In these 45 minute, one-on-one sessions, I will work with students on any aspect of their writing that they choose. We can discuss organization, ideas for literary analysis, research, MLA or APA formatting, or anything else that is beneficial. These sessions will include front work on my end by reading through assignment directions and work that has already been completed, so I can come to class prepared with suggestions and feedback. I do not want to waste any of our precious class time on reading and thinking of what to say. 

My goal with tutoring sessions is to let students know what they are doing well and provide suggestions to strengthen writing even more. I want students to leave my sessions feeling empowered, not discouraged. I will always tell my students that they can say no to any suggestions I make. Seeking writing help does not mean that a piece of writing should change entirely. Students should leave these sessions feeling proud of their own work, not like I have taken over their work. They have the final say.

We will always begin with the student's questions or preferred area of focus. If there is still time once those are covered, I will talk through any other thoughts or ideas I have regarding the student's work. I will also provide a final review of the student’s work if they would like to revise after our session and send me the final product. This does not mean we would have to meet again; I would simply send my final comments to the student. 

These sessions are not limited to writing pieces for an English class, though my degree is in English education. I can edit and provide feedback for the formatting and organization of any piece of writing. I am most familiar with APA and MLA formatting, but I can learn other formats as well. 

The following are topics for which I can provide the most content related feedback:
- Psychology
- Research
- Literary Analysis
- Education

It is essential that you send me your teacher’s assignment instructions and any work that you have completed before we meet. If you have any questions, please reach out!

The following are parent reviews that you can view on my Outschool profile. These were written after sessions of tutoring that were centered on a learner’s writing. This writing-specific listing was not created when these reviews were received. However, they do speak to my work as a writing tutor.

“100% recommend Ms. Johnsen: My daughter was beaming with pride after the session and had made epic progress on improving her paper for school. Based on the feedback from my daughter she "loves" Ms. Johnsen and thought she was "really cool." I received feedback from my daughter's teacher at conferences and sent the comments to Ms. Johnsen before my daughter's session. Ms. Johnsen was prompt in communication and reviewed the materials before the tutoring session. She showed up ready to work with my daughter, who was a bit skeptical about virtual tutoring, and the session ended on a very positive note. Specifically, it seems like Ms. Johnsen has a good way of encouraging more of the positive skills that a child is already showing, and fine-tuning them for improvement. My daughter felt supported and encouraged. I think this is invaluable because kids can shut down if there is only a focus on what they aren't doing well. We will be signing up for more work with Ms. Johnsen! Now that we have seen the leaps in writing skills that can happen with virtual tutoring, my daughter and I both see continued sessions to build on new writing strengths and confidence, even if she isn't "struggling" with something.”

“Great teacher, responsible and well-prepared for the class. She gave so many great suggestions for my child to improve his essay. My son enjoyed the class and would like to work with Ms. Johnsen again.”