Anna Linehan

I believe it is super important to focus on and mould my teaching to the client's preferred learning style!

Details of Experience:
During my gap year I tutored A-Level Chemistry and Biology to five students from my Sixth form for 9 months. This involved creating lesson plans that included going over student-requested content in an interactive manner, for example using practice exam questions and memory games. The 9 month period that I tutored these individuals helped me to build strong interpersonal relationships with my students, which I believe curated a comfortable environment for the students to learn in.
During my third year at University, I was a mentor for the first year students within the School of Biological Sciences. This took place in a more casual manner, and so session plans were often based off of student requests during the session. This was in a group setting, which provided a challenge to accommodate to all students, and so involved creating worksheets, practice questions and games of varying difficulties to give students options during the sessions.

My teaching skills:
I have been able to develop key teaching qualities through my range of experience, such as the ability to deliver lesson plans involving complex academic concepts in a clear and uncomplicated way. My experience in academic and tutoring has refined my technical knowledge and confidence surrounding teaching difficult content. My friendly personality is an advantage as I am a very approachable teacher who is happy to answer any questions from my students. I also believe I am an active listener that centres the experience of the student, a skill which I have developed through not only my tutoring experience but my volunteer experience at Mencap with people with learning disabilities. Working alongside students with a variety of abilities has refined my ability to adapt lessons to suit the student, as well as to ensure I use a patient approach that gives the student time to adjust to new and difficult concepts. Teaching within both individual and group settings has challenged and developed my ability to organise, plan and deliver effective sessions in a specific time slot, which I believe is vital to being a successful tutor.