English Tutors
Teachers Who Tutor NYC

Amanda Briggs

Amanda has taught literature and creative writing for ten years and has worked for co-educational and single-gender private schools in New York City. Adept at supporting students from various age groups, Amanda is an experienced Middle and Upper School English teacher. At The Hewitt School, she attended numerous workshops at the Bard Institute for Writing and Thinking, and over thirty of her students garnered recognition from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for analytical and creative work. A double major in English and history with a B.A. from Duke University where she graduated magna cum laude, Amanda received her M.F.A. in fiction from The Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Amanda enjoys helping students strengthen their reading and writing skills. She is also a published fiction writer and recently received a Merit Scholarship from The Art Students League of New York for her visual art. Her paintings have been exhibited at the Manhattan Borough President’s Office and as part of The Art Students League’s Community Outreach Program.

Ben Otto

Ben has been teaching in the NYC DOE since 2017 and has taught texts and grade levels across the spectrum of ELA. He currently teaches an introductory course on Climate Justice for freshmen at his school in Manhattan. Ben has a strong foundation in classical literature and enjoys contemporary literature as well, especially poetry. Ben has a masters degree in Special Education from St. John’s University and has worked one-on-one with hundreds of students. Ben primarily works with middle and high schoolers and loves helping students with writing, reading skills and executive functioning and organization skills. Ben approaches his teaching in a way where process and purpose are the primary focus and students are given resources, skills and ideas that they can continue to use on their own across disciplines and into the future. He likes to challenge his students in a way where they can grow more resilient and resourceful while regularly celebrating wins, big and small. Ben is an avid surfer and naturalist, taking joy from being in the ocean, camping, running and all things outdoors. Among his diverse interests, he is also a skateboarder and an actor in his free time.

Brad Wetherell

Brad teaches upper school English at Friends Academy. In addition to teaching grades 9 through 12, he created the Friends Academy Writing Center, where he tutors students one-on-one for their History and English essays. He has instructed academic writing as a Lecturer in the University of Michigan’s English Department Writing Program and creative writing at both Saint Albans School in Washington, DC and Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. An English major with a BA from the University of Connecticut, where he graduated magna cum laude, he went on to work in editorial book publishing before earning an MFA from the University of Michigan. In addition to being a teacher, Brad’s own short stories and essays have been widely published. Personal essays are a favorite genre of his, and he particularly enjoys helping students think through college admission essays.

Casey O’Leary

Casey is currently attending Teachers College, where he will earn his Ed.M in counseling psychology. Through last year, he taught English and Latin at Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Having grown up in New York City, Casey attended Regis High School and then Harvard College, where he studied Classics, earning a bachelor’s degree in the field as well as a citation in Spanish. Since graduating, he has taught Latin, English, math, and ESL for four years. Outside of the classroom, Casey enjoys fitness, films, fashion, and foreign cultures and languages.

Caio Posner

Caio has taught English in New York City since 2015. After completing the New York City Teaching Fellows program, Caio taught English and ESL at a public high school devoted to teaching first-generation immigrant students. This experience taught him the value of socio-emotional learning practices, along with the need to differentiate and individualize instructional practices. From there, Caio transitioned to teaching at an independent school in Brooklyn, whose curriculum was AP-focused and academically accelerated; Caio spent his final two years teaching AP Literature and Composition, with a near one hundred percent pass rate average over these two years. Caio is equipped to teach a variety of ELA-centered instruction, from grammar and foundational paragraph writing to higher-level analytical and research-based essay writing. Caio graduated with a bachelors in English from The New School, and received his masters in education from Hunter College; he’s currently attending another masters program in teaching from the University of Toronto. In his free time, Caio enjoys playing music, being outdoors to hike or camp, and reading.

Caitlin O’Leary

Caitlin currently teaches English to sophomores and seniors at an all-girls school in Manhattan. After graduating as Valedictorian from Marymount School, Caitlin matriculated to Harvard, graduating cum laude with a B.A. in English and a citation in French. Caitlin then earned her M.A. in English from Georgetown and her M.A. in English Education from Columbia University Teachers College. Caitlin is passionate about helping students with the writing process.

Chrissy Corcoran

Cora Frazier

Dan Reiss

Dan has spent a decade teaching English, humanities, and literature courses, primarily in New York City. He originally taught High School English in Colorado, before spending the last eight years teaching 9th grade Literature and 11th/12th grade English seminars in New York. He also has experience teaching Test Prep and Film Studies, and has tutored middle and high school students in a range of subjects, as well as supported them with study strategies and organization. He is an alumnus of Boston College, where he graduated with a BA in English and Communications, and has also completed extensive Masters coursework in educational instruction and special education. He cares deeply about innovative and inquiry-based learning, and making sure students find the joy in writing and reading. Dan tailors his work with students to their needs and strengths, and strives to empower and equip them with the tools for success in their educational futures. When he isn’t working directly with students, Dan enjoys writing flash fiction, reading mystery novels, and exploring New York City’s many parks.

