The most rewarding experience of my high school education was studying under the tutelage of Miss Lorraine.  

She insisted that “okay” or “passing” was not enough, and drove me to excel in all of my classes, from Algebra through Calculus, from Basic Composition through Creative Writing and Literary Analysis.   

I learned to write, and to write well, placing three times in the Ayn Rand Essay Contest, an essay  competition with over 5,000 students internationally.  

Miss Lorraine helped me get the most out of my education, and prepared me to take the SAT’s.  As a result, I was able to attain merit scholarships, including the prestigious Paul E. Tsongas Scholarship, which covered all tuition and fees for four years and is awarded only to the top five incoming freshmen at each of the Massachusetts state colleges.  

My writing skills assured that any composition or literature course was a relatively easy and enjoyable sojourn from my major studies.  I now have my Bachelor of Science degree in Facilities and Environmental Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the top maritime school in the nation.

                                      --- Sarah (Gifford) Brown



   
Miss Lorraine 101
Private Tutoring and Small Classes 
 
  since 1994
 
 
 

Parent and Student Comments

Hello Miss Lorraine,

   I just wanted to send a hugeeeee thank you !! 

   I just got my SAT scores back for the October SAT and I improved immensely.   I got a 1720!!!

     I got a 10 on my essay which was two points higher than last time, in math and writing I got a 610 and in critical reading I got a 500,  so I went up in everything which is awesome.    

           Thanks again for all your help!

Sincerely, Kellie Freitas

Hi Lorraine,

That class was the best!!  

Thanks so much for allowing Thomas to try it out.  It was great to see the transition in Tom from when he started until he left you.  It was a complete transformation.  You did a super job with him.  He wil definitely continue. 

               Thanks again,  Jeannine
      Miss Lorraine's Writing Class was a wonderful experience for my son Dylan. Her guidance, enthusiasm and sense of humour encouraged him to develop his writing skills. He looked forward to class and sharing with his fellow students.
      Miss Lorraine is providing an opportunity for the student to not only be highly productive and learn the basics of writing but for each student's creativity to grow & flourish.
     Dylan did very well in the writing portion of the SSAT and has been accepted to a private school for his freshman year.  I am glad that he had taken a course with Miss Lorraine because I know it has given him an excellent foundation for his freshman year.
      I am a homeschooling mom to 4 kids and throughout the past 15 years or so my children have  participated in various classes offered to homeschoolers and I can say without hesitation that this is one of the best out there. I wish I had found her sooner!

Mary Bedford
I had a child who did not like to read and liked to write properly even less.  She had a great imagination for writing short fiction stories but ask her to state an opinion, write something with supporting ideas for her position or even just to critique something she read and it was two sentences and a lot of attitude.

Because I knew being able to put coherent sentences together was extremely important for success in college and life, I was very frustrated.  I heard about Lorraine's classes but because of our schedules we could not attend her classes.  I was thrilled when Lorraine agreed to work with my daughter remotely via the computer.  Plus it would be someone else dealing with the struggles I was having and not me!

I can't say enough about Lorraine's patience and the fact that she tried different approaches to find something that clicked with my daughter.  I'm sure Lorraine was frustrated but she never let it show. Twice a week she was always there encouraging my daughter to find her voice in her writing, including expanding her vocabulary.

I'm happy to say my daughter is in her freshman year in college and my fears about writing being a problem have not materialized.  She even signed up for a second college writing course because she actually is starting to enjoy writing.  I know her much of that good experience is owed to the two years Lorraine spent working with her.  I would recommend Lorraine's classes to anyone, whether you have a prolific writer or a reluctant one.  

Paula Vogler    
 
Lorraine,

 I'm just so excited about this that I had to let you know...

Maddie was working on one of her wind descriptions. When she read it to me, it was just so nice. She said that she imagined being a place she knew well and thought about what the wind might be like there. She also said that she kept reading it again and again to get the words to flow the way she wanted. Wow!

Yes, it's only 3 sentences. No, there is no punctuation. Yes, the spelling is horrendous. But still, wow!

Everything is so hard for her that it often breaks my heart. It's SO nice to see her proud of her output and to see "Maddie" in her work. She has so much to offer in terms of imagination and humor, but it is often trapped :-(

What a gift you have. Thank you!

