Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.
— Rumi
Philip’s Bio
In 2013, Philip Canterbury earned both a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Bard College and a California Teaching Credential for English and History. He taught for eight years in underserved public middle and high schools in Central California and Northeast Los Angeles.
As a classroom teacher, Philip specialized in providing students with approachable ways to engage with complex texts and effectively problem-solve tasks. These strategies accelerate learning for any student by focusing on questioning and discussing to develop higher-level thinking
In 2022, he established PC Academics and Writing, a multi-purpose academic platform helping learners build confidence with active reading, writing, and thinking strategies.
PC Academics and Writing supports the development of voice and choice for clients in education, ESL, and writing pursuits; whether child, adolescent, or adult.
Philip’s philosophy of instruction encourages exploration while fostering confidence. His lifelong passion for and experience with writing helps students explore the craft in a supportive and warm environment.
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Philip’s Approach
Philip advocates for “cooperative learning” where students drive the lesson with his help.
Philip encourages students to think reflectively about what they are doing and how they are doing it. He will often ask open-ended questions to guide students as they explore ideas and build confidence while genuinely learning concepts.
Philip helps students adjust and maintain their learning speed as needed. Sometimes, that means helping students to “think slowly” by asking questions to develop their thinking instead of providing quick answers.
Other times, that means speeding things up by relying on discussion, brainstorming, or connecting with ideas to practice fluency and idea development.
Philip encourages students to research to build understanding, whether that means exploring examples, visual representations, or vocabulary usage.
Credentials and Honors
- Bachelor of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Colorado College, 2005, Independent Major
- TESOL Certification, Oxford Seminars, 2011
- Master of Arts in Teaching, Bard College, 2013, Literacy in History Focus
- California Single Subject Teaching Credential in History, 2013; English, 2015
- CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing, BTSA Clear Credential, 2019
- CTA Good Teaching Conference, South, 2014 & 2015 Attendee
- Extensive training in Success for All and Kagan cooperative learning structures, 2014-2020
- Class Dojo Mentor Teacher, 2016-2020
- More than 200 5-star-rated lessons provided on preply.com in ESL, tutoring, writing, test prep, and academic admissions essays
- Teachers Pay Teachers Storefront: Philip Canterbury
- Finalist, Get Comfortable Poetry Challenge, Vocal, 2022
- Finalist, Improbable Paradise Fiction Challenge, Vocal, 2023
- 2022 Vocal+ Fiction Awards Finalist
Testimonials
I’m so glad we found Philip! My son has really improved with his planning, thinking, organizing, and writing since Philip started tutoring him. I would highly recommend this teacher to anyone who is looking for a tutor.
— PC Academics & Writing Test Prep & College Essay Prep client
“Mr. Canterbury is a student-centered instructor who sets high expectations. His students were always actively engaged in his classes. Mr. Canterbury proved very adept in the use of many online and digital learning tools, and he mentored other teachers on how to best fit them into academics.”
— Former classroom administrator
“Philip Canterbury is a driven, organized teacher who develops inspiring relationships with his students. Philip has the ability to connect with his students and his talent at teaching simple concepts, as well as more advanced topics, are both truly great.”
“Philip has taught me strategies for active learning and we’re modeling reading and thinking together. Plus, I have strategies now so that, whenever I get stuck, I feel more confident with how to go forward through obstacles. Philip’s modeling in the use of resources to make thinking and learning easier has really made a difference for me! Other teachers haven’t given me these kinds of tools, so I’ve been able to develop my own abilities and confidence with Philip’s guidance and approach to teaching.”