About
Because teenagers are my favorite age to work with, I work exclusively with middle and senior high students, mostly on essay writing. I am quick to develop a rapport with the young people I work with. The majority of the young people I work with hate writing less after they work with me. Of course, I'd love to have them love it. But the reality is that if they don't already love it, they're unlikely to ever love it, so I'll take it as a "win" to have them hate it less.
My favorite thing about the work that I do is seeing my students pull together a composition they didn't think they could do. I love the pride in their eyes when they get it. I love having students begin to catch their own errors.
Reviews
Danna L.
Kelvin W.
Tracy W.
Melody N.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I will want a clear understanding of what the goal of the student for the tutoring is, so that I can be sure I can meet it.
I will want to know if the student is a willing, rather than reluctant, participant in the tutoring.
I will want to know if the student is dealing with any learning disabilities or other life circumstances that will impact his/her work.
I will want to know if there are any particular specific resources the student needs to work with or if there are any hard deadlines the student is dealing with, so that I can make sure to familiarize myself with them and be ready for those deadlines.
I will want to know what the student has already tried, and found unsuccessful, prior to contacting me.
I will want to agree on dates and times for tutoring, how we will deal with illness or unforeseen conflicts and cancellations or rescheduling, how we will measure progress, how we will deal with any problems or difficulties that may arise, and payment.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a B.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Washington.
I was certified by the Insitute for Excellence in Writing to teach composition using their materials.
I tutored with one agency that worked with Title 1 schools and one that worked in students' homes.
I have taught writing classes for small groups of other homeschoolers.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My hourly fee is $55 per hour.
How did you get started teaching?
I officially started homeschooling a few months before my oldest child turned 5 in 2003, and have been doing it ever since then. Over the years, I have also taught classes (mostly English Language Arts and writing) for small groups of other homeschoolers.
What types of students have you worked with?
The youngest students I have worked with have been 8, and the oldest were seniors in high school. Two of my three children are also dyslexic, and I have found ways to work with them while respecting their learning differences and empowering them to leverage their strengths, and either accommodate, mitigate, or delegate their weaknesses.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
On May 24th, I took my 20 and 17 year olds to San Diego, CA to cross another item off our bucket list. We went to see Daughtry in concert on the flight deck of the USS Midway. It was fantastic.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Obviously, you need to make sure your teacher is competent. But additionally, you need to make sure your teacher genuinely enjoys the material and is capable of helping someone else understand it. Not everyone is able to articulate what they know so well to someone who isn't as familiar with it.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Do I actually want help?
Am I willing to do the work?
What, specifically, do I need help with?
Do I need to use any particular resources to learn this material?
Do I have any deadlines I need to work with?
How do I learn new or difficult material most effectively?
How will I know I am making progress?
How should I bring up any problems I'm having with the teacher to the teacher?