With a degree in creative writing from Skidmore College and two decades of tutoring experience with reading comprehension, writing and editing for teens, helping older students gain strong, personalized skills with high school and college level language arts is a strength.
Offered online using tailored instruction, shared cloud-based documents and Zoom video lessons, tutoring includes a range of scheduling and package options to meet each student’s needs. Recognizing the changing nature of writing as AI text software becomes increasingly common, my approach centers ethics, understanding the strength and limits of AI as a tool, and a belief that students need to build their own skills and discernment rather than rely on an algorithm.
- Expository writing
- Understanding structure at the essay, paragraph and sentence level
- Digesting assignments and making a game plan that meets requirements
- Comprehending source materials
- Research and gathering evidence
- What makes a compelling opinion
- Outlining writing, and editing
- Vocabulary, polish and personal style
- Overcoming writer’s block
- Creative Writing
- Idea generation
- Character development
- Plot conventions
- Descriptive Detail
- Outlining writing, and editing
- Vocabulary, polish and personal style
- Reading Comprehension
- Close reading and discussion for nuanced comprehension by making connections, understanding history and context, and relating material to personal experience.
- Understanding journalism, science writing, novels, poetry, or short stories.
- Reading with note-taking and in preparation for writing.
Popular Tutoring Options
Weekly Skill Building
A recurring lesson for steady skill development or ongoing support with language arts. Lessons are typically 1.5-2 hours/week.
Writing Mastery Block
A 9 hour writing block to focus on a few particular skills within the writing process. Six 1.5 hour lessons.
Writing Assignment
A two-session package for help with a specific writing assignment. I often help students earlier in the process confirm their outline, comprehension of the assignment, and crucial thesis statement, then have a follow-up session after they have written a draft for a final edit and polish. 4 hours split over two sessions.
Tutoring offered at $80/ hour. See more about lesson cost and scheduling here.
Studio Phillips 