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"From the very first day, Professor Lori made us feel seen, supported, and capable of more than we ever imagined. She doesn't just teach English – she teaches confidence, courage, and the joy of learning. Her classroom is a safe space where mistakes are okay, progress is celebrated, and every student feels like they matter." |
Academic English
Lori currently specializes in helping high-intermediate to advanced English students (B1-C1) perfect their language skills, but has also worked with low-intermediate and non-literate students as well.
She regularly teaches reading/writing classes and listening/speaking classes, and has also taught a variety of electives, including Learning English Through Pop Music (a course she created), English Through Movie Musicals (another course she created), Preparation for Undergraduate Studies, IELTS Preparation, and Handwriting and Vocabulary. She ran a popular weekly drop-in grammar clinic for students as well.
She enjoys helping students learn the English they need to reach their academic and professional goals.
Lori currently specializes in helping high-intermediate to advanced English students (B1-C1) perfect their language skills, but has also worked with low-intermediate and non-literate students as well.
She regularly teaches reading/writing classes and listening/speaking classes, and has also taught a variety of electives, including Learning English Through Pop Music (a course she created), English Through Movie Musicals (another course she created), Preparation for Undergraduate Studies, IELTS Preparation, and Handwriting and Vocabulary. She ran a popular weekly drop-in grammar clinic for students as well.
She enjoys helping students learn the English they need to reach their academic and professional goals.
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"Overall, I really enjoyed the approach we took to learning about and analyzing poetry. It wasn't forced in any way, nor did it feel like torture the way high school poetry class tends to be. Professor Lori has cracked the formula on how to make this approachable for everyone." |
Honors College
Because of her widely recognized teaching skill, Lori was asked to teach a required course in the George Mason University Honors College, Reading in the Arts. Drawing on her experience as a poet, she fashioned her section into a survey of contemporary poetry with a creative writing component. The class proved popular even among students with little to no background in creative writing or poetry and is now part of the Honors College's regular offerings.
Because of her widely recognized teaching skill, Lori was asked to teach a required course in the George Mason University Honors College, Reading in the Arts. Drawing on her experience as a poet, she fashioned her section into a survey of contemporary poetry with a creative writing component. The class proved popular even among students with little to no background in creative writing or poetry and is now part of the Honors College's regular offerings.
Training and Experience
Lori holds a Master's in Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language and has worked at George Mason University as an English instructor for international students since 2013. She has also worked in similar programs at Virginia Tech and Georgetown University. She won the INTO Mason Linda Schwartzstein Faculty Excellence Award both in 2019 and in 2021, and the John Pope Service Award in 2021.
Before focusing on ESL, Lori developed and led train-the-trainer workshops for a national AmeriCorps program designed to teach farmworkers how to protect themselves from pesticides. She also taught children for years in a variety of settings, including as a preschool music and movement teacher, a drama consultant for kindergarteners, a substitute teacher, and a Girl Scout Leader.
Building on her undergraduate degree from Hamilton College in Creative Writing, her years of publishing pieces in literary journals and anthologies, and her work as a Visiting Poet for Arlington County Public Schools, Lori was also accepted to the George Mason University MFA Creative Writing program in Poetry in 2020 and graduated with her MFA in 2024.
Lori holds a Master's in Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language and has worked at George Mason University as an English instructor for international students since 2013. She has also worked in similar programs at Virginia Tech and Georgetown University. She won the INTO Mason Linda Schwartzstein Faculty Excellence Award both in 2019 and in 2021, and the John Pope Service Award in 2021.
Before focusing on ESL, Lori developed and led train-the-trainer workshops for a national AmeriCorps program designed to teach farmworkers how to protect themselves from pesticides. She also taught children for years in a variety of settings, including as a preschool music and movement teacher, a drama consultant for kindergarteners, a substitute teacher, and a Girl Scout Leader.
Building on her undergraduate degree from Hamilton College in Creative Writing, her years of publishing pieces in literary journals and anthologies, and her work as a Visiting Poet for Arlington County Public Schools, Lori was also accepted to the George Mason University MFA Creative Writing program in Poetry in 2020 and graduated with her MFA in 2024.
Courses Taught
- HNRS 122 Reading in the Arts: Contemporary Poetry
- Core 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Focusing on reading, writing, and grammar)
- OCS 4, 5, 6, 7 (Focusing on listening, speaking, and grammar)
- Learning English Through Pop Music
- Learning English Through Movies and Musicals
- Developing Vocabulary
- Preparation for Undergraduate Study
- IELTS Preparation
- Handwriting and Vocabulary
Service and Leadership
- Chair, INTO Mason Faculty Affairs Standing Committee, 2019-present
- Co-Chair, INTO Mason Adjunct Recognition Task Force, 2022
- Chair, INTO Mason Faculty Assembly, 2020-2021
- Vice-Chair, INTO Mason Faculty Assembly, 2019-2020
- Chair, INTO Mason Grammar Task Force, 2019
- Chair, INTO Mason Transparency and Communication Task Force, 2016-2017
Presentations
- "Academic Success in the U.S.," at INTO Mason Student Orientation: January 12, 2026; August 18, 2025; May 14, 2025; January 13, 2025; August 19, 2024; May 8, 2024; January 12, 2024; October 13 and August 14, 2023; and August 16, 2022 (with Esther Kim), May 18, 2022 (with Esther Kim), and January 19, 2022.
- "Studentship-and What Teachers Can Do to Promote It," at GMU Stearns Center Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference, October 6, 2023.
- "Being Successful in Remote Learning," at INTO Mason Student Orientation, with Esther Namubiru and Noele Simmons, August 20, 2021.
- “Remote Learning Teaching Hacks Panel,” organized by Scott Musfeldt, INTO Mason Professional Education Week, February 18, 2021.
- “A Week in the Life of a Core Class,” at INTO Mason Professional Education Day, September 20, 2019.
- “Creating More Authentic Writing Tasks,” at INTO Mason Faculty Conference, May 13, 2019.
- “Peer Exchange Writing Reviews in the EFL Writing Context,” at INTO Mason Professional Education Day Roundtable Discussion, February 16, 2018.
- “Implementing Student-Led Discussions in OCS Classes,” at INTO Mason Brown Bag Session, with Sarah Steadman and McKenzie Rachlin, November 28, 2017.
- “Including Authentic Literature in Core Classes,” at INTO Mason Brown Bag Session, November 21, 2017.
- “Creating Grammar Jeopardy Games,” at INTO Mason Professional Education Day, May 14, 2015.
- “Creating a Customized Search Engine: Making the Internet Manageable for Your Students,” with Chip Hayes at the Washington Area TESOL Conference, April 27, 2013.
- “Expert Training Techniques,” AFOP AmeriCorps Orientation and Graduation, 1996.
- “Planning and Running Effective Meetings,” AFOP In-Service Training, 1996.
- “Effective Multi-Site Management,” AmeriCorps Renewal Conference, 1996.
- “Stretching Your Personnel Dollars: Using Volunteers in Your Program,” AFOP National Technical Assistance and Training Conference, 1996.
- “Unique Approaches to Promoting Pesticide Safety with Farmworkers,” with Diane Mull and Beth Outterson, for National Institute for Farm Safety, June 1996.