Maria - Gcse English Literature And Language Tutor :)

How my sessions work:
Through my sessions I provide my students with the skills and confidence to revise independently. I adapt my personalised lesson plans based on the student's area of difficulty, whether that be gaps in knowledge, understanding of the texts, exam technique or revision methods. As a university student myself, I empathise and understand the stress of the exam period and am very mindful of the workload that young people have in this time. I have ADHD and had a rather difficult time in school, so I welcome those with additional needs or have had long periods of absence. I am an advocate that, although learning can be more challenging due to things outside of our control, every student should be able to feel confident in their abilities and have the resources to try their best in their exams.

I tend to use Zoom for my classes, with a shared document between myself, my student and their guardian to keep track of what we have covered in case things need to be revisited. I like to establish a learning plan in the first session so that we can decide as a team which areas need prioritising. I encourage my students to work in whatever manner they find best, and I will accommodate. For instance, Zoom has a whiteboard feature for me to model mind-map tasks on for the student to complete in their own notebook. I would strongly advise that my students use pens and paper, because writing things down helps you to understand the information. Plus, they can decorate it, which can make them more likely to engage with their notes at a later date.

I aim to create a relaxed atmosphere of mutual respect. Any additional work I recommend is simply in the student's best interest to complete, but I understand how stressful exams are and how packed a young person's schedule can be, so I would not punish my students over this. This is tutoring, after all, it is additional for students who want to improve and should be treated as such.