Our Team

What We Do

Inkwell English Education is a small team of qualified and experienced professionals who support learners in developing reading and writing skills. We offer instruction in English language arts through tutorials and small classes, and we also provide asynchronous electronic editing services for school papers.

Because we are a small company, we can customize our programs so that they uniquely fit individual needs. For tutorials, we begin with an interview, evaluating the current level of a learner and listening carefully to what clients want. Then we collaborate as a team to propose a learning plan and curriculum that will meet clients’ goals.

Committed to excellence and customer satisfaction, we engage all of our expertise to execute the learning plan, adjusting it as students’ needs change. Not only do we care for those we serve as students, but we also care for them as people. Our teachers often go above and beyond clients’ expectations to support students and families holistically.

Most clients opt for a long-term relationship with Inkwell, many of them engaging services for multiple students, but others take advantage of Inkwell’s services for short periods as well.

How Did We Start?

Inkwell’s owner, Karen Boniface, began her career in the classroom in 1975, teaching students to understand and appreciate literature and to improve their writing skills, sometimes privately tutoring them during the summer. Requests for personalized help increased and in 2006 launched what would later be named Inkwell English Education.

Our company has grown from a one-woman enterprise into a team of people equipped to meet students’ needs. The Inkwell team is passionate about our subject and our students, and we’re committed to helping them achieve success. 2016 marks our tenth anniversary, and we’re excited for what the future will bring!

Why Us?

Our teachers are skilled, experienced, and caring professionals who provide quality service.

Inkwell English Education offers unique advantages–

What Do People Say About Us?

Based on a recent survey, parents appreciate Inkwell’s systematic approach and track record of student success. Here are some of the comments they and their children have expressed about us. (Some names have been removed for privacy.)

“We are pleased with the progress our son John made during the five months he tutored with Inkwell English Education. When he first started, the skills and knowledge he had were below the level of expectations of the school he is currently attending. He was confused about grammar and read with poor comprehension. After studying Writing Wraps and DiaGrammar, he writes more confidently because he now understands sentence structure better. Previously, he got Cs on his written papers; now he’s earning As and Bs.

When he tutored at a franchised learning center in the past, typical reading assignments were a couple of paragraphs with questions to answer independently. His Inkwell tutor, however, read and discussed a whole book with him. He learned to slow down and learned what to pay attention to in the text so that he understood it much better. Having the context of a whole book certainly provided superior learning opportunities for him.

Overall, John improved about a grade level. We will likely use Inkwell’s services again in the future, and we recommend Inkwell to our friends.”–B. Jernigan, 11/2017

“In 18 years of guiding the learning of my children I have not seen a better course! You did a wonderful job presenting this material and helping [my children] to understand it. . . . Please, please, continue teaching our children.”

“The tutor’s patience and insight are important to me and valuable to my sons. That’s why I’m willing to travel 40 minutes each way to provide the learning opportunity for my boys.”

“My two older children are now both in grad school, and . . . they both have tremendously benefited from what [was] taught them. Upon entering college, the remark that both my older children received from college professors was how well they could write. I am so grateful for what my children have learned.”

“The tutor loves her students and is a gifted teacher. She is passionate about the English language and loves to share her passion and knowledge with others.”

“My son, who always struggled with writing, received the first place award in a writing contest . . . at Wheaton. He attributes his skills to the training he had.”

“My two daughters took senior essay classes from Inkwell’s services.
 Both were admitted to Carnegie Mellon (first) and UC Berkeley (second).”

“The tutor is a model of diligence and, more importantly, love of learning for the students.”

“I appreciate the tutor’s love of young people as well as [the tutor’s] desire to see them succeed academically and personally.”