The ClassroomNotes from 12 years of teaching kids.
Practical ideas for parents, honest reflections on learning, and the occasional story that made me stay in this job.
“My child is too shy to speak English.” — What’s actually happening.
Shyness in a second language isn’t shyness at all. It’s a very rational response to not yet trusting your own voice. Here’s what I tell every parent who says this — and what I do in the first three lessons.
The five minutes before the lesson that make all the difference.
What you do in the car, at breakfast, in the hallway — matters more than you think. A small ritual can change everything.
Books that make children want to read in English. My actual list.
Not the classics they're supposed to love. The ones they actually stay up past bedtime finishing. Updated for 2026.
Why "good job" might be the worst thing you can say to a child learning a language.
Praise is more complicated than we think. Here's what I say instead — and why it works better for children learning English.
How to turn a 10-minute car journey into an English lesson without anyone noticing.
The best practice isn't at a desk. These four games work on any commute, at any age, with no preparation.
The age question: is 6 too young? Is 14 too late? The honest answer.
Parents ask me this every week. The answer is more nuanced than 'the earlier the better' — and more hopeful than you might think.
What I actually see when a child says 'I can't.'
In six years, I've never met a child who couldn't learn English. I've met many who had been taught to believe they couldn't.
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