About
Hi! My name's Tom. During my time professionally writing tutoring at the University of Vermont, I worked with students to strengthen their writing through conversation and collaboration. As a CRLA Level III tutor, I know that the key to effective and sustainable writing tutoring isn't the dreaded red pen crossing out words and scrawling in the margins. Through talking out ideas, asking questions, and brainstorming together, I am confident you will leave the session with not only a stronger piece of writing, but also with skills and techniques to carry with you. Whether a final draft you need proofread or you have an assignment you don't know how to begin, I am excited to work with you to help express your ideas through writing.
I profoundly enjoy writing tutoring because being able to express your thoughts, ideas, and emotions through writing is not only important, but also empowering. Being able to help students on the path to becoming more confident writers is a great honor and joy.
I work with undergraduate students of all ages, majors, and identities. I have experience working with students who have learning disabilities (diagnosed or not) and ESL students. Have questions if I'm the right fit? Go ahead and ask!
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
As with beginning any kind of relationship, I find it critical to establish a personal connection. I want to learn about your writing goals, how you envision me helping you meet those goals, etc, but I also want to spend some time getting to know you aside from just your writing. Before turning to the essay, we'll look at the assignment and discuss how I can best be of service given where you're having difficulty. From there, I'll have a plan of how to structure our session, and we'll move right along.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2019 with an honors degree in Political Science. I worked in the Undergraduate Writing Center for 5 semesters (the maximum amount). During that time, I achieved my CRLA Level III tutor certification, the highest level.
Since graduating, I have continued to aid friends and family friends with writing projects, and I look forward to helping you!
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Hourly sessions start at $40, though there is flexiblity if cost is a barrier.
How did you get started teaching?
I have always enjoyed writing and helping people, so when the opportunity presented itself to become a writing tutor and merge both of those passions, I jumped right on it and never looked back.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with undergraduate students with a wide range of identities, majors, ages, and confidence in their writing abilities. Since I don't have a rigid structure to my sessions, I’m able to effectively mold the experience to what the student wants to focus on.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently moved to Denver from Vermont and am enjoying exploring this new city in a part of the country I've never experienced. Did you know, Denver has almost 100,000 MORE people than the entire state of Vermont? Definitely a lot to adjust to!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I would note that although going to a writing tutor who has subject specific knowledge (ie taking a history essay to a writing tutor who majored in history) does make sense, a good tutor will be able to be just as, if not more, helpful in improving the piece of writing. I am able to help students with writing in subjects that I have never studied because the dialogue that we have is far more important (and useful!) than a simple knowledge of facts.