Frequently Asked Questions
Who do you work with?
I work primarily with middle and high school students (Grades 7–12) who want to improve their essay writing, reading comprehension, and analytical thinking. Many of my students are capable learners who understand the material but struggle to express their ideas clearly in writing.
What is the difference between coaching and tutoring?
Coaching focuses specifically on academic writing skills that students can use across multiple subjects. While tutoring may focus on a student's current homework and assignments, coaching helps students learn repeatable processes for understanding texts, organizing ideas, and writing clear essays for their future work. It is important to note: I am a certified teacher with a masters degree, not a university student who's helping you with your homework.
What happens during a coaching session?
Each session focuses on helping students develop practical writing skills they can apply in school right away. A typical session may include:
Â
• Building clear sentences
• Analyzing text for writing or comprehension
• Learning how to structure an essay
• Developing a strong thesis statement
• Organizing ideas into clear paragraphs
• Practicing how to explain evidence effectively
How do you help students improve their essays?
I teach students a clear step-by-step process for academic writing. Here's what it looks like:
Â
• Learn foundational sentence-building and sentence-expanding skills
• Understand the text or question
• Develop a clear thesis
• Organize ideas into structured paragraphs
• Use evidence and explain its significance
Many struggling writers have never been taught a consistent process. Once students learn a structured method, their writing usually becomes much clearer and more confident.
What about AI? Is it okay to use ChatGPT... just to get started?
AI tools are becoming more common in schools, and they can be tempting for students to use when writing essays. While these tools can generate quick responses, they don’t actually help students learn how to think through ideas or communicate them clearly.
​
At Academic Essay Coaching, the focus is on helping students build those skills for themselves. Students learn how to break down ideas, organize their thinking, and write with clarity and confidence—skills that no AI tool can replace.
​
Coaching sessions are designed to support learning, not to produce finished assignments. Students are expected to do their own work, and we focus on the process of writing rather than quick fixes.
​
Ultimately, strong writing is about more than just getting an assignment done—it’s about being able to think clearly, express ideas effectively, and succeed across subjects. Those are skills that will matter long after any single essay is submitted.
Do you also help with reading comprehension?
Yes, absolutely! Strong essay writing depends on strong reading and analytical skills. Many students struggle with writing because they have difficulty:
• identifying the main idea of a text
• selecting relevant evidence
• explaining what that evidence means
My sessions focus on helping students understand what they read and turn those ideas into clear written arguments. Strength in reading comprehension also leads to effective note-taking.Â
How long does it take to see improvement?
Every student is different, but many students begin to see improvement in a few sessions as they learn clearer ways to structure their ideas. For lasting improvement, students often benefit from several weeks of coaching, where we practice reading analysis, paragraph development, and essay organization.
Are sessions one-to-one or group sessions?
All sessions are one-to-one, which allows me to tailor instruction to the student’s specific needs. Depending on demand, I may also offer occasional small group sessions for students working on similar writing skills. These group sessions will only be offered at specific times of the year (midterms, PAT preparation, or summer sessions) if the need arises. Any group sessions offered will either take place at another site or will be offered online to maintain the terms of my development permit.
How do I book a session for my child?
Please fill out the form either by clicking on the button below or scrolling to the top of this page and clicking on "Contact". Once you submit the form, I will review it and respond within 48 hours.