Shayna Pastori MAWriting Advisor

Shayna Pastori started her academic journey at Chico State, where one of her classes required that she teach a freshman composition workshop. The only workshop that fit with my schedule was for ESL students, and it was there that her passion for teaching ESL began. She then graduated from San Francisco State University with a master’s degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages along with a certificate in the teaching of composition. She began teaching while in graduate school, where she worked with students from all over the world. After graduating, she began teaching English and composition at San Francisco State University, the University of San Francisco, and Berkeley City College. She piloted an innovative four-week program for students to learn while being immersed in the city of San Francisco. Additionally, she assisted in the creation of a tutoring program at Berkeley City College. She currently works as a tutor for higher education, working with students in all subject areas.

Through her educational journey, Shayna has fostered a passion for both teaching ESL and teaching composition. She believes confidently expressing oneself through the art of writing is one of the most important skills a person can have, and it is her goal to help each person she works with to excel and feel confident with this skill. To help her students, she employs open-ended discussions and regular video meetings to check in both with the application progress as well as with the client’s headspace and mental health. Shayna will also provide examples, fill-in-the-blanks, and specific questions in her edits to help each client think about their writing from an outsider’s perspective.