"Hi! I'm Joanna. I have more than 25 years of experience teaching students in primary school through college. Currently, I tutor people of all ages in reading and writing, including a 6th-grader w/dyslexia, a high schooler w/ Level 1 Autism, numerous college and grad school applicants, and others. As a college coach, I mentor students in crafting original, engaging narratives. A creative writer myself, I bring authentic, deep knowledge of the elements of writing (such as characterization, voice, structure, imagery, and interiority) to the job. In addition, I know the rules of grammar inside-out.

I earned my M.F.A. in creative writing and English from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where I also won the University’s Outstanding Teaching Assistantship Award and started publishing in nationally renowned journals. I’m a winner of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Writing, a recipient of the Iowa Book Prize, and a former professor of writing at Penn State and Franklin & Marshall College. Before going full time, I worked as an adjunct professor at the City University of New York and as a visiting writer in schools and community centers.

In all my work with students, I draw on the sensitivity to experience that I've developed over years of working with neurodiverse populations. The breadth of my background enables me to see beneath the surface and gently but firmly push students forward, whether we're focusing on phonics, inferencing, or in-depth critical thinking. By tailoring instruction to individual needs, I foster confidence and help ensure that young people enjoy the experience of reading and writing while also meeting or exceeding expectations. I also tutor students preparing for the SAT Reading and Writing sections, making sure they know the tactics for approaching certain types of questions while also understanding and being able to apply the skills those tests focus on.

My students are knocking it out of the park! Let's chat about your needs and hopes for tutoring." less...