Mary C. Kim

I've been in education since 2000, starting with adjunct faculty work and freelance writing before becoming a college professor of English at Savannah College of Art and Design from 2004 to 2020. Since COVID, I've been an online teacher working with students in grades 4 through 12, teaching English enrichment, writing enrichment, SAT/ACT English test prep, creative writing, academic writing, and competition writing. My typical day involves preparing by reading all the materials I assign my students, designing and customizing questions, grading and commentating on their work, developing PowerPoints, assembling relevant poetry links and examples, and what I call 'pre-searching' - identifying potential literary markets and contests that would be relevant for my students. I'm particularly proud that approximately 75% of my students win gold key, silver key, or at least honorable mention in the Scholastic's writing competition. I've also helped students enter their college of choice through early decision, including Cornell, NYU, University of Pennsylvania, and various UCs. But what drives me isn't the prizes or awards - writing saved my life. My environment during childhood was violent and abusive, and I had to learn how to want to live again. The inspirational works of my literary foremothers and forefathers, my literary ancestors, provided a psychological ladder towards happiness, and I kept climbing. By osmosis and desire, I became a writer. Ultimately, that's what I hope to impart to my students - not the prizes, not the awards, but the psychological ladder towards happiness that they can always climb, regardless.