Durham University, BA Hons English.
I teach English, Maths and Reasoning to primary-aged students. I tutor both for general support and for entrance exams, from 7+ to 11+.
My approach is to teach with calm and warmth, adapting to a student’s passions and interests. Showing how the work we do applies to students’ own lives outside of education is of importance to me. It’s a real benefit that the tailored approach of one-on-one tutoring allows. Fostering confidence is a big priority too, having struggled with it myself as a child. In my mind it’s the best way to encourage curiosity and independent learning. My aim is to give students the space to admit when they don’t understand something or have an area that they perceive as a weakness, as opposed to feeling embarrassed or ashamed in front of a class of their peers.
Outside of tutoring, I am a Script Editor in TV Drama and Film, helping screenwriters and directors to get their shows on screen. On the more experienced end, I am working with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight on his new series, House of Guinness. Much of my work, however, also focuses on newer screenwriters or stand-ups who want to move to fiction, where the goal is to help them realise that there’s an existing structure to screenwriting which can enhance their voice, without it feeling formulaic. To work as a Script Editor you need to have a really in-depth understanding of what constitutes great writing and how small adjustments can enhance the quality and flow of a script. I apply this skill to teaching: I aim to teach my students how small changes to how they write can often transform the quality of their work.
I have experience working with people with ADHD, dyslexia and autism; I am especially proud of the support I have given to SEND pupils to improve their creative writing.