Maria Athena
About Me
Lessons
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Visited 6 hours ago
Maria Athena
Professional Teacher![]()
Teaches
English
Native
German
Speaks
French
Gaelic (Irish)
Greek
Dutch
Hebrew
Italian
Russian
Teaches
English
Native
German
Speaks
French
Gaelic (Irish)
Greek
Dutch
Hebrew
Italian
Russian
About Me
Me as a Teacher
My lessons & teaching style
Resume
From United StatesLiving in Philadelphia, United States (12:15 UTC+02:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Nov 19, 2019InterestsWritingHistoryReading
*Winter Break: 23 December - 8 January*
If you are interested in learning English or German with me in 2025, feel free to send a message in advance.
I have always had a great love for foreign languages and cultures. I am a native English speaker from the United States, but as a child I was fortunate enough to travel to places where English was not the lingua franca. I showed some aptitude at high school French, which I was motivated to pursue language learning as a hobby and career path. I went on to teach myself German at home for two years in high school before studying German literature and Creative Writing at university.Me as a Teacher
I have been working as a German and English tutor since 2012 and I first began while I was still working on my undergraduate programme. Since 2014 I have been an active in-person and online tutor/teacher. After completing the CELTA in 2016, I also taught General English (B1-C2 levels) and Exams (FCE) at International House Minsk in Belarus in addition to meeting with my online students. I have experience teaching German at all levels and English from Low Intermediate to Advanced, including general language acquisition, reading/writing skills for both native and non-native speakers, intensive grammar and exams.My lessons & teaching style
I hope to help develop each student’s ability to explore German and English in both the context of an activity and the context of their own understanding of the language. My students and I explore the target language of a particular lesson in increasingly more detail together so that by the end of the lesson the student has a clearer understanding of the themes and vocabulary we have covered. My lessons tend to be structured, but I do adapt them, including review and supplementary material based on each of my student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. I most often use CEFR level-appropriate coursebooks, books specific to each student’s individual aims, and self-created materials.Certificates
CELTA - British Council Greece - 2016I was required to complete 140 contact hours, including input and feedback sessions from the tutor trainers, six hours of assessed teaching practice, and four assessed assignments in order to obtain the CELTA. This course bolstered my understanding of effective teaching strategies and lesson types, attuned me to preparing student-centred activities that encourage the use of the target language in the classroom, and qualified me as a professional, internationally-recognised teacher of English.
Certificate verified
Education
2010 - 2014
Bachelor’s - German and Creative WritingMy studies centred around the German language and literary canon from the Early Middle Ages to the 21st Century. I learnt about the history of German language and literature while simultaneously gaining a keen awareness of the biographical, cultural, political, and psychological background that influenced major German authors and poets. In my Creative Writing degree I attended a series of workshops designed to improve my rhetoric and art of narration in different genres of literature.
Work Experience
2017 - 2018
Teacher of General English and ExamsAt International House Minsk I had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of students of different backgrounds. I learnt how to adapt the course material for stronger and weaker classes and keep to a syllabus while remaining flexible. Moreover, I was able to attend a series of workshops organised by the school and I received direct feedback from my colleagues in the form of formal observations and teacher appraisals, which served as a constructive critique of my own teaching skills.
2012 - 2019
Teacher of German and English (Sole-Proprietor)I teach and tutor students of various ages, academic backgrounds, and ethnicities in German and English. My lessons correspond with the CEFR and are highly personalised to help my students achieve their individual fluency goals, from general knowledge to grammar. This position requires me to develop learning strategies that are tailored to the learning styles of each student and adapt course material for use on an online platform.
5.0
Rating
549
Students
6,010
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
German Lessons
German
English
Trial Lesson
267 lessons completed
USD 17.00+
General German for Beginners to Elementary (A1-A2)
A1 - A2Language Essentials673 lessons completed
USD 22.00+
Package with 13% off
Lesestunde: German Reading and Writing (B1-C2)
B1 - C2Language Essentials142 lessons completed
USD 22.00+
Package with 5% off
Individually Customised Lessons in German (A1-C2)
A1 - C2Language Essentials405 lessons completed
USD 18.00+
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
340 Reviews
All
German
English
Angela
119 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
The best teacher! We always have interesting and diverse topics to discuss, which makes our classes incredibly exciting. Thank you!
Oct 23, 2023
Kateryna
83 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Maria is a professional teacher. We always have different activities and very interesting topics for discussion during our lessons. Maria always provides me with useful advices and materials. Thank you!
Aug 3, 2021
Julia Herkel-Alfons
45 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Eine sehr nette engagierte Lehrerin die mit Spaß und Kreativität alle Stunden interessant gestaltet. Sie spricht fließend Deutsch was das Englisch lernen mit ihr sehr erleichtert. Sie liebt Sprachen und das merkt man auch, wenn man Stunden mit ihr Bucht. Ich kann sie nur jedem weiterempfehlen. 😊
Jan 16, 2021
Alina
3 English lessons
Maria's book club is fantastic! I learn so many new details about writing each time. The 60 minutes fly by in an instant. Thank you!
Dec 15, 2024
Evgeniya Zvonareva
4 German lessons
I enjoyed my lesson with Maria and am going to continue to learn German with her. She is very encouraging and at the same time firm about the things that need to be done. I liked the way she handled my case, which is neither a true beginner, nor a fluent speaker.
Nov 9, 2024
Jessica
3 English lessons
First time having a class with Maria, I’m truly impressed! She’s on time, patient, professional and knowledgeable! We talked a lot! Not only she provided corrections for my mistakes, but also taught me so many useful learning techniques! I’m glad that I found her!
Nov 8, 2024
Trial Lesson
USD 17.00
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