Everyone knows high school can be a difficult time for students, but I like to teach them that English, and reading, can actually be a kind of sanctuary for them. Many of their internal or external struggles are actually symbolized by characters and situations in the books they're reading, and this can actually be quite empowering. It's also important, as an educator and tutor, to study the student. For advanced work, I start by using their interests to find writers whose work branches off into connected ideas and themes. If a student is struggling or discouraged, it's important to reintroduce the texts in a way they relate to them. This is also one of the bigest challenges of my job, and one I haven't failed yet.