Meet your instructor
Dustin Stevens, MA | BA | TESOL cert.
Dustin Stevens, MA | BA | TESOL cert.
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I have helped hundreds of students succeed with their university papers, professional writing, critical reading, test scores (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, and SAT), high school grades, understanding of grammar, vocabulary acquisition, English language learning, and more.
I help adults, teenagers, and children of all ages. I have: ✓ A Master's Degree in Teaching English ✓ Years of experience helping learners achieve their goals ✓ International teaching experience and respect for other cultures I'd love to help you achieve your goals. Book a $1 trial session to see how I can help you, or contact me today to learn more. |
My story
The Journey
Twelve years ago, I set out to become a high school, social studies teacher, but something happened during my third year in university: I had a professor that changed my life. Professor J was able to make linguistics, the study of language, fascinating. He captured my imagination and connected each lesson to real-world examples.
Like many instructors, J had an expert understanding of his subject; however, he went beyond this. He used some very effective teaching methods and was genuinely passionate about learning.
Since my class with J, I've realized there are three keys to successful instruction:
A teacher needs to have expert knowledge in her or his subject, strong educational ability rooted in learner psychology, and an ability to motivate or inspire.
Through my graduate studies in linguistics, learner psychology, and education, I've developed a well-rounded knowledge to serve learners with; however, just like J, I believe that expertise and effective teaching isn't enough. This is one of the reasons I created Stevens English Education. I wanted to ensure I was fully invested in my students and curriculum.
Like many instructors, J had an expert understanding of his subject; however, he went beyond this. He used some very effective teaching methods and was genuinely passionate about learning.
Since my class with J, I've realized there are three keys to successful instruction:
A teacher needs to have expert knowledge in her or his subject, strong educational ability rooted in learner psychology, and an ability to motivate or inspire.
Through my graduate studies in linguistics, learner psychology, and education, I've developed a well-rounded knowledge to serve learners with; however, just like J, I believe that expertise and effective teaching isn't enough. This is one of the reasons I created Stevens English Education. I wanted to ensure I was fully invested in my students and curriculum.
The Method
My approach is a little different than some teachers. I believe in emphasizing the process of learning rather than any individual achievement. This means that the writer is more important than the writing and accomplishment or failure is less important than the learning trajectory.
It is my goal as a teacher to remind students that “failures” are more accurately understood as goals that have not yet been accomplished.
When I worked overseas in Korea, this philosophy affected the way I interacted with a reticent student. The student was happy to write in English but became embarrassed any time she was expected to speak during class. Because I viewed her language development as a process, my goal in each class was to encourage her to speak a little more than she had previously spoken. Through persisting with this approach over the course of a year, she began to speak more frequently and confidently. Other students stopped thinking of her as the “shy girl” that could not speak English and started to see the value in my persistence. The key to this approach was a passionate belief that every student can improve their ability, no matter their starting point.
It is my goal as a teacher to remind students that “failures” are more accurately understood as goals that have not yet been accomplished.
When I worked overseas in Korea, this philosophy affected the way I interacted with a reticent student. The student was happy to write in English but became embarrassed any time she was expected to speak during class. Because I viewed her language development as a process, my goal in each class was to encourage her to speak a little more than she had previously spoken. Through persisting with this approach over the course of a year, she began to speak more frequently and confidently. Other students stopped thinking of her as the “shy girl” that could not speak English and started to see the value in my persistence. The key to this approach was a passionate belief that every student can improve their ability, no matter their starting point.