Writing, Literary Analysis & Research: Middle School to Grad School

Simon C.

Hello—my name is Simon, and I’ve been a teacher for 18 years. I love working with students of any age level! My goal will be to build a relationship of trust as we work on your goals and put you in a position to succeed no matter what level you’re at in your educational journey.

I specialize in helping students master reading, writing, and research skills. I have eighteen years in education—ten in secondary ELA classrooms and eight teaching composition, methods courses, literature, and graduate coursework at the University of Northern Colorado, where I earned my Ph.D. in ed psych.

I provide support in several areas, but my specialty is writing instruction (narrative, argument, and explanatory). I have a specific approach to argument and explanatory writing that you can learn and use to feel confident in your own craft regardless of the subject area. I have taught grades 6 through higher ed (some grad courses, mostly undergrad), and I understand the different needs of students depending on where they are in their education. I can provide help from the blank page all the way to a finished product.

I provide reading and research support as well. From literary analysis (reading novels, short stories, poetry, etc. and analyzing) to informational texts, I can help you develop good reading strategies and habits for the specific work you’re doing.

For higher-level research, I've designed my own research and have published it, so if you need help polishing up a methods section, analyzing qualitative data, writing a good lit review, or just help making sure your paper fits the requirements of a style guide—let me know. I also work with current and future teachers on curriculum design, lesson planning, and instructional strategy—drawing on eight years as clinical faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, where I taught methods courses and coached student teachers. If you need help deconstructing standards or designing lessons or units, I would love to provide support.