Passionate educator with more than 20 years of writing and editing experience and 10 years of teaching experience

Learn more about Emily

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I knew I wanted to be a teacher in the fourth grade when a boy told me I had to choose between being a teacher and a lawyer. As a student, I watched the teachers that students loved and tried to pinpoint why. I eventually earned a PhD in curriculum and instruction to study the elements of effective teaching. I am interested in private tutoring because I believe one-on-one instruction offers enriching opportunities for students that are not accessible when the teacher works with 100 students simultaneously. Every student deserves personalized instruction, and private tutoring allows me to offer this to students. I enjoy private tutoring because it brings me joy to support students.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I love writing instruction because I see writing as an important tool for learning. I love it when students recognize the importance of their voices and their contributions to their passion. I love English language instruction because I am fascinated with language, and I am a grammar nerd. I am particularly interested in a descriptivist approach to grammar that focuses on how people use language to communicate.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  I have been the most inspired by teachers who exude passion for the subject they teach and bring compassion to the courses they teach. The most inspiring teacher I have had helped me see what I have to offer and the importance of my voice.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  The most important quality of being a good tutor is authentic caring. Tutors must deeply and authentically care about student success, empowerment, and well-being. Good tutors are responsive to students' needs and love learning.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  As a first-generation college student and the youngest child, I asked my father why I was the one who was always expected to go to college and earn degrees. He told me it was because I always had more questions and was never satisfied with the answers.
  
  This anecdote captures my love for learning in all subject areas and why I love working with students in a range of subject areas. I have worked with a PhD student in cybersecurity, a student earning a master's degree in marketing, and an undergraduate student pursuing her passion in immigration law. My love for learning makes me eager to learn with students as we work to strengthen their academic skills.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  My biggest struggle within the academic subject of English language arts and English language learning is the idea that there is only one right way. People learn differently, and there are a range of sophisticated communication styles. It is important for students to figure out how they learn best and to understand why different communication styles are more effective in particular contexts. I struggle with ideas of right and wrong in English and work to shift the focus to effective and ineffective given the context.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  Teaching and learning are my passions. I love to learn, and I love to support others in their learning. There is something magical in the lightbulb moments when learning is palpable when you can see learning click.

• What makes you a Superprof?

  I am a Superprof because people tell me I care too much about student success. I have received feedback on course evaluations that tell me not to care so much and that I cannot care more than students do about their success. I resist this because my job is to care. My passion for learning and my genuine belief in every student's ability can inspire students' love for learning.