Tess

Hello! My name is Tess Michaelson and I'm a writer, editor, and teacher. Originally from Portland, Oregon, I went on to study English at Stanford University and later earned my MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Columbia University. With eight years of teaching under my belt, I've worked with a wide range of students in a variety of settings - from doing homework help and socio-emotional learning with middle-schoolers to classroom teaching in high-school English to creative writing workshops for kids and adults. During my time at Columbia, I taught a free public writing workshop called Grief Diaries where folks across New York City were invited to share and process their experiences of loss. After completing my degree, I went on to teach at Uptown Stories, an after-school creative writing program that encourages middle-schoolers and high-schoolers to hone their voices and invest in the power of their own stories. In addition to creative writing teaching, I tutor students in English language and literature, helping students build confidence and mastery in all things writing and reading. Through all of these experiences, I’ve loved helping students reach their goals, whether it be improving their grade, writing admissions essays, or simply building confidence in their reading and writing skills. As a teacher, I believe in collaborative and inquiry-based instruction and prioritize helping students find agency and confidence in their learning, whatever their goals may be. Outside of teaching, I write about dance and philosophy, edit essays and artist conversations (I'm a former editorial assistant at Harper's and The New Yorker), run (I'm a former Division-1 track athlete), and dance as part of the downtown experimental performance scene. In the pursuit of becoming a child therapist, I will begin a Master's in Social Work degree from Columbia University this fall.