Www.wondersinwriting.com

I travel to wherever the students are and introduce myself to them. After preliminary introductions, I spend a bit of time discovering what they feel their needs are. I ask to see some writing they have already done, and if we have time, and they feel comfortable, I give them a topic and a certain amount of time (ususally ten minutes) to see how they  perform. 

Once I see their writing (whether completed during the timed writing or work they did as part of a class assignment), I give particular attention to their weaknesses. 

If the student is writing a research paper or another writing project, I look at what they have already completed, give feedback, and correct anything that may be wrong, I don't just leave it there, though. I explain any corrections I make so the student will learn from that and, hopefully, will not make the same mistake again. 

I have over 20 years experience in teaching various English, ESL. and writing classes. 

I have administrative experience. I have spent several years writing memos, letters, and reports as well as power point presentations. 

I co-authored a novel and have several ebooks online. 

I charge $20 an hour for local assistance (close to or within the 91911 zip code).

I charge $28 an hour to travel 20 miles outside the 91911 zip code.

I began teaching immediately after graduate school. The Director of my Thesis Committee recommended that I pick up a teaching assignment that had been offered to him. He felt that work be a better fit for the position. 

I have worked with children (ages 6 - 18) of Asian Businessmen who had been assigned to work in the U.S. I have also worked with their wives, and with the businessmen as well. 

I have worked with recent high school graduates. Many of my students have been military personnel as well as their wives. Other students have been incarcerated male inmates at the federal institution outside Long Beach, California. 

I recently attended a celebration given for a family member who received a full-ride football scholarship to a university in Boston. The entire family was there, and were very proud of him because he is the first family member to attend college or a university. The family is of Polynesian descent, and so this celebration was created and held as a tribute to their cultural background. All family members and close friends were invited. It was held at a popular beach site and because of this, many passerbys were also invited to celebrate with this young man who would have an outstanding impact on his family, 

I would advise the student to be as prepared as he or she can be. This includes knowing exactly what area needs particular atttention. For example, if the student needs a grammar review to start out, let the tutor know this. However, in researching for the tutor, the student should look for someone who has a solid background in grammatical study. Has the tutor worked with someone who has grammatical weaknesses? Being able to explain why a particular grammatical rule is important is more important than simply editing someone's paper. 

The second thing the student should look for is experience in the field. With English, has the tutor published any work? How is tutor keeping current within his field?

The following questions are important:

1. How much experience do you have in teaching the subject matter (for example, essay writing, research writing, etc.)?

2. Have you worked with students with my background (ESL, returning students who have been out of school for an extended period of time, or of the student's age group)?