Laura-Joy

Certified Tutor

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I received my B.A. in English and Writing with a minor in Philosophy from the University of Colorado Denver. I graduated summa cum laude and with a 4.0 GPA. Before I attended UCD, I studied English literature for two years at Hunter College in New York City. I am a patient, fun, and energetic tutor, and I want nothing more than to see my students realize their potential. I understand the importance of receiving a high score on the standardized test for which your child is preparing, but I also understand that for many students, the pressure during prep time can be a bit overwhelming. I'm here to effectively teach content, organizational skills, and test-taking strategy, but I'm also here to help my students take a deep breath and know that with some practice and some confidence, a great score is definitely within reach!

I also have experience editing college/admissions essays, personal statements, and writing samples. I received a perfect 12 on my SAT essay, and I contributed as a co-editor of the literary journal Copper Nickel. I was also a peer editor for several years in both high school and college. I can work with clients to significantly improve specific pieces of writing for tests, portfolios, and submissions -- or just help my students improve their overall writing and revision skills.

Laura-Joy’s Qualifications

Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: University of Colorado Denver - Bachelor in Arts, Creative Writing

Test Scores

SAT Verbal: 700

SAT Writing: 700

Hobbies

In my spare time, I love to read, write, craft, garden, paint, play tennis, and go hiking.

Tutoring Subjects

College English

College Essays

Comparative Literature

English

Essay Editing

High School English

Literature

PSAT Critical Reading

PSAT Writing Skills

Reading

SAT Reading

SAT Writing and Language

Writing

Q & A

What is your teaching philosophy?

It's important to be energetic and enthusiastic about the material; if a tutor can't get excited about the work at hand, why should her student? However, I would say that the true foundation of my teaching philosophy is this: tutors should always emphasize a student's strengths, not his weaknesses. Building a student's confidence is crucial to his academic success!

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First, I like to get a feel for my student's strengths and weaknesses. For instance, in SAT prep sessions, I ask my student to complete approximately five questions from each reading and writing section (and an essay outline/introduction) so that I can assess our priorities going forward. We will talk about error patterns as well as the student's biggest concerns and frustrations, and we'll discuss previous methods that have proven unsuccessful before looking into more effective strategies. I always let my students know that they have a say in what we cover and that our sessions will not be lectures, but conversations.