Excellence in English Language Arts
Providing Small Group Classes in Creative Writing, Essay Writing, Literary Analysis, Reading Comprehension, AP English, the SAT, & more
Now Serving Grades 2-12
A passionate approach
Hello, and welcome to my website! As a lifelong writer and former journalist, I specialize in helping all kids, regardless of their initial skill level, find their “inner Shakespeare.” I am the go-to person if you want your child to become a faster, sharper, more enthusiastic reader and writer.
Does your child:
Only read or write when forced to?
Have great ideas but fail to fully express them?
Receive poor feedback on their “analysis?”
Use limited vocabulary and repeat themselves when writing?
Show reluctance to write more than a few simple sentences at a time?
Struggle with grammar?
Struggle to organize their ideas into smooth, coherent sentences and paragraphs?
Struggle with “reading between the lines” or understanding the “deeper meaning” of a text?
Struggle to write descriptively or creatively?
Sometimes miss key details when they read?
Lack confidence in their reading or writing?
LOVE reading and writing but need an inspiring mentor to help them reach their full potential?
Then you have come to the right place.
My mission is to develop a Reading and Writing foundation that will last a lifetime - by instilling a genuine love of literature and teaching students how to excel in the art of written communication.
Nurturing a love of writing
Why do we write? The same question can be asked about dancing, painting, and all the other ways in which we humans are singularly capable of expressing ourselves. During this unsettling, divisive, and rapidly evolving time in history, I want the youngest among us to feel the unique satisfaction that comes from exploring their one-of-a-kind thoughts and experiences through writing.
Another primary objective is to teach young people how to think and speak for themselves before the inevitable temptation to outsource all their writing to AI overtakes them. As noted in an oft-cited MIT study, students who use ChatGPT to write their essays suffer from “cognitive debt” and a “likely decrease in learning skills.”
Finally, I strive to lay the foundation for high school Honors/AP English classes and the SAT/ACT. I want even those students who do not intend to pursue advanced English courses in high school to be able to read and write at a high level. I am proud to say that many of my past students have gone on to UC Berkeley, UCLA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Johns Hopkins University, Dartmouth College, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Chicago, Rice University, Georgetown University, Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, New York University (NYU), Case Western University, University of Notre Dame, and other top schools.
Why in-person group classes?
The first time a child witnesses his classmates laugh appreciatively at a witty story he has written, something magical happens: he stops seeing writing as a chore and starts seeing it as an irreplaceable vehicle for bonding with others. Writing becomes a form of social currency in his mind.
From my 15-plus years of teaching (including during the pandemic when I was forced to put my classes online), I have become convinced that there is simply no substitute for in-person connection - an idea supported by the U.S. Surgeon General in his 2023 report “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.”
That is why I strive to make my classes as interactive as possible. Students share their work, compete in writing competitions, conduct peer reviews, debate current events, discuss literary themes and characters, participate in vocabulary bees, and indulge in food and games during our holiday parties.
So much of what we parents took for granted as children in the 1980s and 90s - the freedom to explore the outdoors, the freedom to roam independently with other kids, and especially the freedom to thrive without the constant distraction of electronic devices - has been lost to time. My classes are one small attempt to recapture some of that simple, old-fashioned spontaneity and gift it back to our kids.
What People Are Saying
“Both of my daughters took Jeanine’s English writing classes for several years, and they benefited tremendously from her tutoring—both in small group settings and in individual lessons. We never had to push them to attend her classes; they genuinely enjoyed them. Today, they love to read and write. I have seen clear improvement in their creative writing skills over the years.
Now, four to five years later, I was recently on a road trip with my older daughter when she began writing scripts in the passenger seat. She turned to me and said, “I would never have grown to love writing this much without Jeanine’s help.” That moment says everything. It is the best possible testament to the lasting impact of Jeanine’s tutoring.”
-B. Zuo, Fremont
“My 5th grade son started with Jeanine at the beginning of the school year. We were looking for a writing tutor that would help him to add more depth, details and guidance in building stronger essays and writing as he moves into middle school. My son LOVES attending class once a week for 1 hour in a small (2-3 person) group setting. We noticed a huge improvement in his confidence in writing and his creativity that has developed. Ms. Jeanine creates a fun and motivating environment for students to expand and develop their reading, writing and group discussions together. She works with students 5th-12th graders at all levels. We look forward to continuing to work with her over summer and into future school years.”
-L. Lin, Pleasanton
“Jeanine worked with my son on his reading and writing. He improved his SAT score by 160 points over his PSAT. Jason ended up scoring in the 99th percentile on his first SAT sitting. I was very pleased with Jeanine’s commitment, patience and professionalism.”
— T. Lau, Alameda
“Jeanine’s strategic approach in tutoring was a positive experience for my son. Her insights into the SAT maze improved my son’s mediocre score tremendously, and boosted it from 590 to 720 in the Writing section of the new SAT test. I would highly recommend Jeanine to anyone who needs a capable tutor. The results speak for themselves!”
— A. Lee, Pleasanton