Mirror Image Edutainment

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About

A degree in Theater and Television Production, a California K-Adult Multilingual Teaching credential, a graduate degree in Childhood Development, (all with honors from The University of California Irvine,) my eighteen year career teaching career in Southern California, and my 10 year acting career in Hollywood are all geared toward helping my students open energy vortexes.

I am fluent in four languages, and speak several more. This facilitates my ability to help students remove or obtain accents and dialects. I am patient, creative, and go the extra mile. With a student who demonstrates interest, a forty minute lesson can easily run past an hour.

For more information AlanJohnMayer.com

My spirit is elevated by people who are interested in pursuing creative expression. Being witness to an "Aha" experience stirs me, makes me want to help.

Highlights

1 employee

21 years in business

Serves Lake View Terrace , CA

Offers online services

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Reviews

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Mirela S.

Alan is the Mastermind behind Mirror Image Edutainment. I was extremely fortunate to have Alan as my English-As-Second Language (ESL) teacher for a couple of years. As you may imagine, teaching ESL is no easy task because you are dealing with a class full of people who exhibit the following common characteristics:

1. They come from different backgrounds, cultures and of course speak a different native language. It is difficult to establish a common ground and try to bring everyone on the same page while explaining a foreign concept or word with more foreign words.

2. Most folks in the class are past their college years, and dont have the same level of learning nimbelness.

3. Mostly everyone has a full time job and takes ESL classes at night. That makes for often tired and sometimes grumpy students.

Now take the challenge of teaching a new subject, overlay it with the above 3 factors, and imagine what teaching ESL must be like. But this is where Alan excelled. His classes were so engaging, fun and interactive that somehow you forgot you are in school and struggling to learn a new subject. He told stories, to get his point across, and when the words were not sufficiently clear, he used visual cues. He made use of facial expressions, gestures, and sometimes acted out situations to explain. By creating associations between the visual and the auditory, he was able to explain new ideas even to less advanced students.

I recall having a great time in school. We had fun writing exercises, we sang songs in English, and everyone was encouraged to engage in conversation during class, even during breaks. Alan taught us how to make friends, network with each other, and use every opportunity to practice English. To me he was so much more than a teacher. He truly cared about each one of us and tried to motivate, stimulate and develop us far beyond the classroom walls. Alan, I will forever appreciate what you have done for me and my classmate. A big thank you!

July 16, 2019

Frequently asked questions

What is your typical process for working with a new student?

After assessing your needs, I will give you an assignment and five minutes to prepare. You will then perform on camera. Together we will evaluate your performance. You will perform it again, and perhaps again, under varied (imaginary) circumstances. Never do I take the student past the frustration level.

Together we will pinpoint your strengths, your weaknesses, and what it is you wish to accomplish. Next lesson, we pick up there.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

Omega Vector seminars, (Consciousness training) San Juan Capistrano, California

Ernest Holmes College, (Science of Mind training) Los Angeles, CA, Practitioner

Sam Christensen seminars, (Presentation) Studio City, CA

Santa Ana Unified, LA Unified, bilingual classroom teacher, K-12, eight years

Glendale College, Glendale, CA, instructor, English Department, ten years

Hollywood: (1990-03) Improv: Groundlings; Scene study: Stella Adler; Voice: Dr. Marjorie Taylor

Venice: Comedic writing, timing, and delivery: Lily Tomlin, Judy Carter, Vicki Wagner

In Hollywood: Stand up at The Comedy Store, L.A. Cabaret, The Laugh Factory, The Village

Studio City: Commercial: Tepper-Gallegos, Character breakdown: Price Hall; Scene study: Steve Nave; Voiceover: Louise Chalmers.

West Hollywood: 2012 - 2016 Life Writing with Bea Mitz

Denver: ToastMasters 2019 International speaking competition Area winner, District first runner up

Published author of the 'A Boy Alone' series, seven books in edit for seventeen years, now available in paper and e-book through fine book retailers everywhere. Board the train of thought to Entitlement. Step into a new State of Consciousness. READ Obsessed.

Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.

I offer a 90 minute introductory $60.00 lesson. Each lesson thereafter is $60 per hour. Working with serious on-time talent inspires me. Ask and you shall receive.

How did you get started teaching?

When I was very young, I worked as a telephone operator. The detail oriented paper work was not my cue. While on vacation in Germany, I decided to visit my former elementary school, (one of six.) Seeing the little chairs sparked me to become interested in the state of education.

Upon learning I speak Spanish, someone recommended I apply to the Santa Ana Unified School District. I did, and was hired as a paraprofessional. My administrator took note of my creativity, and encouraged me to finish my university education.

A year before receiving my Bachelor of Arts degree, i was hired as a teacher on an emergency credential. Over the next two years, i completed my undergraduate and post graduate work, along with five Bilingual Certificates of Competency.

Years later, i decided I wanted to become an actor.

When my father made his transition in 1998, at 103, the trauma of sequential death launched me into a writing career.

What types of students have you worked with?

Five years I taught bilingual elementary and adult night school. A year I taught at Sonja Hahn’s Acting Studio (all Korean children,) one year junior high in L.A., four years high school French and English, ten years English Language Development instructor, Glendale College, Glendale, CA, 1990-2000

I have taught classes of African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics, children, teens, adults, and yes, even people of European descent, here, and abroad. As an undergraduate, I taught German and Spanish at Berliz International School of Languages in Cherry Creek, Colorado, to (primarily) businessmen.

I work with adults, and children over the age of 12 (with the accompaniment of a parent or guardian.)

I have acted in films with (and studied) Peter O’Toole, Linda Purl, John Cleese, John Rhys Davis, Karen Black, Lily Tomlin, and Sasha Alexander. For partial credits: IMDb, Alan Allen, or AlanJohnMayer.com.

Describe a recent event you are fond of.

Toastmaster's offers an excellent opportunity to develop listening, public speaking, and team working skills. I have had more fun at Toastmasters groups. With only weeks to prepare, competing with hundreds of highly prepared individuals, I won the 2019 Toastmasters Best Speaker, Area and District 1st runner up awards. Winning over longtime members who had been preparing for years, not expecting to win, it was a (nervous) rush.

What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?

Ask questions. Follow your gut instinct. If you feel a connection and a sincere interest on the part of the teacher, you are on the right track. If it feels right, commit to a lesson. Give it your all.

What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?

Before contacting a prospective teacher, ask yourself the following questions:

Am I being realistic?

What are my strengths?

What are my weaknesses?

How much do I want this?

What am I willing to give up?

Do I have a support system in place?

Am I prepared to watch my friends excel quickly in their chosen career fields, while success (without any guarantees) could take me decades?

Services offered

Acting

Voice Acting

Public Speaking

Speech

Film Production