I am pleased to offer tutoring for secondary and post-secondary students, alongside community-based workshops and coaching. At Around the Fire, I believe that effective communication skills are crucial for success in both academics and community engagement. My narrative-based approach empowers students and organizations to enhance their writing and presentation abilities. Through personalized tutoring, interactive workshops, and dedicated coaching, I provide the tools needed to develop strong writing skills and effectively engage audiences. Explore Around the Fire’s offerings to ignite your potential and elevate your communication capabilities.

Students, parents of students, educators, and community members, contact me today for details!!

Secondary School

• Engaging and Effective Essay Writing: Learn how to research, plan, and write clear, compelling essays and projects that captivate readers and communicate your ideas with confidence.
• Presentation Skills: Develop narrative techniques, structures, formats, and media that make your presentations stand out.
• One-on-One Tutoring: Tailored writing support to help improve your structure, argumentation, and style.
• Applied Learning: I help students gain research, writing, and presentation skills using the assignments and projects they are currently working on, ensuring they achieve both immediate and lasting success.
• Tailored Support: I recognize that every student has a distinct voice and learning style. My lessons adapt to individual strengths and areas for improvement, fostering confidence and growth.

College/University:

• Advanced Academic Writing: Master the skills needed to write clear, well-structured essays, research papers, and theses that meet academic standards while remaining engaging and persuasive.
• Academic Writing Support: Receive expert guidance on writing essays, research papers, and theses, including research strategies, citation formats (APA, MLA, etc.), and organizing complex ideas effectively.
• Argumentation and Critical Thinking: Learn to develop strong, persuasive arguments, support your claims with evidence, and present ideas logically and compellingly.
• Presentations and Public Speaking: Use storytelling and communication techniques to deliver confident, engaging presentations for class, group projects, or academic conferences.
• One-on-One Tutoring: Get personalized support in all areas of academic writing, from structuring essays and research papers to editing and refining your work for clarity, coherence, and impact.

Community-Based Learning

For Individuals and Organizations

• Workshops on Effective Communication: Learn how to communicate your message clearly and compellingly, whether you’re engaging with the public, partners, or your team. Our workshops cover everything from storytelling for personal or organizational growth to mastering social media and content creation.
• Storytelling for Impact: Whether you’re a community leader, nonprofit, or small business, discover how to use storytelling to connect with your audience, build trust, and drive action. Learn to craft narratives that resonate and inspire.
• Branding and Messaging Development: For organizations looking to sharpen their public image, we offer tailored coaching on how to build a strong brand through consistent, effective messaging across media platforms.
• Content Creation and Social Media: Learn the skills to create engaging, relevant content that connects with your community and amplifies your message. This includes planning, writing, and delivering social media campaigns, blogs, newsletters, and more.
• One-on-One Coaching: Personalized coaching for individuals or teams on improving communication and content creation, helping you refine your message and ensure it reaches your target audience effectively.

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I’m a seasoned writer, editor, and producer with over two decades of experience across print, web, radio, and television, having produced hundreds of print/web articles and conducted over 800 interviews during this time.

As a former education program coordinator, I developed various curriculum-based education programs for primary and secondary levels and have regularly presented workshops. In my roles as a tutor, co-op host, student workplace supervisor, and mentor, I’ve guided countless secondary and post-secondary students, with a particular emphasis on writing and communications. Having delivered workshops and presentations at many Peterborough-area KPRDSB and PVNCCDSB schools, as well as worked at Trent University for over a decade, I am fluent in both public school and university academic models.

I am passionate about empowering individuals to express their ideas effectively, engage their audiences, and achieve success both in academics and beyond.