Foreign Language Tutors
Teachers Who Tutor NYC

Brian Sebastian

Brian teaches Latin and Philosophy at Grace Church School in Manhattan. For 26 years, he has taught every level of middle and high school Latin, from introductory courses through Advanced Placement and beyond. Brian holds a B.A. cum laude in Classics and Philosophy from Xavier University, an M.A. in Classical Languages from the University of Missouri, and a Ph.D. in Classical Studies from the University of Florida. During his 16 year tenure as a Latin, Greek, and Algebra teacher at the Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was recognized for excellence in teaching with awards from both student government and administration. Beyond the classroom, Brian enjoys coin collecting, learning a bit of Spanish and German, taking on all contenders at Words With Friends, and taking naps with his ten year old cocker spaniel Gus. 

Diana Arboleda

Diana teaches Spanish in Upper School at Nightingale-Bamford School. She holds a PhD in applied linguistics from Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, Spain, where she was recognized as Cum Laude for her doctoral thesis. She also holds an MA in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from the same institution, as well as a BA and diploma in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from the Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia. Diana has tutored a variety of students of all levels in one-on-one lessons and evaluated students through oral proficiency interviews for more than ten years. In addition to her extensive teaching experience at the university and high school level, she has served as a lead curriculum designer in different schools and colleges, has presented at a variety of conferences, and has been published in several journals on foreign language acquisition and educational programs. Diana is an expert in teaching advanced students and preparing them to take the AP test in Spanish and SAT subject tests.

Spencer Baron

Spencer teaches Chinese in the Upper Division at Avenues: The World School. He teaches grades 9 through 12 Chinese as well as an Eastern Philosophy seminar and Kungfu for WAM (Wellness and Movement). Spencer has over a decade’s worth of teaching experience in martial arts and foreign language as well as his own study of the Chinese language. He also served as a Chinese instructor at the Middlebury College Chinese school. He previously worked as the Assistant Director of the Middlebury School in China (Beijing), a branch of the CET Academic Programs. Spencer earned a B.A. in Chinese studies and Japanese studies from the University at Albany. In addition to Mandarin Chinese, Spencer also speaks Japanese and Hebrew. When he’s not teaching, Spencer loves training Kungfu at the Shaolin monastery in China, studying East and South-Asian religions, and playing with every dog he sees.

Yutong Chen

Yutong brings nearly a decade of experience as a classroom Mandarin teacher and tutor in New York City. She previously taught Mandarin Chinese to middle school students (5th-8th graders) at the Calhoun School and also taught AP Chinese for High School Independent Studies. Currently, she is a middle school Mandarin teacher at the Spence School. Yutong has extensive experience in tutoring to enhance school performance and preparing students for exams such as the HSK. She holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Teachers College, Columbia University. Yutong’s tutoring approach is grounded in kindness, patience, empathy, and a personalized curriculum. Having experience as both a classroom teacher and a tutor, she values close communication between educators to ensure the best outcomes for her students.

Cristina Cotumaccio

Cristina teaches Spanish in the Upper School division of Saint David’s School in Manhattan. She holds a master’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Middlebury College in Madrid, Spain, and a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, from The College of William & Mary. During her 10+ years at Saint David’s, she has taught Spanish at all grade levels (pre-K-8) and had a significant role in designing and implementing the current Spanish/FLES curriculum at the school. Cristina has extensive experience tutoring Spanish to private school students in both middle and high school. With a passion for languages, curiosity about other cultures, and an interest in educational travel, Cristina has spent significant time independently studying and traveling throughout the Spanish-speaking world. She has also co-directed several different language and cultural immersion programs for middle and high school students in both Spain and Italy during summer breaks.

Lambert Gingras

Lambert has been teaching and tutoring in New York City for the past twenty years. He has taught French at Friends Seminary and the Calhoun School, while also tutoring students from other independent schools. A world languages enthusiast, he enjoys helping students with all aspects of their French classes, from grammar and writing to pronunciation and conversation. Born in Montréal, Québec, Lambert studied philosophy and history at l’Université de Montréal, worked as a sports reporter for a few years, and then pursued his graduate studies at Cornell University, where he earned a Master’s degree in Government. In his free time, Lambert likes biking, cooking, and hanging out with friends and family, human and canine alike.

Lindsay Fletcher

Lindsay is a nationally board certified Spanish teacher. She received her B.A. in Spanish with a minor in Education from the University of Portland in Oregon, during which time she studied abroad in Spain. After graduation she taught English in Chile for a year. It was through this experience that she truly fell in love with the Spanish language and living in another culture, a love she strives to share with her students. She spent the next few years working in Oregon, working for the Ministry of Education in Chile, and windsurfing and teaching English as a New Language (ENL) in Hawaii. She then moved to NYC where she earned a dual masters, an M.A. in Teaching Spanish and an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from New York University. She has been teaching various levels of high school Spanish in NYC since 2010. Ms. Fletcher believes learning should be fun and works hard to create an engaging classroom and form relationships where all students feel comfortable. She has been tutoring since she was 18, one-on-one and in small groups throughout her undergraduate studies and after school in all her teaching positions. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, traveling the world, playing soccer, running, yoga, and baking.

