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If I'm completely honest, I don't think I became a tutor because I always dreamed of teaching...
In fact, part of the reason comes from a much less pleasant memory.
When I was learning English at school, I had a teacher who would laugh at my pronunciation or make me feel embarrassed when I didn't understand something and was constantly picking on me. It was almost every lesson, and it happened often enough that I slowly stopped wanting to speak.
After a while, I became so terrified of making mistakes that even when I knew the answer, I would stay silent. I would rehearse a sentence over and over in my head before saying it, convinced that if I mispronounced one word or made a mistake, everyone would notice.
For years, I couldn't speak English without that little voice telling me I'd probably get it wrong. Before I even opened my mouth, I already felt embarrassed.
Looking back, I don't think my biggest obstacle was grammar or vocabulary.
But it was definitely fear.
Years later, life took me somewhere I never expected. I moved to Japan, where I had to communicate in languages that weren't my own every single day. Suddenly, I wasn't just learning another language. I was living in one.
Living abroad taught me that communication isn't about speaking perfectly. It's about being willing to connect, even when you're not.
Little by little, I realized that no one improves by waiting until they're perfect
You improve by speaking, by making mistakes, by laughing at them sometimes and by trying again.
That experience completely changed the way I see language learning.
When I started tutoring French, I knew exactly what kind of teacher I didn't want to become.
I never want a student to leave one of my lessons thinking, "I'm too bad at this."
Because I've been there.
I know how frustrating it is to understand something in your head but struggle to say it out loud. I know what it's like to hesitate before speaking because you're already imagining the mistake you'll make.
That's why I care just as much about how students feel during a lesson as what they learn from it.
Of course we'll correct mistakes. That's part of learning. But mistakes are never something to be ashamed of. They're simply part of the process.
Over the years, I've taught both French and design, and one thing has always stayed the same: my favorite moment isn't when a student gets everything right. It's when I see them becoming more confident than they were the lesson before.
Because that confidence changes everything.
It makes conversations easier, and learning becomes more enjoyable. Sometimes, it even changes the way people see themselves.
Today, my professional experience allows me to help students prepare for presentations, meetings, networking events, and real-life conversations in French. But beyond vocabulary and grammar, I hope my lessons offer something else.
A place where you can speak without feeling judged.
The tutor I try to be is, in many ways, the tutor I wish I'd had when I was younger.
If you've ever hesitated before speaking because you were afraid of making a mistake, then we might have more in common than you think.
I'd be happy to help you build the confidence that took me years to find.
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