English Instructor with 20 years of experience offering literature/writing classes from Fortuna, CA

I have known Kendra Guimaraes since the Fall of 2004 when we met at Lake Tahoe Community College. We were to share an office- I was hired to run their physics department while Kendra was to teach English and English as a Second Language (ESL) to the sizeable immigrant population that Lake Tahoe was home to, on account of being a ski haven. Kendra was already a published poet and author when we met that year. She had none of the hubris of having already accomplished so much at a young age.
In the one year that Kendra and I shared an office I realized that though Kendra was hired as an ESL/English instructor but in truth, she was also a confidante to her students who were so far from their familiar surroundings and sounds. Her fluency in Spanish and Portuguese made her a natural choice, of course. Her personality which is a unique combination of gentleness and strength made her the obvious choice as the mentor and guide for her ESL students. Kendra had spent years in a foreign country, learning a language she knew nothing about, making a living teaching ESL in Brazil. She shared her experiences openly and willingly with all her students. This instilled confidence and a certain “if she can do it, so can I” feeling in her ESL students struggling to do in the United States what Kendra did in another foreign land.
Kendra is an accomplished writer and poet. But at the same time she makes the language accessible to students from all backgrounds- English speaking and otherwise. She is one of the few people who can teach the language for survival as well as at a different level as an art form. I highly recommend her for teaching English- to those who wish to become writers and to those who want to learn English as a tool to accomplishing other things.
Kendra is a Superprof- her super powers lie in teaching with compassion and ensuring that the students leave her class richer in knowledge and skill.

I take this opportunity to recommend my friend Kendra. We have been friends for 12+ years. I deeply admire her empathy and cultural sensitive approach. She has excellent teaching and communication skills. She has the intellect, passion and drive to help students achieve their best. I recommend her without reservation.
Sincerely,
Cindy Murillo-Hunter

As professor of English at HSU, I can guaranty of Mrs Guimaraes’s stellar abilities.

Professor Tom Gage, Founder of the Redwood Writing Project, Flagship of NWP