Jennifer Gentle

Jen currently teaches high school and has taught all levels of Spanish at Friends Seminary for the past ten years. She previously taught Spanish in Louisville, Kentucky for two years. A gifted and kind teacher, Jennifer received her master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College and has spent a great deal of time studying abroad in Spain.

Jennifer Hill

Jennifer is a Spanish Teacher at the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan.  Originally from New Hampshire/Maine, Jennifer has taught and tutored students around the globe for the past 25 years.  She earned her MA from Middlebury College, specializing in Spanish Language and Literature.  She lived in Spain for a total of approximately 7 years, and Segovia is her favorite city.  She believes that all students are capable of learning languages, and that the key is to make it accessible, practical, and fun.  Jennifer also loves yoga, reading, travel, and vegan cooking.

Mariana Goycoechea

Mariana Goycoechea began her teaching career as an adjunct lecturer of French literature, language, and civilization in 2010. She has taught at Hunter College, City College , St. John’s University, and LaGuardia Community College where she was a Writing Across the Curriculum Fellow. Mariana currently teaches Upper School at Hewitt, and previously upper school Spanish at the Marymount School of New York and was a K-12 instructor at the Browning School where she taught French and Spanish in both the Middle and Upper school divisions. Mariana earned her B.A in French and Spanish Language and Literatures from Hunter College and an M.Phil (ABD) in French from the CUNY Graduate Center. She also holds an MFA in poetry from Ashland University. Ms. Goycoechea’s work has been featured in multiple poetry anthologies the U.S and abroad. She has been most recently published in the BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNEXT. She is excited and grateful to extend her linguistic expertise with Teachers Who Tutor.

Danielle Meinrath

Danielle has fifteen years of experience as a tutor and classroom teacher in both New York and London. She previously taught Latin (7^th, 8^th, 9^th, and 11^th grade) and ancient Greek (11^th-12^th grade) at the Brearley School, where she received the 2018 faculty award for her commitment to students and the school community. She holds a first-class B.A. from Cambridge University, an M.St. with Distinction from Oxford, and a Ph.D. from Princeton, all in Classics. At Princeton, she was a graduate instructor in two departments – Classics and academic writing – and received an award for teaching excellence for her beginners’ Latin class. With a particular interest in social and emotional learning, she recently completed a year-long foundational training in mental health counselling as professional development, and has previously volunteered for an educational charity as a middle-school mentor. Danielle tutors online internationally and seeks to bring kindness, patience, and creativity to her interactions with all her students. Her little cat, whose sense of professional boundaries is a work in progress, often climbs on her shoulder during lessons and helps out as her T.A.

Kaori Murata

Kaori has taught Japanese for more than ten years and has worked for a language institute in New York City. She received a B.A. from the University of Tsukuba (Japanese National University) and an M.P.S. degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to Japanese and English, Kaori speaks Mandarin, which she studied at Shanghai Teachers University for two years. She is adept at supporting students from various age groups and all levels of skill, and customizes her study materials to support school textbooks or examinations. She also enjoys teaching students about Japanese culture and customs. Kaori spent two years of high school at Cranbrook Academy and is familiar with independent school expectations.

Rana Akkawi

Rana Akkawi is a Lebanese polyglot and Middle and Upper Grades Spanish instructor at Avenues New York, where she also mentors independent studies in French.  Rana has over a decade’s worth of teaching experience, starting her journey at the American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon – where she mainly taught the IB program – and later pursuing international teaching at an IB World School in Memphis. Rana earned a B.A in Modern languages and translation from the University of Saint Joseph in Beirut, Lebanon, and an MA in Spanish Philology from the University of Granada, Spain. When she’s not teaching, Rana loves adding more languages to her repertoire, exercising or rock climbing, getting lost on some hiking trail in the wild, and making collages.

Theo Follini-Press

Theo currently teaches 6-8th grade Latin at The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine. Theo fell in love with Latin and the study of the ancient world in middle school thanks to an inspiring teacher who brought the language to life. He firmly believes that Latin can be taught in a way that is vibrant and accessible to students of all learning styles. He loves to incorporate short fun novellas into his classes to give students the opportunity to read more naturally at their level. He also enjoys writing exciting mysteries in Latin for his students to solve. Theo studied Classics at Brown University, graduating in 2017. He earned the Classical Association of the Middle West and South Award for Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Studies, and also earned 1st place in competitions in both Latin and Ancient Greek at Brown. The following year he pursued his Masters in the Arts of Teaching in Secondary English Education at Brown, graduating in 2018. Now in his 6th year of full time teaching, he has taught in public, charter, and private schools. He has tutored students in Latin at the middle school, high school, and college level. As a tutor, he enjoys helping students discover the joy of Latin and feel more confident in the subject.

