Laura
Certified Tutor
The English language has always fascinated me. It began when I was young, with my mom reading to me and sharing her own passion for literature. I soon began obsessively reading on my own, and that has continued to this day; I have a collection of over two hundred books that I am very proud of.
My interest in reading blossomed naturally into writing. In school, I had to analyze the books I was reading, which made them even more interesting to me. They were saying much more than what was written on the page. Being able to decipher hidden meanings in stories and then articulate my ideas about them in writing made it even more exciting for me.
When I began college, I chose English as my major so that I could further my knowledge of literature and hone my skills as a reader and writer. I received my Associate's Degree in English from Gordon State College, and then transferred to Kennesaw State University, where I am currently one semester away from obtaining my Bachelor's Degree in English with two minors: Professional Writing and Film Studies. After my Bachelor's Degree, I plan to pursue a Master's Degree in Professional Writing and, perhaps after that, a PhD in Linguistics.
During my time at KSU, I have become much more interested in creative writing. I have written several short stories, both fiction and nonfiction, although fiction is my favorite. I have also become interested in the Film and Television industries. My fascination with analyzing literature has grown to include analyzing films and TV, as well. I have begun screenwriting and I hope to one day work for a network as a TV screenwriter. I spend much of my time watching TV shows and movies on Netflix, but I think of it more as research for my future career than leisure, although it is a little bit of both.
At KSU, I am also a Writing Assistant at the Writing Center. This is where I began tutoring. I work with members of the KSU community with anything writing related. Through the Writing Center, I have received many opportunities to travel to conferences to discuss writing, my research, and Writing Centers themselves. I have also been given the opportunity to lead a group of young creative writers and teach them the fundamentals of creating a story. With this job at the Writing Center, as well as with working with Varsity Tutors, I found a way to use what I am passionate about to help others.
My experience, both personal, academic, and professional, have given me an extensive knowledge of the English language, including the technical aspects of grammar and style. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and watching others discover their potential as a writer.
I look forward to working with you on anything English and writing related!
Connect with a tutor like Laura
Undergraduate Degree: Kennesaw State University - Current Undergrad, English
Reading, watching TV and movies, spending time with friends.
- American Literature
- Basic Computer Literacy
- College English
- College Level American Literature
- Creative Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- Fiction Writing
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Microsoft Office
- Technology and Coding
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe in creating better writers, not better writing. Hopefully, after a session of working with a client on their paper, the paper will have improved because of the changes made. However, my primary concern is making sure my client understands why the changes were made and how they can replicate what we did in the session later when writing on their own.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I would gauge the student's understanding of the subject to see where we need to review or what we need to focus on primarily throughout the session.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
If, for example, I was working with a student on grammar in an essay, I would begin by pointing out an error that they made and explain why it's wrong, how to change it, and why the change makes it correct. I would do this for the first few times we see the same issue within the paper. Then, I would point to a sentence with the same mistake and ask the student to make the change on their own. This would teach them to recognize their own mistakes in the future and have the skills needed to address those mistakes or avoid them altogether.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Writing can be very frustrating, even for experienced writers. Many students believe that they are "bad writers" just because they don't understand grammar, organization, or another aspect of writing. I try to get my students to understand that they do not need to be experts to be good writers. I point out the things they do well and explain why those things work. That way, the student will recognize what they did correctly, hopefully showing them that they aren't a "bad writer" after all.