Structuring an Argument Essay Using They Say/I Say and Four or Five-Paragraph Format

by Larry Alexander  |  Tutor With Larry  |  tutorwithlarry.com Why Structure Matters in Argument Writing A strong goal when crafting arguments means showing your view clearly, supporting it with evidence, yet leading people step by step through logic. Essays in English 101 and 102 work like talks — ideas bump into one another, react, thenContinue reading “Structuring an Argument Essay Using They Say/I Say and Four or Five-Paragraph Format”

What to Look for in an Online English Tutor

by Larry Alexander | Tutor With Larry | tutorwithlarry.com Do you have a fondness for English classes, or perhaps find them less appealing, or is your stance somewhere in between? During my high school years, I struggled academically until I encountered Jeanne Edwards, a teacher who inspired me to hone my writing abilities and improveContinue reading “What to Look for in an Online English Tutor”

Navigating Subject-Verb Agreement: A Guide for College Students

by Larry Alexander  |  Tutor With Larry  |  tutorwithlarry.com Why Subject-Verb Agreement Matters For college students, clearly communicating your ideas is a key part of academic writing. One small rule can change a sentence from feeling shaky to being solid: subject-verb agreement. When you understand this rule, your meaning comes through clearly. Readers can navigateContinue reading “Navigating Subject-Verb Agreement: A Guide for College Students”

Bridging the Gap: How Closed Sessions is Shaping a New Hip-Hop Renaissance—and Why Self-Knowledge Must Be Part of It

by Larry Alexander  |  tutorwithlarry.com  |  Updated 2025 Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.  — Doug E. Fresh Hip-hop don’t have no fresh energy, none at all. It’s money driven, everybody tryin’ to make that check, nobody putting art in their albumsContinue reading “Bridging the Gap: How Closed Sessions is Shaping a New Hip-Hop Renaissance—and Why Self-Knowledge Must Be Part of It”

How Hip-Hop Can Help Teens Understand Themselves Better

I recently came across this great little video on YouTube from 2016 called “Finding Yourself Through Hip-Hop.” The video is a reminder of how hip-hop can be used in the classroom to help students write and record different emotional experiences, help them to articulate and analyze their experiences, and help them to understand themselves andContinue reading “How Hip-Hop Can Help Teens Understand Themselves Better”

The Significance of Self-Knowledge in Hip-Hop Music

“Well, hip-hop is what makes the world go around.” Snoop Dogg “Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.” Doug E. Fresh “Bebop and hip-hop, in so many ways, they’re connected. A lot of rappers remind me so much of bebop guys in termsContinue reading “The Significance of Self-Knowledge in Hip-Hop Music”

Pump It Up: Voter Outreach by Black Fraternities and Sororities Can Help to Elect Kamala Harris President

Black fraternities and sororities, commonly known as the Devine Nine, have taken an active interest in the 2024 presidential election. The Devine Nine has a long history of political and social activism, so their involvement in the 2024 election is part of that history.  The Divine Nine refers to the nine historically Black Greek-letter organizationsContinue reading “Pump It Up: Voter Outreach by Black Fraternities and Sororities Can Help to Elect Kamala Harris President”

Can You Teach Math Using Rap Music?

Malaika Costello-Dougherty is a writer for Edutopia.  In this informative 2009 article, she describes how Daniel Joseph Duey and Alex Kajitani use hip-hop beats to teach math to their middle school students. Then see what you think of two YouTube videos: One is a 2011 video on Math Rap by Mathodman, and the other is Mr. A’s 2017 Math Rap. Duey is a professionalContinue reading “Can You Teach Math Using Rap Music?”

Hip-Hop in the Classroom?

Harnessing the Power of Hip-Hop in Education: An Exploration Imagine driving down the street when suddenly a car pulls up alongside, blaring a hip-hop track filled with potent lyrics, pulsating beats, and raw energy. The music reverberates through your body, making you acutely aware of its presence. Then, just as quickly as it arrived, theContinue reading “Hip-Hop in the Classroom?”

What Is Critical Thinking—and Why Does It Matter?

by Larry Alexander  |  Tutor With Larry  |  tutorwithlarry.com When I first began teaching English at Prairie State College, I noticed something that surprised me. My students could read. Many of them could write a decent sentence. But when I asked them to evaluate what they had just read—to question it, to weigh it, toContinue reading “What Is Critical Thinking—and Why Does It Matter?”