Hi, I'm Robert. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where I graduated Cum Laude with Departmental Honors. I am certified in Secondary English Language Arts and Reading, Gifted and Talented education, ESL Supplemental instruction, and Speech Communications through the state of Texas. These credentials have supported thirteen years of high school instruction across a broad range of courses including AP Language and Composition, AP Research, English...
Hi, I'm Robert. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where I graduated Cum Laude with Departmental Honors. I am certified in Secondary English Language Arts and Reading, Gifted and Talented education, ESL Supplemental instruction, and Speech Communications through the state of Texas. These credentials have supported thirteen years of high school instruction across a broad range of courses including AP Language and Composition, AP Research, English I, English II Honors, Communication Applications, and Student Leadership, most recently while serving as ELAR Department Chair.
My students have primarily been high schoolers between the ages of 14 and 18, though my methods adapt readily to motivated middle schoolers and college students working on foundational writing skills. I have taught in traditional classroom settings of 25–35 students, facilitated small-group instruction, and worked with individual students on targeted skill development. My teaching experience spans two distinct school contexts: a large urban San Antonio high school serving primarily first-generation college-bound students, and a competitive suburban district with a strong AP and gifted population. That range has sharpened my ability to meet students where they are regardless of their starting point.
My instructional approach is student-centered and inquiry-driven. Rather than simply correcting errors, I help students understand the reasoning behind effective writing , how arguments are built, how evidence is selected and framed, and how voice and structure work together. I use frameworks like rhetorical analysis, structured argumentation, and source integration to develop skills that transfer across courses and contexts. In one-on-one tutoring, I focus heavily on the college essay process, AP exam preparation (particularly AP Language and Composition), and research-based writing. I have been recognized as my Campus and District Teacher of the Year and a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction.
