The true subject of all my teaching is the student.  What we're doing here is difficult, and it's vital to acknowledge the feelings that go along with the daunting task of applying to college.   The student will do their best work if they feel the freedom to make a mess.  The Personal Essay is not just about writing what you already know, it's about discovering the depth of an experience.  It's not easy, but we'll get there, don't worry.  

The ultimate goal is for your student to look at what they've written, smile with relief and pride, and say, "That's me."  In the end, they will want to share what they've written.

I grew up in Evanston, Illinois, where I acted in school plays, wrote for the school paper, and played basketball.  I attended Beloit College where I double-majored in Anthropology and Creative Writing and earned a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in secondary education.  After college, I took a life-changing backpacking trip around southeast Asia and returned to the states to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) at Indiana University in Bloomington where I met my wife.  We both have been teaching writing at the School of the Art Institute for almost 20 years.  We have a child who currently attends ETHS and a dog named Maggie who tends rabbits.

In my 20 years of being an educator, I have guided hundreds of students through the process of  writing thousands of essays.  I have worked with students with perfect SAT scores and who applied to very selective colleges as well as those with serious doubts about going to college.  About 25% of my students have IEPs due to diagnosed learning differences or issues with anxiety.  Even students who don't love writing are pleasantly surprised after working with me.