Carla Rissmeyer
     I absolutely recommend Miss Lorraine’s tutoring services to anyone seeking help with his or her essays. She assisted me with two entries for the Ayn Rand Institute essay contests, both of which I placed very highly in. She was able to provide spot-on constructive criticism to fine-tune my analyses, and at the end of all our revisions, both my essays flowed beautifully, and still maintained my own voice. When it was time for me to write my college application essays, I knew that I should go to her to look them over. I had things that didn’t “feel quite right” or “felt chunky”, but she was able to pinpoint exactly what could be improved. I brought her a pretty big job (six short essays and two long essays, for college admissions and merit scholarships), but Miss Lorraine gave each its due attention, while knowing which ones to focus the most attention on to maximize the value of our tutoring time.

When I showed her the essay I was most nervous about (for a full four-year scholarship), the suggestions she made would’ve changed the entire essay quite dramatically. I was nervous, but I trusted her expertise, and drafted a version with the changes she suggested. When I did, I was glad I did – I loved it. It was creative, and took a big risk, but packed a lot of punch, and turns out it paid off!

Approximately two weeks ago, I received my acceptance letter to my top choice college, Clark University. I also received their highest merit scholarship award, and I am currently a finalist for that big four-year scholarship. Miss Lorraine has been an amazing tutor to me, and I know that my essays would not have been nearly as fantastic without her help. She has always made exactly the right suggestions to improve my work, while keeping the ultimate choice up to me. Her tutoring has helped to enhance my voice and make it clearer, never masking it with her own. I would definitely recommend Miss Lorraine as a tutor to anyone seeking help with important essays – she will not disappoint you!
                                           ~ Marisa Natale 

 Miss Lorraine,   
 
I have nothing but praise for your class.  Nathaniel has always had a difficult time putting thoughts on paper.  He is very creative, he just couldn't seem to write it down.  I have tried everything - writing textbooks, online writing classes, daily word prompts, creative writing exercises.  Nothing seemed to click with him!  He hated every minute and it was a trial for both of us to get through writing class!                       
     
I was skeptical about signing him up for your class only because I felt it would be a waste of money as I knew everything else had failed.

Imagine my surprise (and shock) when he comes home and sits down without complaining and starts writing!  All I do now is remind him about doing his homework, but I don't hear the complaining I used to!  I am thrilled!  Thanks for such a great class and for being so approachable to teens. 

P.S.  - Sarah loves your class as well. It is good for her self-esteem to have peers review her work and you are encouraging her to write in genre's she isn't used to using.           

Have a happy Thanksgiving!      --- Tina

Update:  Congratulations Marisa !!!  
         She snagged that full four year ride!!!   Woot !!
So hi! It's been a little while since we last spoke and I hope all is going well in you world. 

As for me, I moved into college this week out in Oneonta, New York as a Theatre Arts major. I wanted to reach out to you not only to catch up, but also to thank you. It has been said to me that I have a raw talent for writing, but that simply isn't true. I think I was eleven years old (?) when I first came to you and my writing skills were subpar at best. Over a couple of years, however, I had the privilege of learning from you. The structure of writing that you instilled has stayed with me to this day and, where I once struggled, the words now come naturally. 

We took our writing placement exam here at Hartwick College on Friday and out of four-hundred-twenty-two freshman I was one of twenty-six that tested out and do not have a required writing course (translation: I already write at the level I have to be at to graduate college here). So seriously, thank you. I have only reached where I am because of your guidance in the very beginning. 

Best, 
Emma Rey Dias
     Miss Lorraine has been tutoring my 8 year old daughter, who has dyslexia, for a year and a half using the Barton Reading and Spelling System.  

     The improvements that my daughter has made are beyond amazing. I can't say enough good about Miss Lorraine. She is so patient. If my daughter is struggling with something new she is being taught, Miss Lorraine finds any way she can so that my daughter can understand. 

 When we first started, my daughter was reading 3 letter words only, struggling a lot trying to read. Now she reads signs everywhere we go. She looks at the name tags of people when we are shopping, proudly telling me what they say. Last week, she got her first "fancy hard cover" book at the bookstore, came home and started reading without me forcing her.  

