Tobi is the Director of Lessons With Tobi (And Friends). Along with teaching, he connects students with tutors who will guide them with intelligence, humor, and kindness.

 

Tobi has taught English and writing to a wide range of students for over ten years. He specializes in coaching students through the process of writing high school and university admissions essays. He believes that, at its core, to teach writing well means teaching students that what they have to say—their own truth—is valuable and compelling.

 

Tobi holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Stanford University. He is also a graduate of Boston University’s M.F.A. program in English and creative writing, where he taught both fiction and poetry to undergraduates. He has served as a visiting artist at Mills College and has led graduate-level poetry workshops in their Master of Fine Arts program. His poetry has appeared in publications including The West Marin Review, Meridian, and Leland Quarterly. 

 

After graduating from Stanford, Tobi lived for several months at Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastery in Southern France. He has spent time working as a shepherd on the island of Crete, and, most recently, lived for several years on a noisy street in Rome, just steps from the Colosseum. He returned to California due to the pandemic and these days can often be found surfing the early morning waves in the inlet of a small village, north of San Francisco, where he lives.

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"Highest recommendation." - Parent

          

"Tobi was a godsend guiding our child through the high school application process.  We can't say enough good things about him." - Parent

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"Tobi was so patient with [my son]. He was also successful in gauging his moods, adjusting to him, getting him to open up, feel confident about what he was writing, etc. [My son]'s essays turned out so thoughtfully written and evoking emotion yet you could definitely hear [his] voice all throughout. We loved working with Tobi and would do so again!"

- Parent

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“Tobi really listens and knows how to connect with his student. He is able to stir up discussion, flesh out topics, and get his student going. He is very patient and encouraging. We are thrilled to be working with him!”  - Parent

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