Writing, history, literature and film are my passions. I enjoy helping people overcome the obstacles that block them from achieving academic understanding or from expressing their ideas. I take a “results based” approach to tutoring. I aim to know the student, build his or her confidence, and develop strategies and routines that assist a person in becoming an independent learner. I have a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Bard College and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. As an English teacher and literacy coach working across all grade levels, I have tutored and coached many types of students, including those who are highly motivated and those who sometimes struggle. I have worked with a wide range of age groups, from college students who were writing research papers or literary essays, all the way to fourth graders who need help breaking the barriers that prevent them from reading effectively. As a writer I have many techniques to assist students in learning to produce topnotch papers in any genre.

I am an expert test taker. In 2005, along with other educators, I assisted the New York City Department of Education in developing curriculum to help teachers improve their own students’ test taking strategies. I know the tricks of how to do well when taking standardized tests. As a tutor, I work on establishing a solid base of fundamental test taking techniques.

I have many interests outside of teaching and writing. I love nature, gardening and the outdoors; I bicycle and practice yoga; I love baseball; and I love to watch movies and listen to all kinds of music from hip-hop to jazz. I have also taught screenwriting and have directed a program in which students made video documentaries for high school credit.