I define myself first and foremost as an educator. So, writing a book that teaches, guides, and motivates students seemed only natural (of course, I doubted myself through the arduous editing process!)
Those first words didn’t hit the page until two years ago, but this book has been a career in the making. I remember sitting by a lake with my children and instead of paying attention to them, I was thinking about how to create a formula, a “brainless” essay, so that a specific student could get past his test day fears. Since I cared about the safety of my children, I turned them over to my husband, went up into the lake house and started to brainstorm. Two years later…Write the SAT Essay Right.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to teach in classrooms around the country, in both urban and suburban settings. Also, I have tutored hundreds of students in my private practice, and coached thousands online. These diverse and dynamic experiences have shaped me as an educator, and it is through this process of molding, assessing, and remolding that I was able to finally put my lessons on paper: to empower, to instruct, and to teach through words alone.
Write the SAT Essay Right captures my voice and makes available all the tips, all the strategies, and all the “secrets” to scoring above average on the SAT essay. And, my students do score above average after reading this book! More than this, though, the book promotes foundational writing skills that are the cornerstone of expression and education. Writing and grammar lessons can be especially boring and extremely convoluted – I know, I have a degree in English! I’ve broken down the mechanics into concrete formulas. These formulas provide students with a simple but effective base – a cohesive, persuasive essay. It is only once this base is firmly established that students can begin to build, alter, stylize, and eventually “find their voice” as writers.
I was careful to present the book in a casual tone that students can respond to, rather than the standard textbook style that so often drenches writing guides. I also included models, examples, and worksheets, so that students can truly interact and assess their skills and improvement.
More importantly, I have made elite tutoring strategies, often times limited to the upper-class crests, available to all. I believe that all students should be given the same opportunities to excel. Write the SAT Essay Right transcends the economic barriers of tutoring and makes premier SAT tips available to all. Nothing fills me with more joy (other than my children!) than when a student tells me that this book has changed his writing and that he has taken the book to college because I have taught him to write an essay right!