Clarissa Edwards
Meet Professor Clarissa Edwards - Expert ELA, Debate, Public Speaking & Elementary Education Tutor
Professor Clarissa (Rissa) Edwards is an extraordinary educator, attorney, and university adjunct professor holding a Juris Doctorate from Widener Law School (with coursework at Howard Law School) and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from American University. Residing in Fort Washington, MD, Clarissa focuses her tutoring on families across the Alexandria and Arlington areas. With over 20 years of comprehensive teaching experience spanning Pre-K learners through elementary, middle school, high school, undergraduate, and law students, Clarissa brings an unparalleled depth of pedagogical mastery, curriculum planning, and individual student assessment to her sessions.
Areas Of Expertise:
English Language Arts (ELA), Reading & Writing: Highly experienced in teaching reading, language arts (RELA), writing structure, and vocabulary development. She specializes in ELA for elementary, middle school, and high school students.
Debate & Public Speaking: Expert instructor and former Lead Debate Coach who trains students in formal argumentation, public speaking, litigation skills, and competition preparation for local and national levels.
Elementary Education (All Core Subjects): Deeply experienced in teaching all foundational subjects—including Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies, and Health—for 1st through 5th-grade learners in both public and private school environments.
History & Social Studies / Humanities: Skilled in delivering engaging humanities, history, social studies, and business/legal ethics instruction across middle school, high school, and college grade levels.
Standardized Test Prep (SAT, ACT, LSAT): Experienced in preparing students for standardized assessments, including SAT, ACT, and legal entrance exams (LSAT).
Grade Levels: Strong preference for 1st through 5th grade across all core subjects, as well as middle school, high school, college, and adult learners for ELA, Humanities, Debate, and Public Speaking.
Teaching Philosophy:
"My approach begins with a comprehensive assessment to determine each student's specific strengths and areas for growth. Once I identify their exact learning needs, I design individualized, curriculum-aligned lesson plans tailored to address their specific challenges. Whether working with a young elementary reader or an advanced debate student, I break complex concepts into approachable steps, use differentiated instruction to match their learning style, and provide positive reinforcement to keep them engaged, motivated, and confident in their academic journey."
What Makes Clarissa Special:
20+ Years of Multilevel Teaching & Leadership: Brings over two decades of educational experience, having taught in public elementary schools, private Catholic schools, public charter schools, debate academies, and universities.
Public & Private School Classroom Teacher: Currently serves as a 1st Grade Teacher at Saint Columba Catholic School. Previously served as a 2nd Grade Lead Teacher at Brandywine Elementary School, 6th Grade Humanities Teacher at Legends Public Charter School, and K-5 Lead Teacher at Carmody Hills Elementary School.
Lead Debate Coach & Public Speaking Director: Served as Assistant Director and Lead Debate Coach at Potomac Debate Academy, supervising coaches, training students in competitive debate, and preparing students for national debate tournaments.
University Adjunct Professor & Practicing Attorney: Served as CEO and Lead Attorney for nearly 20 years at CTEdwards, PC. Currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Business Finance, Ethics, and Psychology at Potomac University, Bryant & Stratton College, and previously American National University.
Differentiated Learning & Assessment Expert: Adept at using diagnostic data (such as i-Ready) to create small-group interventions, differentiated instruction for students with special needs or IEP/504 plans, and structured progress tracking for parents.
Education & Achievements:
Juris Doctorate (Corporate Law), Widener Law School / Howard Law School Visiting Student Program.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, American University.