“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” ~ Richard Bach

How many times has your learner sat down to work on their school essay or finish a reflection paragraph, only to give up in frustration ten minutes later. Is it any wonder that a child would become frustrated with a task such a writing, especially if they don't even know if they are "doing it right?" As a practiced ELA teacher, I've seen it all. I've seen the kid who labors away hour after hour only to come away with just a few mediocre sentences. I've seen the kid who sits there for thirty minutes endlessly clicking their mechanical pencil or typing random gibberish (like this: akdhflksah dfkjds klfjdsafdsjlkf) because have they have no earthly idea where to begin. I know these two kids because I was one of them. I was the kid who sat there clicking away at my pencil getting nothing done. But I'm not that kid anymore. I'm a professional writer... because I didn't quit. Your learner can become a professional writer too... if they don't quit. I can help them keep going by providing them with all the tools necessary to become a confident and effective writer. 

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Note: If you would like a time slot for a tutoring session that I do not currently have available, feel free to request a time! 

WHAT I OFFER THE LEARNER
During each 45 minute session: 
- Personalized guidance with any existing school coursework 
- Extra practice/drill as needed on specific skills (punctuation, spelling, tense agreement, etc.) 
- Encouragement and accountability 
Throughout the week (even when we aren't in session together): 
- Quick responses to any urgent questions/needs posted by the learner in the Outschool classroom 
- Written feedback on assignments/practice if requested during my office hours (see posted office in the Outschool classroom)  

WHAT I OFFER THE PARENT/GUARDIAN 
- Detailed weekly progress update shared privately to you on Outschool via parent/teacher "Conversations" tab 
- Quick responses to any questions or suggestions regarding your learner's course of study 

THE COURSE OF STUDY 

NOTE: Because we are meeting online over Zoom, I ask that your learner come prepared to write on the computer, rather than on pen and paper. I use Google docs or Googles slides for the majority of my lessons. A computer is preferred over a tablet because it is often difficult for learners to type well/quickly on a tablet, which can slow down our progress. 

If your learner comes to tutoring sessions with coursework to complete, we will complete short interactive mini lessons on relevant skills  then put them into practice as the learner continues to work on their assignment. 

If your learner comes to tutoring sessions with no coursework they need assistance with, they will follow a course of study determined by their current level of understanding and performance of the Placement Assessment given during our very first session. Since each learner's sessions are personalized, the exact course of your learner will be sketch out after our initial session and adjusted as needed. 

See the list of topics I can teach your learner below: 

TOPICS/AREAS OF EXPERTISE (Ranked from Beginner to Advanced) 
• Mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization) 
• Sentence Fragments and Run On Sentences
• Sentence Structure 
• Paragraph Organization 
• Summary Writing 
• Creative/Fictional Writing 
• Outlines and Brainstorming 
• Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing 
• Academic Research Essays 
• MLA Format 
• APA Format 
• And much more... (If you have a specific topic request, feel free to reach out and I'm sure I can accommodate!)  
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"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

It's frustrating as a parent or guardian to see your learner struggle to feel confident as a writer. Their happiness suffers, their grades suffer, and you suffer. Missed due dates on assignments, incomplete work, and a rising feeling of hopelessness. What is the cause of this frustration? A lack of confidence and little to no understanding of the HOW of writing. Teachers can ramble on and on about why the ability to write well is such a valuable skill, but this does zero... ZERO good if they don't teach how to write in a concrete way. Let me teach your learner how to write in a clear and easy to understand way that will finally stick. 

NOTE: If you student has been diagnosed with dyslexia or a specific learning disability, it is up to my discretion as a professional educator to determine whether or not this class is a good fit. I, like many teachers, have not received specific dyslexia training. If I feel I can help your student, I will. There may, however, be circumstances in which I would point you and your child in a direction that would suite their specific needs better. Please feel free to reach reach out if you have any questions! 

LATE CANCELLATION/MISSED CLASS POLICY: 

I follow the Outschool policy in regards to late cancellations or missed classes. Please review the guidelines here: 

https://support.outschool.com/en/articles/4626920-standard-refund-policy-and-refund-eligibility-guidelines

- Less than 24 hours notice for a cancellation does not entitle you to a refund unless there has been an emergency, family situation, etc. It is up to my discretion to extend a refund if you have experienced extenuating circumstances. 
- I will wait for 10 minutes in the Zoom meeting. If your student does not join, I will end the meeting. This is considered a missed class and you will not receive a refund. If there are extenuating circumstances, I may offer a refund at my discretion.