Gisèle Rappaport

Gisèle is recently retired from Saint David’s School in Manhattan. She is a native
French speaker and has taught French at the University of Missouri. She has taught
English as a Second Language at Kingsborough Community College for over ten years.
For the last twenty-five years, she has taught French to sixth, seventh and eighth
graders, as well as Spanish sixth, seventh, an introductory class to Spanish eighth
graders. She has also taught beginners’ Latin to fifth and sixth graders. Her French
classes were taught using the total immersion method. She is currently working on
creating a French textbook tailored for middle school’s students. She enjoys reading,
watching movies and meeting with her friends.

Colleen Rober

Colleen has taught in New York City for fourteen years. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Providence College in Spanish with a minor in Italian, and a Master’s degree from Fordham University in Latin American and Latino Studies. Throughout her career, Colleen has taught every level of Spanish from 4th through 12th grade, including honors and advanced courses. She has redeveloped curricula and continually revitalizes her pedagogy to stay in touch with a constantly modernizing student base. She currently teaches Middle and Upper School Spanish at the Birch Wathen Lenox School.

Fanny Rocheteau

Fanny, a native French speaker, has taught French at the Alliance Française, the Brearley School, and Sacred Heart. She also worked with students in the French after-school program EFNY for public schools in NYC. She holds a MA in English Literature (2008) and a MA in Didactics of French as a Foreign Language (2013) from the Université du Maine, France. She employs various approaches and learning techniques to appeal to different learning styles, and she guarantees a fun and supportive experience throughout.

Mario Rojas Acosta

Mario Rojas Acosta has been teaching and tutoring French and Spanish at the middle and upper school levels for over seventeen years, first at the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, NY, then at the American School in London. He has a B.A. in French from Amherst College, an M.A. in French from Middlebury College and is currently pursuing his second M.A. in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American Studies at King’s College London. Mario has trained in the Rassias Method, worked for their summer programs, and led workshops locally and nationally in using dramatization, speaking drills and games to help students embody language. He enjoys working with a wide range of age groups and proficiency levels, from novice to advanced, and has prepared students for the AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature exams, and the ACT. Complementing his language teaching at ASL, Mario has taught experiential learning courses, established the Social Justice Council, and organized the London YoungPower Conference, which brings independent and state schools together to engage in community outreach and dialogue. These experiences have influenced Mario’s ability to connect with all kinds of learners, and he knows very well the power of supporting students one-on-one, tailoring instruction to the individual so that they reach their potential.

Anne Saint-Pierre

Kate Scudellari

Kate has been teaching/tutoring since 2009. She started in Manhattan’s Chinatown and Upper East Side, then Long Island’s Friends Academy, where she served as advisor, assistant dean, coach, and Spanish teacher. Kate studied at Brown University, and earned two master’s degrees in Spanish and Education from Middlebury College in Madrid and Fordham University in NYC. Kate has extensive experience with a wide range of students; she specializes in differentiated learning, organizational techniques, study skills, study abroad immersion, character building, cross-cultural understanding, and Spanish proficiency. Currently a freelance tutor and educational consultant, Kate has a positive demeanor, patient approach, passion for teaching, and excellent understanding of language learners.

Caleb Simone

Caleb has years of experience in teaching and tutoring Latin with upper and middle school students in New York City. He currently teaches ancient Greek and Latin to undergraduates at Columbia University, where he earned his M.A. and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Classics. A native Texan, he obtained his B.A. from Baylor University, where his honors thesis was awarded Best in the Humanities. Having encountered ancient languages at an early age, Caleb enjoys helping students of all levels learn to appreciate the challenging but rewarding study of Latin.

Jessica Tan

Jessica was born and raised in China and moved to New York as a high schooler. She is a full-time teacher, teaching 9th to 12th grade Mandarin at Little Red School House (LREI) in the west village. Prior to teaching at LREI, Jessica also taught Mandarin in two other public schools in Lower East Side and worked as a program coordinator to arrange museum tours for pre-k children and their families to promote learning new culture and language. Jessica holds an MA in TESOL & Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from New York University.

Diana Zea

Diana teaches Spanish B (EAL) at Anglocolombiano International School in Colombia for the Middle Years and Diploma Programs within the International Baccalaureate (IB) school system. She possesses Dual Master’s degrees in the Teaching of Spanish (as a second language) and TESOL from NYU Madrid and NYU New York, respectively. Furthermore, she holds a Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language Certificate from Universitat de Barcelona and a Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) from ILI in Halifax, NS, Canada. In addition to these qualifications, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Studies and Journalism, as well as a one-year graduate program certificate in Literature and Semiotics from Colombian Universities. Over the past five years, Diana has been tutoring students of all age groups in one-on-one online sessions, guiding them towards success in their specific goals and objectives for either their Spanish or English classes. She excels in teaching students who are enrolled in the Spanish B IB program, offering support for High Level, Standard Level, and Ab Initio levels.