I believe fully in the philosophy of lifelong learning, and I plan to be a lifelong learner. For ten years, I have enjoyed tutoring others in my areas of strength, not only to help with content mastery, but also to help others enjoy becoming lifelong learners themselves. I have just graduated with my Master's degree in viola performance from Carnegie Mellon University, having earned a Bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University.

I am a musician by training, but I enjoy seeking knowledge in all subjects, and sharing that knowledge with anybody who will listen. In particular, I love to tutor writing, because the tutoring process encompasses both the "strict" rules of written grammar and the "open-ended" rules of content organization. To learn to write, a student must learn to express ideas, and in this setting, tutors and students can truly get to know each other.

The most effective learning comes after we make learning enjoyable. That takes effort from both the teacher and the student. The teacher should come to the table with a good method and the creativity to break from the method from time to time. The student should come with an open mind, a little bit of patience, and curiosity about at least one thing - even if it is not directly related to the lesson. Some of the best learning moments can start out as light conversations!