Composition, Rhetoric, And Philosophical Investigations With Ryan
About
Articulating oneself is an indispensable skill for any individual with aspirations beyond the commonplace. Unfortunately, many curricula featured in higher education tend to want to lean away from the fundamentals of reading, and writing toward a pedagogy that places primacy on the autonomy, and agency of the student, and while that is an admirable position to take, it is my opinion that any autonomy based on unsettled foundations is tenuous autonomy at best. My tutoring methodology takes students back to the basics both focusing on how texts have been, and are typically structured best, which I supplement using pop culture artifacts. I also make an effort to incorporate different schools of philosophical thought when I teach composition. Heidegger's emphasis on the implicit truth of poetics; Kierkegaard's flamboyant and pseudonymous writings, and the linguistic relativism of Wittgenstein (among many, many others) are all theorists who can contribute to the growth of even the youngest of writers.
One of the things I notice when I work with younger students is that very frequently they're not enthusiastic about their work, not because they don't enjoy the material—although that is sometimes the case—but because they don't know how to navigate the material effectively, and develop their thoughts accordingly. There tends to be a moment, after a given period of time working together, when something "clicks" in a student's ability to articulate what it is that they want to say in an impactful manner, and there's nothing quite as satisfy for someone as concerned with writing as I am than that moment.
Highlights
Reviews
Arianna V.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Before you can ever begin tutoring, you need to get an understanding of the student, and the assignment. This, of course, takes different forms depending on the constraint of the session, so typically it's as engaging in typical introductory conversation—asking about the student's day for instance—before immediately addressing the parameters of the topic in question, specifically any concerns the student is interested in focusing on. Beyond that, every tutoring session is different: some students benefit more from a Freudian "sit back and listen" tutor whereas others need someone who is not necessarily afraid to get in, and "get their hands dirty," so to speak. The ultimate goal for any and all sessions, however, remains the same: "to create better writers," an axiom put forth by the incontrovertible Peter North.
With that being said, I feel as though I need to make it clear that typically speaking I do not act as a "mere" editor for my students. While editorial work does indeed happen during the course of sessions (and in fact, I may teach good editing practices to the students if that is what is needed), my primary goal is to help develop the communicative skills needed that would allow the student to, in all eventuality, move on beyond needing me.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
-Almost a decade of military experience between two branches of service (USAF, and US Army)
- Associate in Applied Sciences, Non-Destructive Inspection Sciences (Community College of the Air Force)
-Bachelor of Arts, English Studies (West Chester University, 3.46 GPA)
-Master of Arts, English: Writing, Teaching, and Criticism (West Chester University, 4.00 GPA)
- Master of Arts, Philosophy (West Chester University, 4.00 GPA, proj. graduation date May 2021)
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
At the moment I charge 35 dollars per hour for individual tutoring, and 25 dollars for group tutoring per student. This may change depending upon demand in the coming months.
How did you get started teaching?
I've been a professional tutor for more than a year at both West Chester University, and Northampton Community College, and I've had the opportunity to guest lecture numerous times at West Chester, specifically regarding issues of fundamental ontology, and hermeneutics. I've also been a frequent presenter at conferences such as the Popular Culture Association national conference.
What types of students have you worked with?
My primary demographic has been undergraduate students in both associate, and bachelor degree granting programs, although I've also tutored many master-level students. I have, on occasion, worked with AP high schools students/