JoAnn Armistead, MA

Personal Statement

I grew up as a teacher’s assistant. From the time I was quite young, I often spent time helping my mother in her classroom and experienced firsthand all that teaching involved. I knew I would like it. But in college, a new adventurous twist became part of my story. I felt called to teach overseas. I was fascinated by fellow students who had studied an American curriculum, but grew up in Africa, Europe or Asia. They had done this because there had been American teachers willing to go where they lived. To my amazement, I ended up teaching in an international school in Pakistan and my own children became some of those fascinating brand of students I had admired in college!

I have come to see the role of a teacher as a mediator. This involves the challenge of building bridges between students and the English language through different means, good questions being one of the most powerful tools.

JoAnn Armistead MA

Resume

Education

  • Central Missouri State University 1991-1993 M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language
  • Gordon College 1983-1987 B.S. in Elementary Education, Psychology minor
  • Virginia Teaching License, Endorsements Early Ed NK-4 and ESL Pre-K- 12

Experience

  • Tuckahoe Elementary School, Henrico, Virginia, volunteer ESL tutor, 2016-2017Professionally certified as an educational therapist through the National Institute of Learning Development (NILD), 2011-2015
  • Murree Christian School, Murree, Pakistan, 2008-2015
    • Provided educational therapy and educational testing for elementary and middle school students in this international school setting
    • English as a second language, Grades 4-10
    • High school and elementary librarian
    • Homeroom advisor for Class of 2014 from grades 7-12
    • Elementary music
  • Coordinated a cooperative international homeschool with three families and an American teacher in Pakistan, 2004-2008
  • Donnelly College, Kansas, Intensive English Language instructor, 1994
  • Chesterfield County Public School, Virginia, Grades 2 and 4, 1987-1991

Continuing Professional Development

  • Regent University graduate-level courses, Teaching How to Learn, NILD Level 2, Developing
  • Cognitive Competencies, NILD Level 3, Teaching Reading to English Language Learners, 2007-2013

Personal

  • Married to Dr. Scott Armistead for 25 years with three dearly loved sons and a new daughter-in-law (June 10, 2017)
  • Lived 11 years in Pakistan and can speak Urdu, the national language
  • Traveled through Europe and parts of Asia with a stint in Africa
  • Enjoys singing, swimming, and reading good books with a particular love for children’s literature

Testimonials

您好。去年我在德雷尔网络语言学校(DreyerCoaching.com)学英语，对我的英文有很大的帮助。并且是安全又省时，不出门就可以学到标准的当地英文，让我很容易就能和外国人交谈。之前我在台湾学校，中国英文老师的发音不正确，使我很烦恼。自从在网络学习后，让我很轻松地上英文课。Hello. Last year I learned English with the DreyerCoaching.com online school, and it helped my English very much. Plus it is safe and it saves time, because you don't have to leave home to learn standard local English, so this makes it easy to talk to foreigners. I used to study in Taiwan schools, and the Chinese teachers who taught English had inaccurate pronunciation, and that really bothered me. Ever since I learned online, I have been very relaxed in my English classes.

Student From Taiwan

 剛開始, 英文,對我而言, 是種恐懼,我不想去學習, 也不太想去面對,更不用提去國外讀書了,當時的我對語言這方面非常不感興趣且排斥.但後來接觸了以後,發現自己對英文已不再是陌生討厭,反而變得有興趣了,英文现在對我來說是種喜悅.三年前剛升國一的我,英文成績不是很理想,而在偶然的機會下,與姐姐一同前往加拿大遊學一個月,剛開始的時候,都不敢跟外國人講話,很羨慕姐姐不害怕,能跟外國人互動,談天说笑,就像在台灣一樣地買東西,分享趣事,幾天過後我開始嘗試跟外國人講話,發現和他們說話並不是想像中的那麼恐怖,他們會去尊重你的英文,畢竟,英文不是我的母語.回到台灣後,就想開始增進我的英語能力,很幸運能遇到Dreyer 老師這樣的英文教学團隊,使我的英文能力大大提升,最顯著的地方是,從一開始連開口都不敢說話的我,現在已能和外國人面對面聊天,不會害怕.並且也上了 conversation class, reading class和 1 on 1 class,而在會考拿到A的好成績.我认为若有觉得自己英文不是很好但有興趣並想改變提升英语能力的人,只要透過Dreyer老師的英文團隊的協助,一定能幫助您完成夢想.
 
以上是我的感想,謝謝!
 
祝 順心如意

Mr. Scott Dreyer’s English enhancement classes are great! His classes are excellent not only for young beginners who wish to excel in daily school life but also for high school kids who are going to soar on the SAT tests! Both of my kids learned a lot from him, like how to use the right vocabulary words, speak in public with confidence, develop writing skills, etc. He is a wonderful teacher.

Dr. Pei-Yao Wu
Hsinchu, Taiwan

語言~~就是一個持續不間斷的學習過程啊~~ 我是一位平凡的媽媽，跟大家一樣，我們了解英文是國際語言，是一條協助孩 子與世界接軌的路，它雖漫長遙遠，但持續學習…就對了!! 在台灣，孩子若非讀雙語或者國際部學校，我們只能比照訪間，全部都往補習 班送，但是非正統式的英文教學及填鴨式的教育，卻讓我有點膽怯。為了讓孩 子持續精進她的語文能力，更希望是沒有壓力的學習，我們透過朋友介紹認識 Mr. Dreyer。
孩子於國一下學期開始加入Dreyer Coaching，目前已是高三的學生，將近5年 的學習從未間斷。這期間的口說與聽力的訓練學習，讓孩子在學校表現突出，也發展出她對語文的興趣。更在2020年底以優秀表現直接以特殊選才提早拿到 進入大學外文系的入学资格，不用透過學測/繁星/個申/指考….，開心至極啊~~ 我想任何學習都不是一步登天的，特別是語言，唯有透過一步一腳印持續不斷的學習，終究有天會開花結果，非 常感謝Dreyer Coaching 老師對孩子的協助

Dear Mr. Dreyer, Everything is great!  I got accepted at the University of British Columbia, Texas A&M, UC IRVINE, UC SANTA BARBARA, UC DAVIS, UC SAN DIEGO, and U-Washington. I'm going to U-Washington! Thank you for helping me!

Melody
Hsinchu, Taiwan

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