Olivia Wolfe

Biography

I believe education is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and others. As an aspiring academic, I am committed to helping students build their critical thinking skills, confidence and curiosity. I’ve tutored with Teach for America, where I was trained in a culturally-sensitive student first teaching philosophy that I adhere to to this day. I’ve also tutored both creative and academic writing on a collegiate level. I even spent a few years as an art teacher, where I learned the importance of allowing student interests to drive my lesson plans!

Born in Illinois and raised in Palo Alto, I attended Palo Alto High School before earning my double major in English and History from the University of Southern California. While I’ve always had a passion for English, I also know what it feels like to struggle with subjects. In high school, I found History to be incredibly tedious. I felt like an automaton, endlessly memorizing names and dates that didn’t mean much to me. It wasn’t until college that I discovered that English and History are sister disciplines! Where English students build arguments to explain fictional texts, History students draw from primary sources to make arguments about our world. Developing strong historical thinking skills is critical to understanding how to move through the world, and I’m incredibly passionate about sharing the sense of meaning and excitement I find in the discipline with my students.

Since both English and History are fundamentally concerned with turning reading into argument, my tutoring approach is centered on the craft of writing. I help students generate ideas, build strong structures for their arguments, and practice critical thinking in a way that feels supportive rather than stressful. I focus on tailoring each session to a student’s needs, creating a safe environment to experiment, make mistakes, and grow. If you struggle with writing, I can help you turn it from a source of frustration into a tool for self-expression. There’s nothing I love more than watching a student discover just how fun writing can be!

Outside of tutoring, I enjoy hiking, painting, and live music—especially folk music!