While at Hamilton, Will also served as a “First-Year Experience Mentor” for Hamilton’s history department, teaching incoming students writing and time management skills. Besides earning the highest GPA among American History students and the highest GPA in Hamilton’s history concentration, Will was awarded Hamilton’s Cunningham Essay Prize for his honors thesis on Abraham Lincoln.

After graduating magna cum laude with honors, Will continued to work with Hamilton professors to craft a comprehensive thesis-writing guide. He also co-authored Hamilton’s “Writing Longer Papers.” At the same time, he created an in-depth guide for Darien, Connecticut’s Historical Society titled “Darien’s Golden Age of Arts & Design” and served as a substitute teacher in the Darien public school system.

“By improving critical thinking and problem solving skills, writing tutoring helps students advance in all subject areas.”

As a Writing Specialist in the University of Chicago’s Humanities Core, Will teaches new college students the ins and outs of academic writing; his seminars cover every part of the writing process, from research, to argumentation, to revision. As a Lector in the University’s Academic & Professional Writing course, he helps undergraduate students develop the writing skills needed to write a B.A. thesis, apply to graduate school, and apply to professional school. During the summer, Will serves as a Writing Instructor for the University’s Academic Achievement Program (CAAP) where he teaches incoming students the basics of college level writing.

“I had to leave school for a year and when I came back, I wasn’t sure I could get through all the writing. But Will was a godsend. He saw what I needed right away and within a few short weeks I was writing independently and getting all As.”

Sabrina, 9th grader, The Hotchkiss School

Jeanne Garvey

Jeanne Garvey, a seasoned and accomplished high school English teacher, is deeply passionate about literature and dedicated to nurturing reading and writing skills in all her students. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Driven by her desire to share the joy of reading, she pursued a Master’s in Education with a focus on Secondary English from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. With a rich teaching career spanning 17 years, Jeanne has been instrumental in fostering literacy, critical analysis, and communication skills among diverse high school student populations, always striving for their success.

Throughout her career, Jeanne has honed her skills in best teaching practices for high school-aged students, understanding their developmental, academic, and emotional needs. She is adept at comprehending the metacognitive learning process and applies her vast knowledge to teaching all levels of students, including those with learning differences/disabilities and those with exceptionalities. Jeanne’s strength lies in her ability to identify the specific needs of each student, providing a personalized and targeted approach that breaks the learning process into manageable pieces. She leverages a student’s strengths to address areas of the writing process that are proving challenging for the student. As an AP Literature and Composition teacher and an instructor for honors-level courses, she has demonstrated her ability to engage academically gifted students, including those who are twice exceptional, and prepare them to meet rigorous expectations.

Jeanne’s love of reading influences her teaching approach. She promotes reading as a joyful and unifying act and as an integral first step in good writing. Jeanne is well-versed in strategies to build confidence in critical analysis, focusing on the author’s craft and rhetoric and recognizing text complexity. Thinking carefully about reading leads to independent thinking and sophisticated ideas, the basis for writing.

“When students gain confidence in what they think, that leads to confidence in what they can write.”

As a writing tutor, Jeanne teaches students how to continue the reading-to-writing process, translating ideas into effective communication. She focuses on developing close note-taking skills to articulate independent analysis. Understanding the uniqueness of each student, Jeanne builds motivation and fosters engagement in the learning process. Through her guidance, students learn to translate their ideas into organized, supported, and articulate language. Examining model writing and the revision process are central to her approach to teaching writing. By breaking down skills into approachable tasks, students can master the art of crafting compelling essays and arguments. Jeanne’s teaching style is encouraging and patient which leads to excellent collaboration with her students.

Jeanne’s expertise extends to the college admissions process, where she optimizes students’ chances of being admitted into the most prestigious colleges and universities. Jeanne provides writing support for the college application essay by guiding students in determining the best approach to highlight their authentic voice and self-reflection while utilizing sound writing and narrative techniques. Altogether, students gain the ability to write a compelling, impactful, and well-organized personal college application essay.

Jeanne is a lifelong learner, constantly seeking new ways to inspire her students and enrich their educational experience. She believes in creating a supportive learning environment where students are empowered to reach their full potential.

“Jeanne’s lessons are comprehensive and easy to understand. She always cares about my personal writing success. Her techniques make me a stronger writer and student.”

Ava, NJ high school junior