I recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in English Literature, Creative Writing and will be working towards my Masters in Writing in the Fall of 2014. Ultimately, I plan to receive my Ph.D and work as a professor of Writing. The academic world excites me; tutoring English encompasses many of my passions. Helping students improve their writing skills assures me that I am simultaneously helping them to build confidence in every other discipline. My tutoring philosophy is "Prepare, Assess, Overcome." As an Orange County English tutor and mentor, I have numerous writing and thinking exercises that aid in the improvement of comprehension, grammar, and essay writing. I prepare my materials before session, and assess and tackle issues as they arise during session. Though my lessons are challenging, positive reinforcement is what makes them extremely effective.

 

I am very honest and open with my students. It is important for me to maintain a "safe" atmosphere in which the student feels comfortable to stop the lesson at any time and ask questions about the material or writing process. I am straightforward about the lesson for the day because this helps the student stay focused and feel "in-the-know." My tutoring mantra is this: "if students do not fear judgment in terms of their writing abilities, they will be more inclined to take risks, make mistakes, and learn. "  During these private English lessons, I teach my students to weave the fabric of their own unique voices into "academic" language in order to create cohesive, effective arguments. 

 

Students will often hear me say "Awesome, but explain what you mean by that." I expect my students to bring their full energy and intellect to sessions so that they can improve their writing, even if just a little, every week. Students are encouraged to constantly use the word "because" after every statement they make within and outside of writing, so that they constantly practice explaining their ideas. The thorough explanation of an argument leads to beautiful writing. Further, I customize lessons for each specific student, according to their growth and needs, among other factors. Students may be surprised by the analogies I use to describe the writing process. If a student is interested in science, I may liken the thesis to the sun, with the sub-arguments being the planets literally orbitting the bright thesis. Students are encouraged to stray from general statements and will learn techniques to write more powerfully and directly. Rather than unnecessarily embellish language, students will find it more useful to uphold arguments with more direct language. Students will complete many in-session writing exercises and brainstorming exercises, and will experience much revision. 

 

Success as a tutor is defined by the progress of his/her student, not due to the student receiving an A+ on one single essay. By hiring me for your student, I promise to utilize several strategies to help his/her writing in terms of crafting a better thesis, using transitions appropriately, creating a fluid structure, etc. I hope that my students will realize the significance of writing effective papers, and gain the confidence that is needed to convey a compelling argument. Their understanding of these writing aspects is the scale with which I will measure my own improvement as a tutor.