of classroom experience has taught Gissela that relationship building, goal setting and collaborative learning are essential for a students’ growth. Gissela considers herself a lifelong learner, which is why she is not only continuing a postgraduate degree but she loves to attend local classes to learn new skills such as sewing or health and body mobility. Being an avid reader and a lover of hot cocoa and winter weather – she enjoys reading poetry, manga and biographies of people who inspire her. She loves to host Book Clubs with her friends and travel with her husband – anywhere as long as it has mountains and a body of water!

Beth F.

Beth grew up on the east coast and moved to Texas as a young adult.  She first thought of teaching after working with special needs kids at summer camp, and that led her to study special education.  Not long after, she got married and started a family, and stayed home to teach her four children, two of whom received generous scholarships.  She originally started tutoring as a way to make some extra money while still homeschooling her kids.  After her own kids were launched, she spent three years as a math interventionist at Great Hearts Classical Charter School.  Her students often say that she makes math less scary, that they don’t cry any more, that she explains things in a way that makes concepts more clear. Prior co-workers have exclaimed, “This was the most engaging example of math tutoring I have ever seen. The pacing was quick and vigorous, but the scholars were met just at their right level.”  Her students at Great Hearts showed definite improvement in test scores, and her private students often bring up their SAT or ACT scores, or raise their grade in class.   Though math is her strongest subject, she has also taught Spanish and some ELA.  She lives for the moment when the light goes on and a student “gets it”!  She also loves giving cooking classes and sewing lessons.   In her free time, Beth enjoys gourmet cooking, gardening, and swing dancing.

Anita M.

Anita M. is a Texas Certified teacher.  She was born in San Antonio, TX. and Valedictorian of her high school.  Anita went on to be a teacher, teacher trainer and now, in retirement, a tutor.

Anita received her Bachelor’s degree, with a double major in English and Spanish from Our Lady of the Lake University. From the University of Texas in San Antonio, she received her Master’s Degree in Bilingual/ESL studies.  Both degrees were achieved with high honors.  Anita’s education prepared her for a successful career in teaching.  Her education in Bilingual / ESL gave her the ability to learn how to differentiate instruction for different learning styles.

Anita taught for twelve years in San Antonio, where she also enjoyed helping teachers create individualized instruction packets for their students with different learning styles.  While presenting at an education conference, she was approached by education publishers.  For the next twenty years, Anita trained teachers throughout the United States for different major education publishers (CTB/McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Harcourt).  Her workshops included theory/methodology, test interpretation/test taking skills and different manipulatives (hands-on activities take-aways) to use in their class instruction.  After her travels training teachers, Anita was an ESL Transition Coach.  She coached teachers on how to teach students that had English as a Second Language, due to resettlement students on the campuses. Anita also tutored these students before, during lunch and afterschool.

After retirement, Anita continued tutoring students on English Language Arts that included Reading, Writing, College Essays, and State Testing Skills.  With her strong background on differentiating instruction and testing, she assesses the student’s present skills to identify areas of need.  Instruction is then accommodated for the students.  This also allows Ms. Muriel to show growth of the student to parents.  Ms. Muriel also enjoys teaching Catechism to 3^rd grade students preparing for Holy Communion.  She also creates the power point slides for her church Rosary Prayer Group.

Her hobbies include gardening, antique browsing, DIY projects, as well as, babysitting her two grandchildren and tutoring them in areas of need.

Marcela M.

Marcela is an OCT Certified Teacher currently teaching at a high school in Etobicoke with the TCDSB. She currently teaches Grade 9-12 French and Spanish. She studied French from Grades 5-12 in the Extended French program and all through university. She also spent five weeks in Quebec, studying and practicing the language. In university, she minored in Religion and English – making her capable to teach English as well. She was born in Guatemala, which is how she learned Spanish, but has lived in Toronto since she was 5. She truly enjoys teaching as her vocation, she is kind and has the patience and care to take on one-on-one tutoring.

Ani S. B.

Dr. Ani S. B. is a certified educator with 17 years experience teaching and tutoring. He specializes in secondary English grades 7-12 and College Essay Writing. Dr. B earned a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland College Park and two masters degrees, one it teaching and the other in Instructional Technology. He has a doctorate in Educational Technology and he specializes in virtual leaning. Dr. B believes that all children can learn and he creates an individual learning plan for each student to fit their learning style. He lives in Southern Maryland with his wife and four children. They enjoy traveling and beach vacations.

KAROLINE R.

Karoline has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She has a wide range of experience with different age groups from elementary to high school. She currently works at a high school as a World Language Educator. She enjoys spending time with family and playing volleyball. She is very passionate about her work and hopes to be a big asset in the success of her students.

LUCIE J.

Above all else, Lucie enjoys introducing students of all ages to the joys of learning French, English, and Spanish. Witnessing their advancement is always gratifying for her. Part of Lucie’s experience includes teaching both individual and group classes for teenagers and adults while she lived in Columbia.
Now that she is back in Canada, she teaches French and Spanish to students as young as 3 years of age through to the teenage years. Lucie believes that the key to language acquisition is in a multi-pronged approach which includes reading, writing, listening and conversation. To enrich learning opportunities, Lucie incorporates cultural music, movies, and fun activities into her lessons.
In her non-teaching time, Lucie is passionate about outdoor pursuits, as well as playing the piano and creating artwork through painting.

Anya B.

Anya is a French, ESL, and Social Sciences teacher with ten years of experience, working with children from K to 12. She has also worked as a French instructor for adults. Anya is currently completing a Master’s degree in European and Russian Affairs at the University of Toronto and is passionate about history, literature, and languages. She is a native Russian speaker, fluent in French and Spanish, and has also studied German and Yiddish. Anya is excited to be joining Prep Academy Tutors and sharing her passion for learning with new students.