Starting a tutoring career

Although a lot of people in NYC are looking for tutors to learn Spanish, there are also people who are fluent in speaking it. If you are a mother, or a college student who has a talent in teaching, and is fluent in speaking the language, then you might want to consider tutoring. Here are some tips that would help you start out:

KNOW YOUR MARKET:

As with other businesses, it’s best for you to check if people are even interested in the business you’re planning. Make a simple survey of people who might want to enroll in your class, but inform them ahead of time that nothing is concrete yet and that you’re still in the process doing a feasibility study.

ADVERTISE:

Once you’ve established that starting a tutoring class is feasible, then it’s time to advertise to gather enough people to start the class. Keep in mind that you are the only teacher available to teach (if that’s the case), so you don’t want to have too much people. Handing out leaflets is a cheap way to advertise. You can either hand it out yourself or give it to teachers so they could give it out to students. Posting posters is also a good way to let people know about your class, but be sure to ask permission from the right people to avoid being reprimanded from illegally posting advertisements.

PRIVATE VS. GROUP CLASSES

Decide ahead of time if you want to want to have a private or a group class. I suggest having private classes for the inexperienced tutor as having to cater to several people’s needs all at the same time might bring confusion and stress. This is also true for the student. Learning could be accelerated if the students get to speak and practice more in a class. You might want to start with at least three students, so you would have no problem with setting your schedule.

SET A SCHEDULE:

Choose time and days that you can dedicate to tutoring and stick with it. Remember that you your students pay you for your time, so make sure to follow agreed schedules. If you are a student, then you may want to set classes on the weekends so that you won’t be interrupted during schooldays. If you are a mom, you could probably dedicate 10 to 20 hours a week for your classes. Whatever the schedule is, make sure to have it in such a way that both you and your students can stick with it.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT STUDYING:

You need to understand that tutoring is not all about teaching them Spanish. Tutoring is more often an assistance, so you might want to teach your student good study habits which are sure to help them improve.

EVALUATE:

Each person has their own level, and each would require a different approach to make learning effective for them. Know your student’s level at the very beginning, so you’ll know what to teach and not to teach them anymore. Don’t be afraid to try a different approach if you find that what you’re doing is not effective for them.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY:

Keep your student’s welfare in mind all the time. Be honest. Don’t keep your student if you see that they’re not improving with you. There’s no sense for them to keep paying you if they’re not getting anything in return. Don’t be afraid to admit to yourself that they need a different teaching technique, one that you might not be able to give. Teaching is a satisfying experience, and there’s nothing more satisfying than to your student learn. May it be under your class or not.

SOME TIPS:

• Make an effort to make your classes fun. A boring class plus a bored student is not a good combination.
• Set your fee ahead of time to avoid misunderstandings.
• Give some freebies like a free fourth or fifth session. This is a good way to keep customers for your classes.
• Enjoy! Don’t get pressured. Remember that you’re doing this not just to enjoy money, but to help people as well.

El Taller — everything under one roof

With a lot of Spanish people living in New York City, we can’t help but somehow get involved in their culture. I’ve been talking about the power of learning a new language a few times, but I wasn’t able to point out that learning a country’s language goes hand in hand with learning their culture – their whole culture. This is why I want to share with you this wonderful place in NYC called El Taller.

El Taller, founded in 1979 is a community-based non-profits education institution. I would like to highlight the word COMMUNITY, because El Taller is that and more. Finding El Taller is like having your own Spanish family. You get to talk, learn and share experiences with people. Getting attached to them is so easy that you think of them as family.

Visiting El Taller is like visiting Latin America without having to leave New York. It’s everything, and I mean everything, under one roof. First off, they offer Spanish classes, both private and group classes. What’s great is that they offer a lot of schedules that you’re sure to find the one would best fit your lifestyle. They have morning classes from 8-10 in the morning, noon classes held from noon to 2pm and evening classes held from 6 to 9pm. They also offer Saturday classes which have two schedules, one from 10am to 1pm and another from 2pm to 5pm.

Dancing enthusiast can also look forward to Salsa and Tango classes. Schedule is every Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 to 7:30 and 7:30 to 8:30pm. No need to bring a dance partner, as the class is highly interactive and social. You’re surely to meet new people as the class will rotate dance partners during the session. Only $12 per session, or $100 for 12 classes.

