Hi there! I'm Valerie. I'm a developmental psychologist with degrees from the College of William and Mary (B.S. in Psychology and Minor in Linguistics) and Cornell University (Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology). I have taught four courses at the university level, including two freshman writing seminars, and have 5+ years tutoring students from elementary through high school in 1-on-1 settings. My specialty as a tutor is helping high school students with college application essays and supporting undergraduates through the transition to college writing. One of the biggest and sometimes trickiest pivots in more advanced writing is recognizing that the texts you are citing are not the ultimate authority - you are! I enjoy helping my students tap into their critical thinking skills to weave their unique perspectives into their arguments in ways that feel genuine. When tutoring writing, I take an iterative approach where I provide feedback over multiple cycles of drafts. I am ready to help at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to editing/polishing.

I am also happy to share my content expertise in psychology to help students prepare for the AP Psychology exam or undergraduate psychology classes. My research background is in playful learning and early cognitive development and as such, I like to make my tutoring sessions fun and interactive by sharing real-world examples of psychological concepts and research.

Please feel free to contact me to schedule a lesson! I look forward to working with you.