I am a graduate of Rockhurst University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in English Literature. Upon graduating, I became certified to teach both elementary education (grades 1-6) and English Language Arts (grades 5-9) in the state of Missouri. I have spent the past two years teaching seventh grade reading and writing, and I have loved every minute of it! Not only do I love helping my students understand new concepts in my subject areas, but I also really enjoy sharing literature, both classics and new fiction, with them in hopes it will foster a love of reading. I believe in the power of literature to spark critical thinking and help students make meaningful connections to their lives and the lives of others. It may come as no surprise that one of my chief hobbies is reading; I try to read fifty new novels every year, many of which I can then recommend to my students! I tutor a broad range of subjects, most notably English, Literature, and ACT/SAT Test Preparations, but regardless of what I am tutoring, my teaching philosophy and style stems from building relationships with my students. While I have a great innate desire to help the next generation learn and succeed, I realize that the first step to doing so is getting to know my students and their individual needs. Only then can I create truly meaningful, relevant, and applicable lessons and tutoring sessions that will help them learn and grow. My passion is to help students realize their potential as life-long learners and help them succeed as they navigate their educational paths.