Jill Rendelstein graduated with a Master in Fine Arts from American University. She has taught college writing at George Washington University and Northern Virginia Community College, and currently teaches Writing Studies at American University. She has tutored students for more than 15 years.
Jill has also written for publications, such as The World & I magazine and The Washington Times newspaper. She has worked as an editor and proofreader for various print and web publications.
As a writer, I know writing should be fun. Even the dreaded Extended Constructed Response can be exciting when we know how to approach it, I tell students. It’s all about the writing process. When students come to me after years of tepid, awkward writing, I tell them it’s time they learn and use the writing process. Learning process—brainstorms, freewrites, outlines, drafts, line editing, and time—sets a student at ease, and in turn, creates a clear and confident writing tone. Instead of strange, stiff language, students are suddenly hearing their own voices coming distinctly across the page. Then we move on. What’s your angle on this piece, I ask them? Let’s find it in your exploratory writing. Show me where your narrative is unique, where your opinion shines through. Once students discover their own interests in every piece of writing, they can take ownership of their work, and a new confidence ensues as they realize they are now writers too.
Students will engage in personalized writing exercises, brainstorming sessions, stimulating reading assignments, a better understanding of their own course material, and discover an enjoyment for a craft they once thought beyond their reach. Services include: Elevating writing; improving writing habits; brainstorming, analyzing, and completing reading and writing assignments for any course subject; writing college or graduate school admissions essays; preparing for standardized tests; developing reading skills; discovering a voice.
Professionals will launch their career to the next level with personalized writing exercises, help creating presentations, writing speeches, or producing interoffice memos. Even graduate school applications, essays, and course work once thought out of reach are now attainable. Services include: Improving technical or business writing skills, preparing for a return to college or graduate school, completing graduate school course work, constructive criticism for business or personal writing, developing English speaking and writing skills, enjoying writing.
Students will explore topics, generate ideas, and complete essays that reflect their personalities and set their applications apart from the elite pack. Services include: writing one, two, three or several essays in this create-a-package. Students will be lead through the entire essay process—from brainstorming to line-editing—for each essay. Invite up to five friends for a low-cost, fun way to write college essays!
Create your own camp! Try one or two subjects, or touch on all of them during a six or eight-week session! Choose your topics, choose your dates, meet one-on-one, or invite some friends, for a creative and fun way to learn the writing process! Services include: writing college admissions essays, creative writing, elevating writing style, preparing for standardized tests, navigating subject writing, academic writing, and finding a voice.
Students and professionals will benefit from choosing or creating their own workshop experiences. Work one-on-one, or invite a few friends for creative or professional writing workshops that may be held in your home per request. Participants may write journals, short stories, and memoirs, while reading and discussing established works, and molding a creative idea into an actual piece of writing. Or, focus on academic writing, admissions, or professional essays. Learn More >
Through a combination of inventive teaching methods, engaging exercises and analysis of their own business projects, participants on any writing level will learn innovative and fundamental writing techniques that will take their writing to the next level. Seminars are held at place of business.
Editing and critiquing services are available for all writing genres, including business, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Services include: detailed comments and suggestions for revision, application of varied writing techniques, exercises to improve writing weaknesses.
One of the greatest struggles of parenthood is asking our children to listen to our advice. We know best because we have been there before. But when it comes to writing, many parents struggle to teach their children. For one reason, we are not all born teachers. For another, children are tired of hearing advice from their parents. This is their homework. They want to take ownership of something. That’s where I come in. As an experienced college writing instructor, and writer, I have been trained to not only to listen to students’ concerns, but to encourage and guide them painlessly through the writing process.
How long has it been since you last sat in a classroom? Students often float along without asking for help because they feel inhibited by other students, by the teacher’s manner, out of laziness, or many other reasons. When students work one-on-one with me, there is never a question that goes unanswered. Examples and suggestions are always provided. And students are always held accountable to complete work during our sessions. One-on-one sessions let students know their questions come first and their fear of reading and writing will subside.
Learning the writing process and gaining confidence in reading, writing, and analyzing doesn’t stop in the classroom. Once students learn the process, they may use it to complete work in all disciplines throughout school and professional careers.
No one wants to work with a tutor forever, and no one should. During my sessions, students are given the tools they need to succeed on their own. Depending on their skill level, students will work at their own pace and eventually graduate from my program.
Many tutoring companies hire inexperienced young adults to teach your children, and use cookie cutter lessons and advice for subject tutoring and admissions essays. When I teach your child, I look at the whole individual, speaking with him or her about interests and hobbies as well as strengths and weaknesses in writing and reading. I use creative methods to tailor every lesson to your child.
"Working with Jill was truly a pleasure. Before Jill met with our employees, we spoke with her about our needs, and she created a class based on those issues. The attorneys appreciated our investment in their education, and enjoyed learning new writing techniques. Their writing has become more succinct, organized, logical, and readable, since attending Jill’s course. Additionally, the attorneys have become more productive. They put more thought into the questions they ask before approaching new projects. It’s easy to see the transformation in my attorneys’ work as they continue using the tools with which Jill has equipped them."
"I have nothing but high praise for Jill's ability to work well and productively with my 17yo son. I do not think there is enough writing instruction in schools (even private ones). You will not regret this investment in your child.
OCTOBER 2022 UPDATE: I just read a draft of an essay he is writing as a first year in college, and I really believe the work he and Jill did together the summer before college was life-changing."
"I first met Jill when I took one of her workshops on business writing. I'd taken other workshops in the past, but they all seemed to recycle the same information. So, I couldn't develop new skills to continue growing my craft. Such was not the case with Jill. In fact, her teaching style impressed me so much that I hired her to edit a book project I'd been struggling to finish for eight years. Jill's approach and methodology are so effective that I was able to overcome the roadblocks and finally finish the project in just a few months. I'd highly recommend Jill to anyone seeking to enhance his or her writing and overall skill set. (Frieda Wiley) Author of Telecommuting Psychosis: From Surviving to Thriving While Working in Your Pajama Pants Paperback – September 30, 2022"
"When he called, my Yale admissions officer said he really liked the essay!"
"Awesome! This was the exact kick in the pants, practical writing class I needed to finally start writing! I loved the concrete advice and examples. The combination of exercises, class freewrites, and assignments were wonderful! They will leave me with plenty of inspiration and practical resources to keep me going. Thank You!"
"Cadeem, then a rising high school senior, was well equipped to write (with Jill) his college entrance Personal Statement, Brag Sheet, Scholarship Essays (received a full ride for his freshman year) and other important papers as a direct result of his tutoring sessions with Jill. He enhanced his skills, gained self-confidence and leveraged his authentic voice through his writings--priceless! I would encourage anyone to secure her services as an investment in one’s future!"
"My parents do not have an English background, so I learned language and composition at school. But I lacked a creative edge to my writing, and essays written for English classes were always formulaic and didactic. Jill brought creativity and spontaneity into my writing, and smoothed my structural problems. Because of her, I'm beginning to love writing... for myself, and not just for school." (Coached Julie through three major college admissions essays).
"I highly recommend Jill as a tutor and instructor. She's a great writer, a patient teacher and a very organized, detailed person. Her writing workshop is well worth the time and investment. The classes and her instruction have made me a better writer and more thoughtful reader as well. I look forward to working with Jill again very soon."
"Jill was a great help. To start, she was very accommodating with my tight schedule. She took the time to look over my papers before we actually met so that she could fully understand what I was trying to convey and give me the best possible help in person. Our sessions went really well. She helped me rearrange my thoughts within a well-defined structure and with a consistent theme. Awesome!" (Georgetown University first rejected Jon on the basis of his original essay).
