Amanda S.
Studied at University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Works at Trinity Christian School of Fairfax
Available tomorrow at 7:30 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
About Amanda
I have taught English for five years and currently teach AP English Language and Composition. I have experience preparing students for the reading and writing sections of standardized tests. With a M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from UVA, an editing certificate from the University of Chicago, and a BA in English Writing from Wheaton College, I have writing and editing experience in a variety of modes to include college essays, standardized test essays, resumes, and doctoral dissertations. My approach to instruction is tailored to my students, and my sessions cover everything from planning/time management, ideation, outlining, drafting, revising, and editing of essays and/or resumes to strategies for timed standardized tests. I also have experience working with ELLs in a high school and undergraduate writing lab (one-on-one) setting.
Why do I coach?
When I was in your shoes, I was frustrated by the process, scoring lower than my grades and intelligence indicated I should because I simply couldn't crack the test. And now, ten years later, I want a different story for you! I coach because I have a passion for helping others reach their full potential. We all need people in our lives who believe in us, and I want to be that person for you and help you to put your best foot forward to achieve your dreams. I am passionate about telling stories and about helping others find the strategies and methods that help them to showcase their abilities in their entirety because they aren't caught off guard by the process. So are you ready to crush your next essay, spruce up your resume, overcome that multiple choice, and go after your dreams? Let's go!
Work Experience
Upper School English Teacher
Trinity Christian School of Fairfax
January 2019 - Present
I currently teach AP English Language and ninth grade college prep and honors Research, Writing, and Rhetoric, and I previously taught eighth grade Literature and Composition 2. I assist the English department chair with coordinating writing lab, middle level library, and English curriculum. I directed sessions at the Learn, Teach, Lead Conference, coaching teachers on question writing for assessments. I coordinate the production of the Gryphon’s Quill student literary magazine as its faculty sponsor, and I serve on the Community Representation and Faculty Book Club school improvement teams. Lastly, I serve as a Form Advisor for Fortitudo House.
Managing Editor of Kodon
Wheaton College
May 2018 - December 2018
I collaborated with editor-in-chief and English faculty to hire staff, budget, and create a magazine. representative of the student body. I proofread the magazine to finalize the product for publication. In previous years (2016-2018), I also served as the assistant fiction editor prior to becoming managing editor.
Writing Center Consultant
Wheaton College
August 2016 - May 2018
I aided undergraduate, graduate, and ELL students with writing assignments, and I mentored new consultants to work well with clients.
Administrative Assistant
Lohfeld
June 2017 - August 2017
I proofread e-Briefs and designed conference materials for the president and proofread and styled staff resumes. I updated financial performance spreadsheets for company records.
Education
University of Virginia, Charlottesville
M. Ed., Curriculum and Instruction
2020 - 2022
GPA: 4.0 / 4.0 I completed 30 credit hours of course work, including courses on assessment, young adult literature, writing across the curriculum, diversity, and planning using backward design. 15 of my credit hours were specifically dedicated to English education.
University of Chicago
Certificate, Editing
2018 - 2020
I completed 10 credits of coursework, including courses on copyediting, grammar, and editing electronically.
Wheaton College
BA, English Writing
2015 - 2018
My core coursework included Creative Writing, Flash Fiction, Fiction Writing, Journalism, Shakespeare Seminar, British Literature, American Literature: Realism to Modernism, Herman Melville, Romanticism, Jane Austen, Restoration and 18th Century Literature, Children’s Literature, Young Adult Literature, Senior Seminar in Writing, and Creative Nonfiction and Memoir Independent Study. Additionally, I received a minor in Family Studies.