Khadijah Zaman

My experience as a tutor has taught me many essential skills needed when dealing with children, with one example being adaptability. I believe that teaching is not a 'one size fits all' approach, and that in order to allow every student to reach their full potential we must adjust our teaching methods to accommodate for the needs and interests of each individual student. Recently I decided to gamify the learning process for one of my students, by creating a game to help him widen his vocabulary for his Verbal Reasoning exam. In doing so, I was able to make the lessons more interactive and engaging, rather than having him passively memorise words. I believe doing so also teaches children to love the learning process rather than find it tedious, as the aim is to not only teach students, but also inspire and drive them to achieve their full potential.

However, working with children also requires skills such as patience and empathy. As a tutor, I strive to create a welcoming learning environment for my students, wherein they feel comfortable asking questions without fear of judgement. In addition to this, I ask my students a series of follow up questions after I have explained a concept to ensure they have fully understood the content being taught. This allows me to deliver high quality teaching that stays with students long term as it ensures they have fully understood a concept rather than simply having memorised it. My overall aim is to instil a passion for learning in my students, and to foster a sense of ambition and drive within them.