Happy does not even begin to explain how I felt. I credit it all to Miss Lorraine! She is amazing!

                      ~Lynn Macaione

As a home-school mother who knew nothing about writing, I was desperate to find some help for my children.  Even though I had been home-schooling for about 16 years at this point, I felt that I knew very little about the mechanics of teaching this subject, and was thrilled when Lorraine offered to help out.  

Lorraine taught 3 of my children over the next few years.  She spent 2 years with the first two, and 1 semester with the 3rd.  I was thrilled with the results achieved with all three.  My oldest was able not only to take, but also to ace, a junior-level English class as a first semester freshman in college.  She went on to major in English and to achieve A's in every class.  Both she and I attribute her success directly to the excellent training she received with Lorraine.  

My second child also developed his ability to write and reason through her training.  He will receive his Associates in Architectural Design at 19, and continues to read both critically and thoughtfully due to her class.  

My third child will graduate this year from high school.  He is better prepared to take the SAT test, and has shown dramatic improvement in his ability to write clearly because Lorraine spent so much time on his vocabulary and writing skills.  Unfortunately, we moved out of state and are no longer able to tap into the wonderful resource of Lorraine's teaching.  Otherwise, my two youngest children would be with her now, and no doubt writing better because of it. 

                        --- Betsy Creisher, 
                          home-school mother of 7 children
Lorraine,

Maddie was very nervous coming to class this morning, but her first comment afterwards was "I LOVED it. I can't wait for next week!" When I reminded her we'd be away on the 3rd she asked me to make sure you'd be emailing the homework 

Miss Lorraine works her magic again!

                          Carla Rissmeyer

Miss Lorraine taught my home-schooled daughter, Sarah, four hours a day, five days a week through her high school years.  Under Miss Lorraine’s tutelage, Sarah learned and excelled at Algebra I and II, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus.  She also studied American Sign Language with Miss Lorraine. This satisfied the requirements for a foreign language.  

Studying literature, composition, grammar, literary analysis, creative writing and SAT preparation with Miss Lorraine, was critical to Sarah obtaining the merit scholarships.  These covered all her tuition and fees for four years of college.  

As a college freshman, Sarah was paid by the school to tutor in English.  In a day fully twenty-five percent of all incoming freshmen required remedial Math and English, it is almost unheard of that a freshman be ask by falculty to tutor.  The monies earned in that capacity covered the high cost of her books and then some.  

In 2008, Sarah graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.  It is largely due to Miss Lorraine that Sarah carries with her today, a minimum of school debt and a maximum of confidence.  That's something else gained largely through Miss Lorraine's tutelage -- that confidence that comes from pushing beyond your comfort zone, meeting a challenge head-on and overcoming it.  That's something that transcends academics and will carry Sarah into a bright future.  --- Kate Gifford, 
Hi Lorraine,

      I have been meaning to let you know how well Sam is doing at School One!  

It took awhile for him to be able to get over his fears and "block" with math, but he is so much less anxious now and actually surpassing everyone's expectations. He is in an early algebra class with others like himself and is doing really well.    
      His PSAT and ACT scores were very good in the humanities and as expected in math. But he doesn't take it so hard now.  He is flourishing in all his subjects especially classes that involve essays.  

You, and your classes, were a huge source of support to Sam to get where he is now.  Thanks so much for all your kindness.

Ann Fritz
Miss Lorraine's class was a treasure for my daughter Colleen. She had developed a strong dislike for writing and had given up.      
I took her to a Miss Lorraine's summer Creative Writing program.  I watched her transform into a child that was eager to write.   I would find her in her room reading her written stories to friends.  

      When the class finished she actually was sad. She had spent years in Public School and had not seen the opportunity for HER style and ideas to develop. 

My youngest two children are currently enrolled in phonics and creative writing with Miss Lorraine.  I would highly recommend Miss Lorraine's classes for the hesitant, or the lover, of writing. She will bring out their best and challenge as well!   

--- Pam Bolton 
    
 


  ~ Just wanted to thank you for all you do!  Cole LOVES your class and he says he never wants to not take it.  
He did not like writing at all before taking your class so thank you!  Paige is hoping she can join next year!

                  ~ Shannon Paul