Meet Our Tutors: Myra
Myra spent years teaching English and writing to nonfluent speakers at universities in Asia, Latin America, and the US. Along the way, she found herself being asked to proofread materials for professors and local professionals – and discovered she had a real knack for it.
When the opportunity came to turn that interest into something more formal, she trained with Knowadays and eventually became one of the tutors helping new learners do the same.
Read on to find out how Myra’s background in language teaching shaped her approach to tutoring and what she values most about connecting with learners from around the world.
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you based, and what does your background look like?
My home base is in Washington state, but I spend a lot of the year traveling abroad or around the US. I previously worked teaching English and writing for nonfluent speakers at universities in Asia and Latin America and at a community college in the US.
How did you end up working in proofreading and editing? What drew you to it in the first place?
While teaching in other countries, I was often asked to proofread materials for professors and local professionals. I enjoyed it, and I found it satisfying to help people make their writing more professional and ready to be shared.
What does your working life look like today?
I work part-time as a tutor for Knowadays and take on occasional proofreading jobs, particularly academic documents.
When did tutoring come into the picture, and what made you want to do it?
A few months after I began working with Proofed, I was offered a chance to be a tutor with Knowadays (Proofreading Academy at that time). It was intimidating at first, but it drew on my past experience.
What do you enjoy most about working with learners?
I really enjoy answering people’s questions and hearing that they’ve learned something new. Since this is a remote job, I like finding out about the real people who are taking our courses. The feedback video calls are very satisfying because I get to learn a little about our learners and get a little deeper into the issues they are struggling with. The face-to-face interaction makes them relax and feel more comfortable asking questions when they know there are real people behind the courses.
What does the support you offer learners look like day-to-day?
The daily routine is focused on making sure that learners’ questions are answered on a timely basis. Although we can’t be available 24/7, it’s great that no one has to wait days wondering if they will get an answer. We also keep up to date with marking final assignments. Although we have a list of points to check off, we also spend a lot of time identifying any specific issues the individual learner has and finding the right way to explain them so test marking can be as much a part of the overall learning experience as the course itself.
How do you typically approach giving feedback, and what do you think learners value most about it?
On a feedback call, I like to start out by telling learners where I’m located and finding out where they are and how they got interested in proofreading and editing. Sharing a little personal information seems to help people relax, and we often find some common ground. Then we review some resources to make sure they are making good use of them. From there, we get into the meat of their work by focusing on their questions and looking at some tricky or recurring issues.
What changes do you see or hear about in learners by the end of a course?
A lot of people comment on how much they learned about being a professional proofreader or editor rather than someone who notices a lot of errors in other people’s writing. It really seems to give people confidence, knowing how to approach a text purposefully.
Is there anything you wish you’d known when you were starting out in editorial work?
I’m really glad that I already had a lot of experience with Microsoft Word and some other technology. I never imagined how much more I would learn and how possible it would be to turn this into work that I can take anywhere with me.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about taking a course but isn’t quite sure yet?
I think it’s important to really think about your goals. Even if you think you have a lot of knowledge and experience, our courses can really help people open up doors and move into a professional level. It takes commitment, however, which means dedicating some regular time to studying and completing the exercises.
What do you like to do when you’re not working? (Any recent reads or other recommendations welcome!)
When I’m not working, I like to hike, camp, and visit new places. I also do yoga to keep me moving easily. My partner and I compete regularly at playing Carcassonne. I also cook up some tasty soups, stews, and stir fries.
See Where Knowadays Could Take You
Today, Myra splits her time between Washington state and wherever her travels take her, combining occasional proofreading work with her role as a Knowadays tutor. It’s a setup that suits her perfectly!
Are you curious about what a career in proofreading or editing could look like? Our Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses are completely self-paced, with lifetime access and one-on-one support from friendly tutors like Myra every step of the way. Plus, you can buy both courses as a bundle to save 15%. Try two free lessons to see if it’s right for you.
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