Education & Entrepreneurship
Palm English Language Center
Beijing, China | 2019-2021
Opening a school is something Justin had dreamed about for years, but he put that idea off for the future… until he got to Beijing. Only a few months after teaching in China, there were parents urging him to open his own school because of how much their kids loved his class and him. Between this and his personal longing he decided to open up his own private language school, Palm English Language Center, right in the center of the city where he taught English as a second language. What set Justin apart was not only did he construct his own curriculums and events, he was able to do so in English and Mandarin as well. Parents were praising him for the intensive focus on put on each individual child - especially with parent-teacher meetings every two weeks. Accompanied by immensely detailed & personalized progress reports on a weekly basis, it was an exceedingly successful language center with even waitlists of families looking to join.
See the founding presentation here.
Authentic & Captivating Education
Palm English differed from other schools in the fact that children were immersed in an authentic American English language environment from start to finish, very from their antiquated regimented textbooks. The school was always privy on making an English-only environment and only after-class Mandarin. Additionally there were multiple events, including Summer Reading, a trip to Beijing Olympic Park, holiday events, & more. However, what truly made Palm English different from other schools was that the children wanted to come to English class just as much as the parents wanted them there. Between the fun and modern curriculum, the teacher’s uncommon Mandarin proficiency, and quirky method of teaching, over 50 children signed up over the 2 year course of this small institution with incredible results for all.
Immersive Seasonal Programs & Camps
Other than after school classes and individual events, Palm English also offered full day long immersive Summer and Winter Camps. During this week or two-week long programs, students would focus on themes such as “Imagination, Innovation & Creativity” or “Traveling Abroad by Yourself” where they would learn not only facts, history, grammar, vocabulary and such, but also how to own the knowledge to utilize it for their future. These classes facilitated remarkable language progress while simultaneously engaging children to use their English in real-life situations as they learned it. These events, camps, and programs always had a class size no greater than 5, to make the education as personalized, in-depth, and rewarding as possible
To truly stand out,
You need to create something you can call your own.
Natural Arts English Language Center
Beijing, China | 2016-2019
Before opening a school of his own, Justin’s teaching work started in Beijing at Natural Arts English, where he was hired as an English teacher to teach children from the ages of 4-12 in Chaoyang District, Beijing. Quickly after his arrival, waves of students signed up for his classes as demo students and his class schedule filled up completely in a matter of weeks. With only 3 months of his working there, he was promoted to Head Teacher and was quickly pushed to the forefront of not only all the classes, but also marketing, operations, translation, and even curriculum development. Justin was especially known for his upbeat and engaging English events that were always maxed out for spots to attend. It was here that he met many of his students and their families that followed him as their sole English teacher for years to come.
Teacher of the Year
Justin was awarded the Natural Arts 'Teacher of the Year Award’ for two years in a row for his remarkable efforts in improving not only his classes and on the campus, but also assistance to other campuses in the form of trainings or translation. He was always to remain and keep the school on the forefront of all different kinds of educational activities & strategies.
Head Teacher
In addition to his roles and duties as a teacher, Justin recruited, interviewed, created contracts for, and hired international candidates for the language center. With a pinnacle of 5 teachers under his purview, he was also able to flourish as a leader in this educational space. Known for his ability to inspire students and teachers alike, Justin trained over a dozen teachers on how to engage students during his time at the center.
“Education isn’t easy, but we can always make it easier for our students.”
Washington Elementary School
Hawthorne, NJ | 2015-2016
Justin’s journey as an official teacher began after his time in Washington D.C., where he decided to come back and reconnect with his public school system roots. Seeing as how Justin how grown up with a brother who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, he was able to get a position as a Paraprofessional for children with special needs at Washington Elementary School in Hawthorne, NJ.
In this position Justin was responsible for not only implementing academic programs, but also was crucial in implementing behavioral plans. Having experienced behavioral regiments before, he had a perspective that made a difference. With his fun idiosyncrasies, students loved working with Justin and showed marked improvement both behaviorally and academically after working with him. His class of 6 students were all very fond of him as well as students throughout the elementary school.
