I am a graduate student at Portland State University, where I also work as a tutor in the Writing Center.My tutoring experience, however, goes beyond that. I worked as a peer writing tutor at Bennington College, where I completed my undergraduate degree. My experience, though, is not limited to working with college students. Indeed, I have spent more time working with high school and middle school students, spending 3 years tutoring Math and English at a charter school in Providence, R.I., and a year working with 6th graders.Having worked across different age groups, I recognize that there is no one correct method of tutoring. Indeed, it is to my advantage to work across the age groups, because it has allowed me to develop my style of tutoring, which is entirely student driven.By that, I mean I go into a tutoring session ready to respond to what the student needs. As a tutor, I am not the primary educator, but rather someone who offers what a student might not necessarily have at school: personalized, one-on-one support and assistance, designed to meet the needs of the student, and tailored around how best the student learns and engages with their subjects.Because of that, I find working with students to be very rewarding. Each student is different, and making it possible to better myself as an educator, and allowing me to better help my students.

I am a graduate of Bennington College and the Bank Street School of Education. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and a Masters in Elementary Education. Since graduation, I have spent a good deal of time performing and teaching. When I wasn't in a school I would be performing theatre, improv or voice over. I also found time to volunteer at the Brooklyn Cat Caf, where I met on of my pets! I have spent the majority of my time teaching elementary aged children core academics including math, literature, writing and social studies. I have also been a science and technology teacher. I am most passionate about math, writing and reading. I am a proponent of positive reinforcement. I was a class clown as a student, and I always try to reach out to students who may need an extra minute or two. In my free time I like to 3D design, read both books and comics, and learn new ways to cook.

Storytelling is how we make sense of the world. As both a novelist and an educator, I've seen how the act of shaping a narrativewhether in fiction or personal reflectionhelps students locate themselves in the larger human story. My goal as a teacher is to guide students toward that understanding: that writing is not merely a skill, but a way of seeing. For more than fifteen years, I have worked with writers of all levels, from middle school students discovering the joy of words to adults crafting their novels. My teaching is rooted in mentorshipmeeting students where they are, listening deeply, and helping them find their authentic voice. I draw on my experience as a published novelist and developmental editor to create a classroom environment that is both rigorous and nurturing. We focus not only on craftcharacter, structure, dialogue, and world-buildingbut also on the emotional truth that gives writing its power. I believe in learning by doing, by revising, and by sharing. My workshops emphasize collaboration and reflection. Students analyze literature not as distant observers but as apprentices, studying how other writers solve the problems they face on the page. Through discussion and revision, they learn that writing is a process of discovery, one that requires patience, curiosity, and courage. Ultimately, my teaching philosophy rests on this belief: every writer has something to say that only they can express. My role is to help them say it wellto equip them with the tools of craft and the confidence to use them. When a student begins to trust their voice and see their story take shape, that's the moment I know real learning has occurred. That's why I teach.

When I was in the third grade, one of my class's big assignments was to write an autobiography. I said that I envisioned myself getting a PhD in sociology and being a teacher. Today, I am a PhD student in Public and Urban Policy at The New School, and I am adjunct professor at Hunter College at the City University of New York. I like to use my academic trajectory as an example of the fact that hard work can get a student anywhere.I love learning, which is why I love teaching and tutoring. I have taught students of a range of international backgrounds a variety of subjects, including research methods and data collection, social sciences, and statistics.

I am here to help you become a better reader and writer. I graduated from Bennington College in 2014, having studied literature from the Greeks through contemporary writers. I especially enjoyed writing essays about literature and always got exceptionally good feedback. Throughout my life, I have nurtured a passion for reading and writing, both of which I see as essential and widely transferable skills. Whether you are struggling to understand a difficult text, or want help organizing an essay or term paper and writing with clarity, I am confident that my breadth of knowledge, my writing skills, and my enthusiasm will be of service to you.I have a lot of experience working with adolescents. I taught at the Deerfield Academy Summer Arts Camp for four years. There, I planned and led activities for campers from 11 to 17 years old and helped them develop their own projects. In the spring of 2017, I volunteered with The 52nd Street Project, an arts mentorship program in Hell's Kitchen, where I worked with a similar age group, assisting them with homework and a series of rotating arts projects on a daily basis. During my college years, I worked with Chicago's Josephinum Academy, an all-girls Catholic School, to help them stage their production of Henry V. Through these experiences, I have had the chance to work with a variety of different teenagers with contrasting interests and personalities and have developed a deep empathy for adolescents and the stresses of their lives.In my own time, I dedicate myself to my personal work in theater and writing. I love film, music, reading, going on runs, and eating good food. If you are looking for help with your reading and writing, I am confident that I can help you and I am eager to do so.