As a published writer, professor, and someone who has written countless essays and evaluated countless more, I am uniquely positioned to assist students with their writing. My experience with tutorin... g or teaching students of various grades/levels/ages goes includes much of the past decade, whether as a professor, a writing tutor for various tutoring services, an academic writing tutor for a community college, an essay evaluator for the history department of a prominent university, or as a tutor in a private, self-employed capacity. I have helped students with their essay writing in numerous subjects and disciplines, including history, political science, pre-law/legal studies, various social science subjects (sociology, criminal justice, psychology, etc), English (composition and/or English lit., etc. If a student needs help with writing essays, regardless of subject or topic, I can help them significantly, not only in reaching their goals of finishing assignments, but in honing their research and writing skills overall. My background, including experience as a professor and academic writing tutor, includes a master's degree in history from Portland State University and a bachelor's degree in history from Western Oregon University. I have won awards for my own essay writing over the years, and my writing has been published in various outlets. Numerous articles of mine have been published in both academic and general-interest publications, and my book about the history of the Supreme Court was published by McFarland Press in 2023. Writing is a crucial skill. Writing does not merely allow us to share our thoughts. It actually helps us to think more critically, exercise our abstract reasoning, and understand the importance of evidence-based argumentation. I can help students hone these skills. I know this because I have a record of doing so, and it is something I very much enjoy. Students are empowered when they can write engagingly and convincingly. read more

I went back to school a little later, in my thirties, after spending more than fifteen years as an independent, touring musician and songwriter. I toured the U.S. a number of times, wrote scores of so... ngs, played countless shows, and produced about a dozen albums of original music. The only passions of mine that ever rivaled my passion for music was my interest in history and writing. When I decided to go back to school when I grew tired of the endless travel related to doing music, I had no doubt that my pursuit would be related to American history, political theory, and writing. Tailoring one’s teaching/tutoring methods to the needs of each student, which I strongly believe in, is not a rationalization for lowering standards, but instead a firm assertion that every student possesses both unique challenges and unique abilities, and addressing them as such is a winning formula for student and tutor alike. Additionally, in my field of U.S. History in particular, my teaching/tutoring philosophy includes a devotion to conveying the subtle nuances and complexities of American history. Understanding difficult history and embracing obscure truths are among the most vital aspects of inculcating history (both the content and the various methodologies) to a student. I share with my students to always remember that history is complicated, because human beings are. History is not merely about the past. It is an examination of the human experience across time. History is human.read more