Jessica Otto

It was probably inevitable that I would study English in college (BA, University of West Florida…go Argonauts!) From the time I was a child, I was an incurable reader, re-reader, and scribbler-downer.

I have homeschooled my three children for the past eleven years, in settings ranging from urban Florida to dirt-road Virginia. For four years, I taught English as a second language in Guatemala. I love teaching writing and grammar, not only for the solve-the-puzzle delights of diagramming (not everyone gets as excited about that as I do), but also for the sake of seeing a student learn how to better express herself in clear written communication.

In recent years I’ve co-authored three books on grammar: The Diagramming Dictionary, Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind, Yellow Workbook, and How to Diagram Any Sentence. I really mean it when I say I love grammar!

When I’m not teaching, I can most likely be found running the back trails of our Virginia county, or searching for the nearest Starbucks.

On teaching: My classes utilize a great deal of interaction with the students, including frequent in-class exercises, review games, and discussions. I strive to make the classroom feel as “real” and “live” as possible, and I craft each lecture to that end, using slides and practice sessions during each class to engage the students. In my writing classes, I prefer to utilize instructor-led feedback rather than a workshop model.