Meet Your Instructor: Patricia S. Alikakos, MS.Ed., MPA
Hello... and welcome to our classroom!
I'm Patricia, the Creator and Master Instructor of English Star Online Learning. I am a licensed English as a Second Language instructor and taught for over 10 years in higher education. I have a passion for empowering my clients to achieve linguistic excellence and personal success.
After 10 years of classroom teaching, I embarked on a transformative journey and decided to venture beyond the traditional classroom walls and take my teaching profession to new heights. As I bid farewell to the familiar rhythm of classroom teaching, I now embrace the opportunity to explore innovative avenues and redefine education.
My goal is to create an exciting adventure for both my clients and myself, where learning transcends boundaries, creativity knows no limits, and the pursuit of knowledge reaches new horizons.
Together, we can pioneer a future of education that inspires, engages, and leaves a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of all of us. The classroom may change, but my passion for teaching continues to soar!
Below I share my personal story and experiences so that you can get to know me better.
I hope you can join me on a transformative language journey, where proficiency meets personal growth!
Thank you for being here and I look forward to teaching you!
My story...
My difference is my superpower.
"Why are you so different from other instructors?" This is a question I've been asked many times by my students, and it’s question that has many answers.
The first answer I would always give my students is, "I'm different because of my life experiences." I've always known that teaching is my passion, and it is something that has always been in my heart and a natural part of my life.
I was born in New York State, and as a child of immigrants from Sparta, Greece, I grew up in a Greek-speaking household where English was spoken as a second language by both of my parents. As a result, my teaching experience began at a young age as I not only helped my family understand the English language but the American culture as well. When I started school, I had the longest last name, I was the only student who spoke another language, and I was taller than everyone. So I learned early on about standing out from the crowd and not easily fitting in. It can be uncomfortable growing up being different from everyone else, but as an adult, when I learned to courageously embrace my difference, my difference became my superpower in my personal life and teaching career, which allowed me to form a special bond and trust with my students, knowing I always have their best interest in mind.
These early life and teaching experiences, together with my own foreign language studies and living and teaching abroad, provided me with the highest degree of understanding, compassion, and patience toward all aspects of language learning and cultural understanding. These qualities have become an inherent part of my character and my teaching, and my students take notice.
I embrace service leadership.
My second answer is about service leadership. "I'm different because I approach my teaching as a service to my students." That means when I teach my classes, I'm here for you.
When I became a teacher, it wasn't because I wanted to have summers off. In fact, I often taught summer classes! I have a passion for this work, and my vision for working in this gift is to always encourage my students to achieve, aim high, and become the best they can be.
Whenever I'm getting ready to teach, whether in-person or online, I first connect within and ask myself, "How can I best serve my students today?" With this approach, my goal is to generate an energy from my heart that expands into my classroom and my students. As a result, my students are at ease, attentive, feel safe, and are eager to learn in our peaceful environment together.
My strength in faith pushes me forward.
And, my third answer is, "I'm different because I've gone through my own difficulties, and I'm here to help you through yours."
We all go through trials and tribulations in our lives, and believe me I've had my share. I've overcome many challenging times and hardships throughout my life regarding relationships, work, health, loss, fear, as well as the challenge of learning something new. And most recently the loss of my father. So, I have sincere compassion for my students and their own struggles and try to be a positive force in their lives.
Through my courage and strength in faith to step out of my own comfort zone, I've grown and evolved through many difficult and sometimes painful experiences. I believe that learning is a lifelong process, and I want to help my students grow, learn, and overcome their challenges as well.
I have a passion for teaching and helping others to succeed.
What I did for myself is what I hope to be able to help you with as well.
Believe you can and you're halfway there! (Theodore Roosevelt).
After more than 10 years of university teaching and a divinely inspired idea, I made the mental and emotional transition from academia to wisdom and created my own teaching and learning website as a place where I can teach my students from my heart and share many years of learning, wisdom, and experiences!
English Star Online Learning is the result of many years of hard work, challenges, and experiences with my students, together with my own confidence to step out in faith while embracing not only my entrepreneurial spirit, but also my difference, background, and education to reach out and teach as many students as I can.
My goal is to help my students transcend their current language level and transform their English learning experience to communicate in English clearly and with confidence!
I am so grateful -- and thrilled -- for this new stage in my teaching journey and life, and I am honored to teach you on your English language and life journey.
Thank you for being here!
Blessings to you and your families,
Patricia 👩🏫.
PHOTO: This is a photo of me with the Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xian, China, 2014. I taught Academic English in Jianjiang, Jiansu Province for six months and had amazing learning and travel experiences. (See the Photo Gallery below for more travel photos).