Dara Shapiro

Erin Bauer

Erin currently teaches AP Language and Composition at a public high school in Brooklyn, and previously taught sixth grade where she worked with many students on a middle school reading level. Erin has been teaching English in New York City since 2002. Erin holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University, a master’s in secondary English education from Brooklyn College, and a master’s in global public health from NYU.

Evan Burns

Gary Schmidt

Gary teaches literature and writing at the Grace Church High School in downtown Manhattan. A PhD graduate of Harvard University and the University of California (Berkeley), Gary has 25 years of teaching experience, much of which has been at independent schools. He has also taught English and writing at many prestigious institutions, including Harvard, UC-Berkeley, Boston University, Stanford University, and the College of the Holy Cross.

Gila Yarmush

Gila is a NYC public school 7th-grade Humanities (ELA and Social Studies) teacher. Prior to teaching middle school, Gila taught high school Global History as a New York City Teach for America corps member. Gila majored in History at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women and earned her master’s in Teaching from Fordham University. Gila wants to help her students to love learning, appreciate the process of learning, and feel confident in the classroom.

Grace Gvodas

Gwendolyn Page

Ms. Gwendolyn Page has worked in education for nearly fifteen years. She has taught and tutored high school English in public schools in both New York and Virginia and at a charter school in Brooklyn for the past four years, where she also served as Academic Dean of the Humanities. Ms. Page has expertise in tutoring for the SAT and ACT, and she completed the Princeton Review training in 2018. Ms. Page has also worked with students to build, revise, and finesse their college essays and personal statements. Ms. Page was born and raised on Long Island and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at James Madison University in Virginia. Ms. Page is passionate about cultivating life-long learning in her students and opening their hearts and minds to the art of writing. She is eager to encourage students to not only become more critical in their reception of the messages that constantly barrage them, but also more savvy in crafting the arguments they convey to others.

Jonathan Ruelens

Jonathan has been teaching middle and high school English and History for 13 years. After several years in New York teaching at the Dwight and Chapin Schools, he is now teaching at the International School of Florence, in Italy. He has also taught U.S. History at the City University of New York. Jonathan has many years of experience teaching International Baccalaureate History and English, and his IB students have earned scores well above the IB world average. Jonathan encourages his pupils to publish their best work, and many of his students have won Scholastic writing prizes. The National Council of Teachers of English has recognized the excellence of several student literary magazines he has advised.  Jonathan earned a B.A. and M.A. in History, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, with a specialization in middle and high school English and Social Studies teaching. Jonathan has worked as a tutor for many years, helping students with reading comprehension,  research, writing process, and executive functioning skills.

Jonathan Wilcove

Jonathan is Head of the Upper School English Department at the Chapin School, where he has taught for the past 13 years. Before teaching at Chapin, Jonathan was an Upper School Learning Specialist and English teacher at the Collegiate School for nearly a decade, giving him insight into the different learning styles and needs of students. He graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and received a Ph.D. from Columbia University’s Teachers College. Jonathan enjoys working with students and helping them become strong, self-sufficient thinkers, readers, and writers.

Julia Hutson

Laura Jordan

Lucy Ashe

Lucy has thirteen years of high school teaching experience. She studied English Literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University, and has an MA Oxon in English Literature and Language. She then obtained a PGCE teaching qualification, with Qualified Teacher Status. After four years teaching English Language and Literature at Stowe School, UK, she moved to Harrow School in London. She taught English at Harrow School for nine years and was the Head of English and Senior Head of Subjects, before moving to New York City in 2023. She is also a novelist of historical fiction, and her novels have been published globally. Lucy enjoys working with students on their creative writing, as well as providing guidance on their reading and their literature essays. She has supported many students in their university applications and her students have gone on to study at top universities in the UK and US.

Marina Podokshik

Marina has spent the last fourteen years teaching English to sixth and seventh grade students throughout New York City. She serves as an instructional leader and model teacher, helping other teachers improve their practice. She received a BA in English and Public Relations from Syracuse University and a Masters degree in Secondary English Education from Fordham University. She also holds a Masters degree from Alfred University in School Counseling. As a tutor, she has worked with students of all ages in improving their reading and writing skills, getting them ready for state exams, and helping them craft the perfect college essay. She loves teaching and is happiest when she sees her kids grow in ways they didn’t think they originally could.

Miciah Hussey

Miciah Hussey is an educator, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience teaching composition and world literature to undergraduates at the City University of New York. His student-centered instruction has been praised by his fellow faculty members for its empathy, innovative pedagogy, and commitment to interdisciplinary learning. He enjoys mentoring students to feel comfortable with language by emphasizing process and helping them to employ different interpretative strategies to analyze literature of all periods and genres. He is the recipient of many faculty development grants and fellowships, including a grant from the Rubin Museum for integrating visual studies into the Great Works Program at Baruch College and piloting a program with Words Without Borders Campus to bring the best contemporary global literature to the classroom.  Miciah received his BA in Art History from Vassar College, his MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. in English and Critical Theory from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he was a Presidential Research Fellow in the Humanities.  In his spare time, Miciah enjoys writing, film, reading, and traveling.

