Alix

I am a former college English professor with more than fifteen years of one-on-one tutoring experience. I specialize in teaching writing at every stage of the process and work with learners of all backgrounds and experience levels. I also excel in test prep,reading comprehension, literature, humanities, and the social sciences. I hold a B.A. from Yale University, where I graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in English and Psychology. I later completed three MFAs—two in Writing and one in Sculpture—and am currently pursuing my PhD.

Tutoring Style

My tutoring style is open, supportive, and collaborative. I meet students where they are and work with them to establish shared goals and clear objectives. I enjoy getting to know each student as an individual and tailor my teaching approach to fit their unique needs and learning style.

I believe that learning is most effective when it is a shared endeavor, and I encourage students to take ownership of the timelines and goals we set together. During our sessions, I focus on building confidence, creating manageable challenges, and helping students strengthen their academic skill sets. One of my favorite aspects of tutoring is mentorship—watching students grow over time is incredibly rewarding. My hope is that students leave our time together not only with a stronger essay or higher test score, but also with a renewed sense of confidence and a lasting love of learning.

Success Story

One of my favorite test-prep success stories involved a student who came to tutoring feeling completely overwhelmed. Although his initial practice test scores were low, it was clear from the start that he was eager to learn and improve. As we worked through SAT Reading passages, I taught him how to break down challenging sentences phrase by phrase, focusing on understanding each part before tackling the whole. This approach gave him an entirely new way of reading and transformed the way he approached difficult texts.

It was incredibly rewarding to watch his confidence grow as he began to truly understand what he was reading instead of becoming frustrated and giving up. Within just a few sessions, he was able to identify key words and strategies more effectively, leading to significant improvements in his practice scores. By the end of our work together, he had achieved a much higher score than he initially thought possible and had developed stronger reading skills that extended far beyond the exam itself.

Hobbies & Interests

In addition to being a teacher, I am a poet with three full-length collections and a visual artist whose work has been exhibited internationally. I love to travel and seek out new adventures. Over the years, I have helped build houses in Thailand, spent time with Indigenous communities in the jungles of Ecuador, paraglided from the cliffs of Quito, and attended survival school in the Adirondacks. Closer to home, you'll often find me walking my dog in the woods or snuggling up with my three rescued cats.