I work with students and parents to construct a teaching plan that meets their needs and goals. For some, this has taken the form of taking students through the course content and fleshing out their understanding of the historical background. But more often, I will use an essay that the student has written in class as the basis for a lesson. I will then use this to help them identify strengths and weaknesses, whether it be with structure, analysis, or content. From there, we will attempt to rebuild this essay from the ground up, with a mind towards these key areas of improvement. I have found that this process not only helps us target the areas that provide the greatest sense of academic return, but also help in building up a students confidence in taking an idea and taking ownership of it to construct a convincing essay.