Sixteen years ago, it was my good fortune to take Alexandra Shelley's class, The Great American Short Story, at the New School.  The class was a portal to the world of writing and literature, and Ms. Shelley has been my guide and mentor ever since.

Ms. Shelley's meticulous preparation, integrating carefully chosen reading, elements of craft, and student work, enhanced the lively and spontaneous atmosphere in class. Her love of literature and respect for the creative process was contagious. She took obvious pleasure in her student's accomplishments.  She facilitated a nurturing atmosphere in which the creative spirit could thrive alongside the critical eye.

Ms. Shelley encouraged her students to form a writing community.  She facilitated interaction in class, arranged public readings for her students, and organized an after-class dinner.  Indeed, enduring friendships and on-going independent writing workshops were formed.  My class was as diverse in age, gender, background, and experience writing as a New School class can be. However, under Ms. Shelley's guidance, writing became the great equalizer, and we discovered just how much we all shared.  We learned that a thriving writing community was essential for our continuing development.

While challenging students to become more thoughtful readers and teaching them how to be constructive critics of their own work, Ms. Shelley imbued her students with the confidence to identify themselves as writers, as well as teaching them the brass tacks of getting published.  She introduced us to the world of professional writing by keeping us informed of lectures and readings taking place around the city.  Many, including myself, have gone on to publish in literary magazines and complete collections of short stories.  Others have gone on to MFA studies and have written novels.

Ms. Shelley has the rare gift of transforming people's lives by recognizing and reflecting back to them the potential waiting to be found.  She is an outstanding teacher who takes her students beyond a course of study to that place where creativity can flourish.

 -Harriet Goldman