"I hold a Master’s degree in English from Seton Hall University, and I have more than ten years of full-time and part-time experience in teaching English and writing. Most of my teaching experience has focused on composition and developmental writing in both classroom and lab settings. I earned a B.A. in English from Saint Vincent College in nearby Latrobe, PA, and I started my career as a graduate assistant at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, working as a tutor in the writing center during my first year and teaching composition classes during my second year. My recent tutoring experience includes working with the writing center at Estrella Mountain Community College in Goodyear, Arizona, and online tutoring with the Center for Writing Excellence at the University of Phoenix. I was also the lead instructor in a writing lab at Guajome Park Academy in San Bernardino, CA. Previously I taught freshman composition courses in the Writing Programs division at Arizona State University. I taught Basic Writing Skills (English 50) and Introduction to Composition (English 51) on the college level at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, and I taught writing classes for several years at various schools in the East, including Seton Hall University in New Jersey and the University of Cincinnati. I was also the remedial writing coordinator for the Monticello Central School District in New York from 1984 to 1985. In addition to my teaching experience, I also have worked as a writer and editor for a variety of publications.

As a specialist in English composition and developmental English, I favor a linear approach to teaching writing. Students must have a strong grasp of the basic concepts of paragraph structure before they can begin to understand the more complex aspects of academic writing. Students learn writing skills best when they are taught in a progressive format. Depending on the skill level of the students, I typically start with extensive work on paragraph development because students need to develop strong para" less...