If you’re not into dancing but more into the visual arts, then you would surely enjoy the Grady Alexis Gallery which is part of El Taller. Many of the featured artists are Latinos, and most of the arts exhibited are based on Latin American Themes. The gallery prides itself at introducing new artists to the NY scene, and the art-lover would surely enjoy the beauties exhibited here.

Boasting of an art gallery and offering language and dancing lessons is not all that El Taller has to offer. They also dedicated one part of the house to Spanish music and films. Listen as performers from all over America share their music and talent for the entire world to hear.  Remember how I said listening to Spanish music helps you get familiar with the words? This is a great way to do that, with a live performer to make your Spanish experience more realistic.

El Taller is located at 2710 Broadway, 3rd floor New York, NY 10025. You can call them up at (212) 665-9460 or visit their website at http://www.tallerlatino.org

learning through reading

As I’ve shared in one of my previous posts, reading in your target language is one good way to get a grasp of that language. I regret not being able to go deeper on this topic on that post, so that’s what I’ll be doing here. I’ll be giving you tips on how and where to go to learn Spanish by reading.

If you like being updated on current events, then reading the newspaper is a good option to go. El Diario La Prensa is a daily newspaper in New York City covering race, & ethnic society and culture. It’s published every day, so you’ll be sure to get fresh news IN SPANISH.

For online reading practice, you can go to http://www.spanishpronto.com/spanishpronto/readingpractice.html where you would find topics on Spanish culture, with highlights on terms that you might find useful in the future. The article is written in English, but you have the option to read it in Spanish by clicking on a link. The site gives you terms to remember depending on your level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), so be sure to check this out.

You can also visit http://www.ihes.com/bcn/spanish/reading.html, where you would find a vast selection of Spanish stories, novels and articles all written in Spanish. The sites are written entirely in Spanish, so you better learn if you don’t want to get lost.

May I also suggest using bilingual books for beginners? This is the kind of book where both English and Spanish texts appear side-by-side. Excellent way to practice your comprehension, as you could easily compare English with the Spanish translation. http://www.myibros.com offers excellent bilingual books for children while http://multilingualbooks.com/spanbil.html offers great selection for adults.

I am a wide reader myself, and I believe in the power reading has. You can certainly learn a lot from reading, and learning a new language is no exception. I hope I was able to help you through this post. Good luck!

NYC Spanish Mommy and Me classes

I’m sure most, if not all of you has heard of a Mommy and Me class. Most kids are clingy to their parents. You must have seen the horror of kids screaming and shouting when their parents leave them for their first day of school. Attending a Mommy and Me (or Daddy and Me) class is an effective way to prepare your kids for school. You will have the opportunity of exposing your kids to a classroom environment, while slowly preparing them until they can attend classes on their own.   Some classes offers yoga, music, even acting. But here’s good news for Spanish learners, some schools offer Spanish classes. Yes, you can now spend quality time with your kids while learning a second language, which is sure to benefit your child in the future. Here are some Mommy and Me classes who are currently offering Spanish learning:

Hola La

Hola La offers classes through scheduled/ community classes and through daycare centers. They cater to kids as young as 1-2 ½ years old or as old as 8 years old. Enroll one child, and you’ll get 50% off the second child’s enrollment. Here’s what’s great about Hola La. They cater to families, with the parents, grandparents or caregivers getting the classes for free! You can check their website at http://www.hola-la.com/index.htm

Musica Para Mi

Enjoy traditional Spanish songs, dancing and stories with your kids. With classes held in festive environments, learning Spanish would sure be a blast. Classes are offered in 9 locations in Brooklyn Queens and Manhattan. To register or reserve for Free Trials, email musicaparami@aol.com or call 718-643-6660.

The Language Workshop for Children

Located at 888 Lexington Ave., at 66th St., The Language Workshop for Children offers Mommy and Me Spanish classes called Spanish for Tots for kids 6 months to 3 years old. Call them up at 212-396-0830.

If you have no prior experience with Spanish, then you can surely benefit learning the basics and vocabulary of Spanish words with your kids. It is a very good foundation if you are serious about learning Spanish in an advanced level in the future. Mommy and Me classes may not benefit the advanced Spanish speaker in the academic level, but it will surely give your kids the experience of having fun and learning at the same time with their parents.

