ATC Students and Students from Any Other Secondary School or College:
To help students prepare for the first "progress monitoring" session of the FAST, I will be tutoring during the summer months. Every Sunday, send your request for a time and day during the upcoming week in which you tell me when you would like to meet. I will do my best to meet your needs and then send you a link to an online Tutoring session. The first progress-monitoring part of the FAST will take place on September 17. 2024. Retakes will be given on September 24, 2024.
If you would like tutoring, email your request for the type of tutoring you need. In the email include your parent's name, phone number, and email. I will also need your name and personal email so I can send any necessary handouts or information. Please tell me a convenient day and time to call your parent.
When I call your parent, we will discuss your needs. I will also convey additional details and answer any questions.
The maximum number of students attending each online session (one hour) is four, so you may see your peers online. Teaching one-on-one is certainly effective, but the dynamic of students interacting adds to the learning experience.
FYI: As you recall, there are three progress monitoring sessions of the FAST. The first session is at some point between August and September; the second session is between December and January; and the last one (the most important) is between May and June. The dates for each session have not been finalized.
Please use my personal email: jamesfmulhern@gmail.com.
You should know my background and experience to decide whether I am the right person to help you achieve your goals. See the information below about my abilities and expertise:
- Have taught a range of English courses in various settings and grade levels for 35 years (high school, middle school, GED centers, colleges, and universities).
- Created courses and wrote curriculum—for example, an Edgar Allan Poe course, a Media Literacy course, a Public Speaking course, a Gothic Short Story course, a Creative Writing course, and an SAT-Prep course, among others.
- Developed and published curriculum to teach the ELA Florida Standards Assessments and other standardized English tests.
- Teacher Mentor for most of my educational career. Tutor for standardized tests—FSA/ELA (now called FAST), the new Digital PSAT/the new Digital SAT, AP English, and a variety of English subjects.
- Grammar Teacher with specialized knowledge of how to structure and write college essays, scholarship essays, and MLA research papers.
- Creator of informative handouts and teacher guides that explain techniques and methods to enhance grades on standardized tests.
- In-depth knowledge of all text genres and canonical American and British authors. Much of my work (curriculum, methods, explanations, directions, and writing examples) has been published. I often give free published materials to those I teach or mentor, including textbooks for educators.
- Analyze many standardized tests and predict actual questions as well as the number of each question type that will appear on standardized tests. Predict the time periods and genres of reading passages that may appear on particular exams (I provide sample reading passages to study—analyze, evaluate, and synthesize). This ability to analyze English exams was developed through years of preparing students for standardized tests, working as a Consultant for the College Board, and serving as an AP Consultant for the National Math and Science Initiative. I have given presentations about the AP Exam to educators and students (face-to-face and online) throughout the country.
- Editor and writer for a publishing company that developed teacher accreditation exams, a position that contributed to my knowledge of test-creation methods.
- Editorial experience at major New York, Boston, and Western Massachusetts publishing houses.
- Creator, writer, and curator of an educational blog, scholarmulhern.blogspot.com. (Examples of my writing, lesson and unit plans, teaching methods, and philosophy can be found on that website.)
- Avid reader and writer. Published writings (nonfiction, fiction, poetry) in over 300 literary journals (both hard copy and electronic) around the world.
- Finalist—Tuscany Prize in Catholic Fiction.
- Recipient of a fully paid fellowship to the University of Oxford based on a portfolio of my writing. Earned a “First Class” mark, the highest level of achievement in the grading system at Oxford University.
- Honorable Mention for the Short Story America Prize (twice).
- Nominee for the Pushcart Prize in Fiction.
- Longlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize.
- Runner-Up for the United Kingdom's InkTears Story Contest.
- Recipient of the Kirkus Star (awarded to books of exceptional merit and given to only ten percent of books reviewed each year).
- A Readers' Favorite Book Award winner.
- A Notable Best Indie Book Award winner.
- A Red Ribbon Winner for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
- A Finalist for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards (twice).
- Shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award for poetry.
- Author of a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year for my novel Give Them Unquiet Dreams: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-mulhern/give-them-unquiet-dreams
- Published writer of several books (novels, short stories, poetry, essays, English textbooks): https://www.amazon.com/author/jamesmulhern
- Recipient of a letter from the Florida Education Commissioner that stated I "had an impact on student learning that is among the most statistically significant in the entire state.”
- Professor of dual-enrollment Freshman Composition courses.
- Former Department Chair, member of the High School Leadership Team and the National Honor Society Committee, Club Sponsor for SAFE (Students Advocating for Equality) Club, and overseer of writing projects for every high school in which I have been employed.
- A Lead Editor who oversaw the work of other editors and the production of high school textbooks.
- Consistently rated a "highly effective" teacher.
- Professional editor/mentor of clients' writing projects (varied genres—nonfiction, fiction, and poetry).
- Creative Writing teacher with expert knowledge about the publishing industry, the major publishing houses, and paths to publication.
- In-depth knowledge of how college essays are evaluated and why particular essays stand out. (I worked on a college admissions committee when I was a full-time professor.)
- College Board Reader and Scorer of AP English essays written by students from all over the world.
