Real Talk: Advanced Conversational Skills for Teens

Learners will develop a tool box of communication/social skills to use in a variety of social situations that are realistic and applicable to teen life today.

Suzanne holds an M.A. in Education - Speech-Language Pathology, and a B.A. in Linguistics (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Campuswide Honors Program, Linguistics Honors Program), with an emphasis in Sociolinguistics and a secondary emphasis in Historical Linguistics. Her Honors thesis, "'Like', 'go', and 'all' in the speech of Southern California youth," (1996) reflected her desire to understand how language is actually used. In high school, she was on drill/dance team and in theatre, belonged to a slew of clubs, played in two string ensembles, was an award-winning creative writer, and was a National Merit Commended Scholar. 

She is a speech-language pathologist, an educator, and a parent of three kids (two teens, one elementary-aged) with various special learning and health needs. She is also a twice-exceptional/NAT individual. 

She has experience (as a professional, a parent, or a volunteer) across the full spectrum of education, including public school, private school (secular, Christian, International Baccalaureate), homeschool, homeschool co-op, online school, de-schooling, mainstream education, special education, special day class, Deaf/HOH schools, and day care. She is familiar with a variety of curricula and has also developed her own curricula. She has approximately 20 years of experience as speech-language pathologist, and has been volunteering in schools since she was a fifth grader (more years ago than she'll admit). She has dedicated her life to lifting children up and supporting their educational and socio-emotional needs. 

In her spare time - when she has any - she is a performer (dance production, modeling, on-screen acting), takes voice lessons, manages her daughter's acting career, reads voraciously, plays multiple instruments, goes to the gym, tends to her garden, slays at real estate investing, and takes walks with her dog and her husband.

no homework

no tests

30 minutes per week in class, and maybe some time outside of class.

Teacher creates curriculum. Research sources will be cited as needed (which also supports learners in the development of learning how to cite sources when they are writing reports and essays).