One benefit of learning Spanish

We’ve heard it again and again. More and more Americans are angry at having to learn Spanish in their own country. Yes, their own English speaking country. Many people think it sounds ridiculous having to adjust to immigrants when they are the one who decided to live in our country. But we have to understand that times are changing and that we have to change along with it in order to survive.

You probably heard of a friend or a family who can’t find a decent job because they don’t know how to speak Spanish. This is actually very common in the United States, not just in New York. I know how outrageous this may seem, but we need to understand why this is happening.

Everything actually has something to do with the money. Businesses make money by reaching to people. The more people they reach, the more money they make. And one good way of making sure to reach people is by having employees who can speak different languages. If a representative can’t communicate with the customer, they would take their business elsewhere – and that’s not a good thing.

Bilingualism is becoming a fast trend around the world. English speaking countries need people who can speak Spanish, while Spanish speaking countries need people who can speak English. I guess that’s just how the world works. Be on the safe side, be bilingual.

I’m not asking you to take expensive Spanish classes, or to buy expensive software. There are a lot of options you can choose from in order to learn Spanish. You can go to community colleges, or hook up with somebody who speaks Spanish to give you a start in learning.

Please don’t get me wrong. I love my country and I love the language I’ve been speaking since I was a child but I choose to be successful. And learning Spanish is one of the steps I needed to take in order to reach success. Besides, learning is fun. And having the power to reach out to people of different race makes the learning worth it.

Silbo Gomero — the Spanish whistled language ;)

I was surfing the net earlier today and I came across a site with a post regarding Silbo Gomero (or El Silbo), the whistled language spoken by inhabitants of a Spanish Island called La Gomera which is located in the Canary Islands. Yes, whistled language – as in whistling.

This language was invented by the original inhabitants of the island called the Guanches, and it was adapted by the Spanish settlers who came to the island at around the 16^th century.  The Silbo Gomero is a means of communication over long distances, which is just perfect for an island jagged with rough terrains. What makes El Silbo better than a phone? Your phone would lose coverage, El Silbo would not.

I was really so amazed when I heard how they communicate to each other just by whistling. Not applicable in New York of course, but you can’t help but be amazed how these people’s ancestors managed to create such language.

Since whistling can reach places that mere voices cannot, you can use Silbo Gomero to call to people from a far away location. The people of La Gomero use El Silbo to call call their children to come home, or sometimes to tell their mom “Hey, I forgot to ask you to buy some vegetables for dinner tonight” – even if their mom is eight kilometers away.

When the language faced the possibility of extinction in the early 20^th century, their government acted fast to save this treasure. They required each student to have at least three years of studying El Sibo in school, which erased all fears of extinction in everybody’s mind. As one “silbador” puts is, “we will be lost if the culture dies.”

You can check the video at:  

Tips and Tricks to Learn and Have Your Spanish going

It’s not enough that one is attending a class to learn Spanish. Sure, your teacher is great and you are learning at a great speed but learning from one source alone is not good enough and not fast enough to attain the fluency you so much wanted. For those who are living in NYC who are in the process of learning, or for those who are already done with their Spanish lessons (remember that it doesn’t stop there) and needs to get their Spanish going, these tips are for you.

READ A BOOK IN SPANISH

There is no better way to widen your vocabulary than reading a book. It doesn’t matter that you don’t understand everything, what’s important is that your brain is slowly getting familiar with the words. Looking up the word’s meaning in the dictionary every once in a while would also help with your vocabulary but don’t overdo it. Information overload is never good, and you would tend to forget everything you learned. Also one tip I could give you is to read on topics that you are interested about. If you are interested in gardening or in arts, then go for a book about these subjects. You can check out LIBRERIA CALIOPE located at 183 Dyckman St (between Sherman Ave & Vermilyea Ave). It’s a small place, but has a HUGE variety of Spanish books. It’s very popular with the neighborhood and what’s more, you could meet people here so it’s a great way to make Spanish speaking friends.  If you don’t have time to visit a bookstore, then you can have your book delivered. Borderland Bookstore [http://www.borderlandsbooks.com/index.asp] specializes in books about Spanish history but offers books about other subjects as well. They deliver anywhere in the United States for only $3.50 per book.

