Janette Skembri
I am a graduate of the Department of English Language and Literature of AUTH (BA) and hold a TEFL Level 5 diploma.
I have completed postgraduate training in "Teaching Foreign Languages to Students with Learning Difficulties"& "Holistic Education".I officially started teaching in 2016 during my internship in a primary school in Thessaloniki and since then I have taught students of all ages, both in private language centers and in colleges abroad.
Since 2020, I have been working almost exclusively teaching English to students with Specific Learning Difficulties, students who are on the autism spectrum and students with low mental potential but also with social and emotional difficulties.
I am currently in my final year of undergraduate studies in Psychology at the "Guglielmo Marconi University" in Rome and have completed basic training as a yoga teacher (RYS 200) in my quest to holistically support each student.
My story
Perhaps from the very first class I taught, I felt the need to help those students who were struggling to follow the rest of the class. Starting to deal with English in special educational contexts on an individual level, I began to notice that it is not enough to prepare material with lots of pictures and colors or to include more games in the lesson. Each student shows up to class with a variety of difficulties and preconceptions that are rarely accurately described in textbooks.
Approaching education holistically includes activities and topics that teach all the essentials, such as grammar and vocabulary by level, while at the same time building on the strengths and abilities of each individual student.
Approaching the student holistically means that I, as the educator, take into account the student's emotional state, as calmness and confidence enhance the student's receptivity to the lesson, and I work actively and consciously to enhance their concentration. I also ensure that I am providing the student with techniques that will help, in the long term, with self-regulation of emotions as well as overexertion or laziness within the context of the lesson.
Finally, an integral part of my approach is guiding parents to identify and support their children's potential, both in and out of the classroom.
Communication
Whether you are a parent with questions about your child, or an educator who wants to discuss holistic education, I'd love to talk!