May Tutor of the Month - Karleta Peterson

Q. Please introduce yourself.

My name is Karleta and I graduated from Columbia University in 2016 with a B.A. in Sociology, and recently received my M.Ed in International Education from Harvard University in 2022. I currently live in South Korea and first came here as a Fulbright grantee. I now work as a college admissions consultant and DJ in Seoul.

Q. When did you start Ringle and how did you find out about it?

I started teaching on Ringle in September 2022 and heard about it in 2018 from a friend who is very involved in the Seoul start-up community. He told me about a "cool new platform" called Ringle. Thankfully, I looked into it more and formally joined the tutor community last fall!

Q. Can you share your most memorable lesson on Ringle?

My most memorable lesson was a mock interview with a student who was job searching at the time. They were having a really difficult time securing an offer and were feeling discouraged. As an educator, I believe it is my responsibility to uplift students in a multitude of ways that sometimes goes beyond just English education. In addition to providing feedback on their language ability, I offered some words of encouragement and helpful readings that could be a source of motivation. Six months later, this student and I still meet regularly and always have the most inspirational discussions!

Q. What makes your teaching style unique?

What makes my teaching style unique is that I approach students as people first. At the end of the day, no matter the context, people want to grow and feel like they have a supportive and forgiving environment to do so. I make sure all students know that this is a space where it is okay to make mistakes and openly struggle. Establishing this kind of learning environment from the beginning allows students to feel more comfortable stepping out of their comfort zone as learners, which enables progress.

Q. How often do you teach on Ringle and how do you manage your time?

Depending on the time of year, I teach on Ringle anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a week. Time management has always been a growth area for me. Personally, I have found Notion to be an incredible tool for time management. In addition, being able to set my own hours on Ringle each week also gives me the freedom to increase or decrease my tutoring hours based on my workload.

Q. Any advice for new Ringle tutors?

Be personable! Yes, you are providing a service that students are paying for, but that doesn't mean your in-class demeanor has to be transactional and cold. The best part about teaching and doing people-oriented work is that bringing your full self to the classroom encourages students to do the same and only enriches the experience. Crack a joke, laugh, and have fun! 

Tutor of the Month receives:

• Cash prize of $100
• Recognition on Ringle's web and social media platforms
• An opportunity to record a demo lesson for other tutors

Ringle selects a tutor every month based on their ratings, consistency of lessons, and reviews.