WATCH SPANISH TV

41 Univision and 47 Telemundo are two very popular Spanish channels in New York City. Univision has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to A.C Nielsen ratings, largely due to telenovelas and soccer while Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. Unlike Univision, which only has Spanish captions, many programs on Telemundo air with closed captions in both Spanish and English. The network produces the translations in-house with the intention to attract viewers who may not be fluent in Spanish so you’ll be sure to learn while watching. It’s not a problem if you’re really not into watching TV. You can do what I usually do. I just turn the TV on, and proceed with washing the dishes or just doing what I need to do. That way, you’re mind is subconsciously absorbing the words and you’ll get familiar with it in no time.

LISTEN TO SPANISH MUSIC

A lot of people prefer listening to music in their targeted language as a way of acquiring it. Music helps you learn and remember things faster and easier. Believe it or not, some Alzheimer’s patients cannot remember their own name but can perfectly sing an entire song. This is the power music has over your brain. The melody and the rhythm of the songs helps you remember things. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this but you tend to sing the alphabet when you can’t remember what’s next to a certain letter.

You don’t have to listen to old Spanish songs in order to enhance your learning. There are really good Spanish songs which has become popular in America such as “Bailamos” by Enrique Iglesias or Jennifer Lopez’s “Qué Hiciste”. You can also choose songs that was originally in English but has its Spanish version as well such as “Suerte” by Jason Mraz, Christina Aguillera’s “Genie in a bottle” (Spanish title: Genio Atrapado) and “Aint it funny” or “Que Ironia” by Jennifer Lopez.

The tips that I gave you on this post is just some of the numerous options that you have. Feel free to be creative. Find ways that you find fun when learning Spanish. Don’t hesitate to fuse something you love into learning that language. Go Go Go for it!

The making of a bilingual kid in NYC

Learning Spanish in Ney York City is not just for adults. You often read about raising bilingual kids in magazines, newspapers and you even hear about it on TV. My friend, Michelle, has two kids ages five and four. Michelle knows that I am learning Spanish and, probably influenced by Dora, she wants to have her kids learns Spanish too. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dora (and that “swiper-no-swiping” thing. Hehe…) but I don’t think that’s reason enough to push your kids to learn Spanish. Learning is fun, and learning Spanish will definitely benefit your kids in the future. But first, you would need to know if your kids are even interested in learning Spanish. I mean, sure, they’re shouting “andale! andale!” while running around your living room but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to sit in front of a computer with a Spanish software for HOURS.

Aside from learning if they’re interested or not, you would do well learning about their capability. It is important for you to understand that children have different levels of intelligence and what may seem simple for one is hard for the other. This is especially true for siblings. If you decide to have your kids learn a second language, Spanish for example, don’t fret if one is having difficulty. Even though some children are faster at acquiring a second language, don’t let this turn-off your kid from learning. Dedication, and not just intelligence is the key to learning.

Know your reason for wanting your kids to learn Spanish. Is it because you live in a Spanish neighborhood? Is it for their future? Or is it just for show? Whatever your reason is, please do it for the right reason. Your kids are not robots, learning is fun but it is also not easy. Understand that the way to learning is a rough road, and your kids will go through this road.

Remember that deciding to have your kids learn Spanish goes hand-in-hand with giving them your 100% support and patience. Your children can’t learn on their own. It would benefit them greatly if you are available whenever they have some questions (or at least somebody is), or maybe you can sit with them while they are studying. If you have not studied Spanish, then maybe you and your kids could learn together. However, whatever — I’m sure your kids would appreciate your support.

Learning Spanish the Cheap Way

One of the biggest challenges when learning Spanish in New York City is the cost of the classes. Serious learners of the language usually opt for a private class, which is a very good way to learn but very expensive. Not all who lives in NYC are rich of course, which is why I will give you tips on how to learn Spanish – the cheap way.

If you google CHEAP LESSONS NYC, you would see a lot of free lessons. You get excited so you open it, and that’s when you see the catch. Most offers free TRIAL lesson, translating to “We’ll-give-you-one-free-lesson-then-you-pay-for-the-next-lessons” – which is not really free if you ask me. The reason why we are looking for a free lesson is because we want to learn but we don’t have the money for it. A free trial lesson is not enough to learn.

