A place
to grow.
Terra Cotta Tutoring offers individualized, one-on-one instruction in English as a New Language (ENL) and English Language Arts (ELA) for children and adults. Rooted in strong academic foundations and a creative, student-centered approach, lessons are designed to strengthen essential language skills while encouraging curiosity, critical thinking and independent learning.
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Igniting a passion for learning, planting the seeds for growth.
Terra Cotta Tutoring ignites a passion for learning while planting the seeds for growth. My mission is to help learners of all ages overcome academic challenges through empathy, understanding, and patience, while inspiring curiosity, confidence, and a desire to succeed.
What we work on.
Every lesson is tailored to the student’s individual needs.
English as a New Language
Grades K–12 and adult learners
- Reading and comprehension
- Writing skills
- Listening comprehension
- Speaking and conversation skills
- Grammar, sentence structure, and correct language usage
- Vocabulary development
- Social and academic English language development
English Language Arts
Grades K–12
- Reading comprehension
- Phonics and phonemic awareness
- Vocabulary development
- Reading fluency
- Grammar and sentence structure
- Spelling, punctuation, and language mechanics
- Writing skills, including the writing process, essay writing, and creative writing
Acting & Stand-Up Comedy Coaching
Additional services
- Individualized acting coaching and creative performance instruction to develop confidence, communication skills, and self-expression
- Introductory stand-up comedy workshops that encourage creative writing, storytelling, humor, and public speaking
Every learner has a way forward.
I believe effective learning begins with truly understanding each student as an individual. One of my greatest strengths as an educator is my ability to recognize unique abilities, identify challenges, and discover what helps each learner thrive.
My approach combines keen observation and insight with academically grounded instruction, creativity, patience, and humor. Through personalized lessons, I strive to inspire curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and build the confidence and independence essential to lifelong learning.
Training behind the teaching.
What families say.
“Shauna is a wonderful tutor who was able to help my 17 year-old daughter across a variety of subjects. She has the kind of personality that made it easy for her to form a connection and her sense of humor provided a necessary lightness to what sometimes can be a slog for my daughter. Prior to working with Shauna my daughter lacked confidence and interest in school, but through their work together over the course of the academic year she became much more confident and developed a more secure belief in her abilities.”
CHRIS F.“Shauna is an excellent tutor for reading and ESL. She always comes prepared with age and level-appropriate materials designed specifically for the kids. My daughter loves her and is always looking forward to the lessons.”
JIM G.“My experience with Shauna has been superb. I needed help providing reading enrichment to my children at our local library. Prior to meeting with her, we spoke on the phone and she immediately understood my needs. When working with my children, she always arrives on time to our library sessions and even brings materials for the kids to work on that supports their reading and reinforces their learning. In addition, she’s great when working with them independently or as a group. She understands their distinct personalities and needs and makes necessary adjustments in the routine to keep their interest in the reading material. Shauna has truly exceeded all of my expectations. My children and I are very fortunate to work with her.”
IVETTE F.“My son has been her student since we moved to the US in July 2023 and her expertise and support definitely made him adapt well and faster to the new school as well as significantly improve his English. She is a very serious and competent professional, great with kids! We are very glad we found her.”
AMANDA R.“Amazing English teacher! The classes are well organized, easy to follow, and very effective. She creates a positive and supportive environment, which really helps build confidence. I’ve seen a big improvement in my speaking and understanding. I recommend 100% Terra Cotta Tutoring.”
SHEILA H.“Shauna helped my son prepare for a play. She worked with him to create a plan to learn his lines and taught him various techniques to become a better actor. We highly recommend her.”
CHRISTA C.“My 6th grader really liked working with Shauna last year. He made a lot of progress in composition writing and structure, and his handwriting which was poor when she started working with him. She’s very diligent and organized, and provides good direction. I’d recommend her to anyone.”
V SA“Shauna is an excellent tutor, and my six-year-old daughter truly enjoys her lessons. My daughter had never used English until she moved to the US a year ago. Shauna’s approach aims to make her enjoy this new language and learn important words gradually. This method is effective in helping my child become accustomed to using English. We are consistently impressed by Shauna’s attitude during the lessons. She prepares a wide range of games and materials, considering my daughter’s interests and progress.”
SATOSHI O.