I work with writers in a variety of fields, but nowhere is my work more important than with students. Unlike the established writers and web designers with whom I work, most students are just beginning their journey into the world of words. They need a deeper and more vital level of care. They need a guide who knows the territory, who has a thorough knowledge of English writing and composition, and who recognizes that students thrive when given room to explore.
Writing is not like mathematics or chemistry. There are important formulas to learn in the English language, but the skills necessary to excel at written communication can neither be taught nor learned by rote memorization. Writing, however, is not a gift. It is not something that some people are naturally born good at while others are simply doomed to struggle.
There are two kinds of writers. There are those who have received the careful nurturing of a knowledgeable guide; someone who has encouraged them with lots of positive feedback, gently but firmly corrected mistakes, helped them explore the strengths and weaknesses of their individual writing style, and filled them with the desire and discipline to practice and improve their craft. Then there are writers who find writing difficult or boring because they have not been given the support and guidance they need to flourish.
All students are writers in one of these two categories, and I firmly believe that with the right approach tailored to their individual learning styles all students are capable of developing excellent writing skills.
This is good news, because mastery of English language and composition skills is vitally important to today’s students, and will follow them throughout their educational experience and deep into their careers.
Written communication is used more now than ever before, and the impressions that others form of us in both our academic and professional lives are indelibly tied to our proficiency as writers. Students and professionals alike are expected to be clear and concise, to follow correct grammar rules, and to be creative and adaptive communicators. Yet these are skills that students are too often simply expected to pick up on their own or through reading.
More than 75 percent of students struggle with the basics of punctuation, grammar, and sentence composition. Those with proficient and advanced writing abilities often find that theirs skills remain undernourished because educators incorrectly assume that their talents are natural and need no cultivation. This lapse in the way our society educates students creates an unnecessary and painful challenge for many, and a particular burden for students with learning disabilities—a struggle I know all too well.
Dyslexia and ADHD were a daily source of conflict and difficulty for me throughout my education. Learning disabilities place a constant strain on students, parents, and teachers alike, especially when a student’s needs are unclear or when they find it difficult to articulate the source of their frustration. This is where the dedicated, one-on-one support of an exceptional tutor becomes invaluable.
Throughout my education, tutors helped me to thrive even when I was on the verge of giving up on myself. Students should never feel that they cannot achieve their academic and life goals because of the challenges they face along the way. With the right support, every student is capable of thriving. I am a living example of this.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in communication studies and sociology from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2013. I have lead communication consultants, built and run organizations, directed creative teams, mentored high school and college students, conducted user testing for commercial websites, and worked as a full-time web editor. I have cultivated a diverse skillset, ranging from simple copy editing to beta reading, social marketing, graphic design, event organizing and more. I am dyslexic and I have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder—we all face challenges. Great tutors helped me conquer mine, and I am committed to doing nothing less for my students.
Exceptional tutors create a cycle of teaching and learning, a legacy that I am proud to be a part of. I believe that a tutor is more than an educator. Tutors who truly make an impact on their students embrace their responsibility as role models and strive to inspire their students with a lifelong love of learning and self-improvement. Those are the values that were instilled in me, and the standard to which I hold myself.
One of my students, who struggled with English composition and essay writing when he first came to me, recently became a college writing tutor at the behest of his English professor. I must be doing something right.
I look forward to supporting and inspiring you, too! Are you ready to get started?
