As a Peace Corps volunteer, I spent three years in West Africa teaching English as a second language to the children of Niger. There, I developed methods for reaching them in fun and unconventional ways. I am always looking for ways to make learning fun. Upon my return to the states, I spent years tutoring in English as well as editing several PhD dissertations.

One of my international students, a young lady from China, moved to the states two years ago with little English. As her teac...