Paloma Yannakakis

Paloma has taught literature, composition, and creative writing for over thirteen years at the college level and in independent schools. She currently teaches Humanities and English electives at an independent school in New York City, in addition to managing the Writing Center, where she works with students on their writing projects and college essays. Paloma has a strong foundation in comparative literature and creative writing. A graduate of Harvard College, she then received a PhD in comparative literature from Cornell University and an MFA in Poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Whether in the classroom or at the Writing center, she enjoys helping students fulfill their academic and personal potential while tailoring lessons to their diverse needs. An avid art enthusiast, outside the classroom, Paloma takes advantage of the city’s vibrant cultural life and being outdoors.

Robert Duffley

Robert has ten years’ experience helping students sharpen their skills in critical reading, writing, and public speaking. A current faculty member in Georgetown University’s Department of Performing Arts, Robert has taught previously at Emerson College (Affiliated Faculty) and Harvard University (Teaching Fellow). He has also mentored high-school and middle-school students through the Harvard Summer School and educational programs at the TONY Award-winning American Repertory Theater. Robert
holds a BA (Summa cum laude) in English from Georgetown University, an MFA in Dramaturgy & Theater Studies from Harvard’s A.R.T./MXAT Institute for Advanced Theater Training, and a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching from the Harvard University Office of Undergraduate Education. When not teaching, Robert works as a researcher and editor for the professional theater, contributing to works at venues including
Roundabout, the Shed, the Kennedy Center, A.R.T., New York Theatre Workshop, and the Royal Dramatic Theater of Sweden.

Rod Alonzo

Rod Alonzo is currently teaching third grade at the Speyer Legacy School in Manhattan. He has been a classroom teacher for the past thirty years. He specializes in Language Arts and writing skills and served as a middle school English teacher for seven years. He also teaches a course for eighth graders who are working on application essays for high school. Rod taught K-2 at Saint Ann’s school for twelve years and then taught middle school history and English at the Berkeley Carroll School for four. He was a founding teacher at the Speyer Legacy School where, over fifteen years, he has taught K-6, specializing in Language Arts. During his years as a teacher, he has regularly served as a writing tutor for many New York City students from a variety of different schools. Rod also plays guitar and teaches guitar lessons as well.

Sam Schotland

Sam currently teaches high school English and psychology at an independent school in Queens. He received a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Michigan, a master’s in History from Yale University, and a master’s in medical science from the University of Michigan. As an educator, Sam is eager to tackle both STEM and humanities subjects with aplomb, whether it’s a thorny chemistry problem or a Thomas Hardy novella. He has also published his writing in The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New England Journal of Medicine, and The Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. In his spare time, Sam enjoys shopping for used books, seeing Off-Broadway shows, and playing fetch with his Maine Coon cat, Misha.

Shannon Potts

Shannon teaches English and serves as the Middle School Coordinator at the Special Music School. She has a BA in English Teaching and an MAT in Secondary Education from the University of New Hampshire. Shannon also holds an MA from Columbia University’s Teachers College. She has tutored students in writing, reading, test prep and organizational support for the past ten years. Shannon has also served as a summer residential staff member and teacher at the Lawrenceville School, Phillips Exeter Academy Teacher’s College REACH Summer Bridge program, and Columbia University’s Summer Humanities and Engineering Academy.

Steven Bender

Steven Bender has taught English at the Dalton School in Manhattan for the last 37 years. He was chairman of the department for six of those years, and has worked with countless students both in the classroom and in the Dalton lab system. He created and taught more than 20 different electives, as well as teaching every course in the high school English curriculum. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Franklin & Marshall College, and attained his graduate degree in English (ABD) from Princeton University. In addition to winning awards for excellence in teaching from Dalton, he has performed on stage and screen as a stand-up comedian and magician, and was a recipient of Thomas J. Watson and NEH fellowships.

Tomas Unger

Tomas taught high school English for a number of years at Milton Academy, a college preparatory school near Boston, before returning to New York City. He taught beforehand at the college level and has tutored students ranging from middle school to graduate school for nearly a decade on subjects encompassing English coursework, admissions essays, standardized tests, and creative writing. He has additional expertise working with international students. After majoring in English with distinction at Yale, where he received several departmental prizes, Tomas went on to pursue an MFA in Poetry; his poetry and criticism have appeared in magazines including The New York Review of Books, The Paris Review, and The Yale Review. Throughout his years in the classroom, Tomas has enjoyed continuing to tutor a broad array of students, helping individuals of wide-ranging abilities and confidence levels find a new sense of assurance as readers, writers, and thinkers. When it comes to the arts more broadly, Tomas has a particular interest in film and photography. Outside of his life in teaching and tutoring, he has worked at a bookstore, a publishing house, and two law firms.