Erik

Tutoring Experience

I have successfully mentored three students to gain places at Oxford University. This included 1 E/M Student and 2 History students. I mentored these students from August to January, helping them write their personal statement, prepare for the entry exam, and then finally practice interviews.

In addition, I have also tutored GCSE History for a total of between 15 and 20 hours in small classes of 4-5 people. These lessons were student-led addressing their concerns and focussed mainly on improving the skills required for answering exam questions and offering insights into how to access the top tier marks. This involved me translating information from the examiner's report and mark scheme into a simpler and more readable guide for the students, which led to improved performance in exams. Particularly because it meant students gained appreciation for the various ways different styles of exams questions needed to be answered.

Alongside this I have also tutored students 1 on 1 for GCSE Geography and Maths who were aiming for the lower marks, aiming to achieve a pass in the exam. This meant I altered my teaching approach and in turn meant two-thirds of the students I mentored received or surpassed their target grade - mainly around the C bracket.

Tutoring Approach

From teaching History courses to various students at my state school, I learned the advantages of teaching the subject through discussion and the use of interactive primary sources.

This brought engagement to the classes (usually involving 5-10 students) and raised the confidence of students to speak their thoughts; both of which were crucial attributes when it came to directing attention towards past exam questions. Their engagement and confidence raised through my previous teaching approach allowed them to answer exam questions in a more successful manner.

A typical lesson is usually for around an hour. I wish to end the tutorial by explaining to the student the skills that they have learned or used in that hour, and how they can be applied elsewhere in the course or even to other subjects that they study.