Hello! I'm Samantha, founder of the Reading and Writing Room (RAWR!). I'm a writing coach and reading tutor, as well as an in-person language arts instructor at a local academy. I'm also a homeschool mom and former literary agent with a B.A. in English and concentrations in creative writing and technical writing. I also have a minor in communications.

After a decade in children's book publishing, plus a deep love for books, I believe in the transformative power of writing, reading, and storytelling, as well as the importance of nurturing these skills from a young age. I want to inspire, educate, and empower children and teens to...

- Explore their creative potential.
- Express themselves.
- Enjoy reading.
- Strengthen their emotional intelligence
- Build confidence in their writing abilities.

RAWR was born out of a passion for reading, writing, and a deep-seated belief in the importance of creative expression for children of all backgrounds.

We all have stories worth telling, thoughts and ideas worth sharing. Now, more than ever, it’s important for our children to be clear, confident, and intentional about how they express all those things. 

That’s why I usually first focus on asking what the children want to say instead of immediately correcting them on how to say things. After understanding what they want to express, I help them develop their vocabulary, creative style, and technical skills to make their voices heard.

My teaching style is patient, engaging, and interactive. I nurture every child's curiosity, but I also believe in asking them what they think the answer is before giving any answers of my own so that they build confidence in their thinking processes. Questions can be just as important as the answers!

My local, in-person students love that I know the latest Minecraft updates and details of the books they read as much as they love my openness to ask them questions about games and books and hear their ideas. In my diverse city, multilingual parents of my ELL students love my patience, my clear communication, and my genuine interest in finding books their children would enjoy.

From reluctant readers and struggling writers to avid readers and enthusiastic writers, my goal is to make reading and writing in a way that's fun and that helps them understand the world and themselves better.

I live and teach in a beautiful city in the United States of America. When I'm not teaching or reading or writing, I enjoy being outdoors with my family, playing Minecraft and Stardew Valley, and trying to grow fruits and vegetables. This summer, I hope to play pickleball. :)