Welcome to the Fold: Origami Cat Face and Cicada (Beginner)

A lifelong learner, I enjoy sharing my love of learning with others. A graduate of Harvard with honors and an MFA graduate of Carnegie Mellon, I know from personal experience how hard work produces great results. An avid reader and lover of language, I also know how powerful it is to learn and master communication skills. With a strong eye for detail, I love helping students find stronger and clearer ways of expressing themselves verbally.

With a background in history, literature, and theater, I always look for how things connect, and encourage students to do the same. By looking at not just what someone wrote but also why they wrote it and what was going on when they did, both the lit and the history come alive in a new way. Likewise, when we look at the pop culture we enjoy now, we can see a lot of the same kinds of stories and techniques as in the great classics. All of which is to say I aim to offer classes that show just how fun Shakespeare and friends really are.

I've been tutoring full-time for over three years, working with students from elementary school to post-doc on a wide range of subjects. I began tutoring younger students in essay writing while still in high school as part of the Writing Lab. At Carnegie Mellon University, I taught three semesters of Intro to Theater, where I guided students new to the form in both written and in-class presentation skills, based on both general analysis and close reading. As a private tutor, I have worked with students from elementary to graduate school on both academic and creative writing, helping them master the tools of grammar and style, and find their voice. My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing the confidence writing skills bring to a student; the improved grades are a bonus. 

I've also been doing origami my whole life, and keep watching--I may offer an origami class or two as well. Sometimes, when class discussion gets especially animated, my hands go off on their own and start folding...who knows what animal may be ready by the time we wrap up!

Other fun facts--cat lover (2 cornish rexes currently let me live with them), National Park dork, yoga and martial arts practitioner.