You would also notice that some of the websites do offer free lessons, but without a teacher. Learning this way is okay, but you have to be really dedicated enough to do self-study.  Sites like http://www.spanicity.com/ dedicated a whole page for Spanish lessons complete with audio, and http://www.spanishprograms.com/index.html offers free software which is better than your usual boring page. Another option is http://www.donquijote.org/, which offers free Spanish lesson through email.

Yeah, I agree with you. Those “free” lessons are not good enough. If you’re like me, who prefers having a teacher to accelerate learning, then you’d definitely not go for those options. Luckily, there are CHEAP options and REALLY FREE options.

For the cheap category, you may want to check the Queen Sophia Spanish Institute who offers semi-private lessons (composed of 2-5 people) for as low as $40 for 10 lessons. The school promises beautiful and elegant classrooms, professional instructors and a student-centered approach of learning (check http://www.spanishinstitute.org/spanish_courses.php for details). This is the best option for you if you want a classroom setting for learning. For a yet cheaper option, you can enroll at http://www.spanish-lessons-online.com/spanish-lessons-in-new-york-city.htm , which offers tutorial through Skype. This is the next best thing to a private class, as you will have the advantage of having the teacher’s attention all to yourself, without having to pay too much. Lessons starts at $14 an hour for a 1-9 hours or $9 per hour for 50+ hours. They also offer a free trial, so you may want to check it out.

Sounds good? Yeah, I think so. But there are even better options. How do you usually get free education? Yeah, that’s right – scholarship. Share your story at the ABC Language Express, impress them, and earn your scholarship. If you want to do a good deed and “earn” from it, you can donate your time to ESL or computer classes at A Spanish Journey (aspanishjourney.com), and have your Spanish instruction (starting at $30 per week) free. Now, if you are more of the yeah-let’s-party type. You can meet and make friends (note: Spanish-speaking friends) at http://www.meetup.com/spanishconversation/ . Joining is free, but the events are not. Don’t worry though, events ranges from $2-20, which is very cheap considering what you’ll get. Members usually go to museums, have conversations at the park, and they sometimes have dancing lessons. Events are strictly held speaking Spanish only, so I’m sure you’ll benefit a lot.

I, for one, believe that learning shouldn’t be expensive. Learning to speak a whole new language is such a beautiful experience that I encourage everybody to do it. I wish you all luck in learning, and I’m open for comments anytime. Thanks!

A different way of learning at NYC

In my last post, I gave you tips on how to choose the perfect Spanish tutor. I was thinking about that post last night, and I don’t know why but I my thoughts suddenly drifted to how to make the lessons fun. Now, I am a big fan of Mexican food. I love everything Mexican! Taco, nachos (the real one, please. Not the kind you see inside a plastic bag!), callos, paella valenciana… I love them  all! And this made me think, “Hey… Why not fuse eating and learning together?”

So, here’s my idea. Why not invite your tutor or your Spanish speaking buddy to a lunch or dinner at your favorite Spanish restaurant? You can try having tapa at Malaga restaurant [located at Manhattan’s upper East side or check http://www.malaganyc.com/default.asp?contentID=1] or why not try the Mussels Diablo at Sangria 46 [http://www.sangria46.com/media/sangria.html for details]? You can also order foods that you’re not really familiar with (or have them order for you) and guess the Spanish names for the ingredients of the food. So, let’s say you have a yummy plate of Paella Valenciana on your table. This is usually made of shrimps, scallops, clams, mussels, and chicken. Name each in Spanish and have your tutor check if you are right. You can also make some rules, like: You can only start eating when you perfect everything, or you can only eat half if you make at least two mistakes, etc. I think you should also speak in Spanish only all throughout the meal to really feel the ambience of the place. Have your tutor correct your mistakes, and repeat the phrase correctly so you can also practice speaking.

As for the cost, maybe you could split 50-50 (Hey, you’re both gonna eat!). Or if you are in a good mood, maybe you could treat your teacher. =)

One of the reason I am suggesting this is because I don’t believe the classroom is the only place to learn. Actually, the best way of learning for me is by being exposed to actual things and having fun at the same time. My mind functions more when I am relaxed, and  not being confined in a four cornered room relaxes me. Happy eating everyone!