Whyken Tutors and Whyken Tuition

Personal Description:
From an early age I have been extremely enthusiastic about mathematics and since leaving education, and before I chose to pursue a career in education, I have been fascinated by learning and problem solving. I am currently a teacher in a new school in Hackney, East London. The college is for 14-18 year olds so I specialise in GCSE and A-Level maths teaching. We cater for a range of different backgrounds and abilities which requires the staff to have a wide ranging skill-set. I have previously taught for 5 full years, including 2 years at a 4-18 international school, and have 3 years teaching experience in the UK. My previous school was an independent international school. In all my years as a teacher I have taught GCSE classes and have come to have a sound knowledge of both AQA and Edexcel curriculums. I am also aware that GCSEs serve 2 purposes - one to gain a specific skill set and acquire subject knowledge, the other to achieve a prestigious and important qualification. I have worked in business for several years since completing a maths masters degree at Leeds University. As a relatively new teacher I have a fresh perspective on current barriers to learning and misconceptions within my chosen subject.

Teaching Experience:
1 year working in East London, 2 years overseas in the Dominican Republic (students are 95% native Spanish speakers), 3 years in England, 1 year PGCE training incorporating placements at 2 schools in Louth (North East Lincolnshire), trained at Lincoln BGUC. I am currently curriculum leader for maths at my college and have been acting head of department at my previous school.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe the key to learning is presenting a new topic in a way that the learner can engage with best. I would aim to break a complex problem down into smaller more manageable parts. Maths is a subject where each new concept is just a collection of previously learnt skills or techniques used in a specific way. I would visit the house of the tutee under the supervision of a parent. Also, if acceptable, I would try to involve a parent in the tuition process so that they can work with the tutee at a later date, if they thought it would help. I am happy to set additional work to be finished between tuition sessions, if the parent and tutee consent to this. I aim to not only help the tutee in acquiring the grade they want but also to improve their confidence in maths and help inspire them to enjoy the subject more.

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Personal Description:
I have a BA (Hons) degree in Acting which I received at Birmingham School of Acting. I have 11 years performing experience; this combined with the inspiring training I absorbed in drama school gives me extensive knowledge and insight into my specialised area. During my training I was awarded a Laurence Olivier Bursary by the Society of London Theatre for being one of the most promising actors in the UK. I was also nominated for the Carleton Hobbs Radio Award, recording at the BBC. I have attended workshops at the Royal Shakespeare Company and was extremely privileged to be selected to perform & attend workshops at Shakespeare's Globe at the Sam Wanamaker Festival in 2010.

I am a professional actor, director & writer as well as a tutor; so am able to understand the importance of each perspective and explain and explore the possibilities within these areas.

Teaching Experience:
I have a PTLLS Teaching Qualification so am able to organise my knowledge and teaching plans to suit my student's needs.

I understand that student's have their own learning style and my role is to discover, adapt and then help them explore within that style.

Tutoring Approach:
Positivity, relaxation, bravery, understanding writing and a respectful connection to your emotional core are what I believe makes an actor special.

I will give you the tools and encourage you to reach your highest potential in the specialist area you would like to explore.

I will teach you to stretch your imagination in order to make the bravest, most exciting acting choices.

My specialist areas are Classical Acting, Contemporary Theatre, Physical Theatre, Psychological Realism, Stage Combat, Acting through Song, Performance Art, Vocal Technique, Comedy, Contemporary Dance, Audition Technique, Stage, Screen and Broadcast.

I am excited at the prospect of sharing my knowledge and insight to inspire the inner greatness out of my students!

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Personal Description:
If you needed a doctor, dentist or lawyer then you would want someone who was fully qualified and very experienced. So don't settle for anything less when you need a tutor. To get the best out of your tutoring, and hence the exam grades you want, make sure that you are getting the following:

1. Someone who will sit beside you and teach you in person. If the covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything then it has taught us that online tutoring can't hold a candle to having a teacher in the same room as you.

2. Insist on someone who is a qualified teacher. Just because someone has passed a few exams themselves doesn't mean that they will be able to teach their subject well. That's precisely why we have teacher training, to help people learn how best to convey that knowledge to others.

3. Insist on someone with plenty of experience. Practice may not make perfect, but it usually does make one a lot better, and this is often the case in teaching.

4. It's very important that a tutor knows their subjects very well and really enjoys them. Without both of these they are never going to be a good teacher.

Let's see how I measure up to these criteria. Well, I only teach in person, and from my home. On several occasions I have been offered online work, but always refused it, as I really do believe that I would be offering students a much inferior service. I have a Joint Honours B.Sc. in chemistry and physics, and for my PGCE my main subject was mathematics, and my secondary subject was physics. So I am well qualified in all the subjects that I offer: maths, further mathematics, chemistry and physics. My PGCE is from the University of Leeds, which has a very good reputation for its teacher training. I also have many years classroom and tutoring experience. As for knowing and enjoying my subjects, those who come to me for tutoring can see my large collection of maths, chemistry and physics books. I have also had a subscription to Scientific American for decades. I read maths and science for fun. Maybe that's why I gave up a very lucrative career as a software engineer to become a teacher. This is also why usually I only offer tutoring at A-level or equivalent, because I particularly enjoy teaching at this level. However, I am currently accepting a limited number of Y11 Higher Level Maths GCSE students.

Students studying maths might also be interested to know that I have written books about the best graphics calculators and also the Classwiz. So it's very likely that I'll be able to show you how to use your calculator much more effectively, which could save you time and mistakes in your exam.

Over the years many students, and their parents, have been very happy with my tutoring. Perhaps you will be too.

Please also note that I ONLY TUTOR FROM MY HOME: no exceptions. Among other reasons, this allows me to teach many more students, some of whom have been known to travel a considerable distance in order to get the right tutor.

Teaching Experience:
Let me be very frank. In the UK teaching in most schools is much less enjoyable than in many other countries. Behaviour, and what the school is prepared to spend on a teacher are often major issues. For students who genuinely want to learn this has serious implications. How qualified and experienced a teacher is may not be be a school's main recruitment criteria. Foremost may be their cost. A well qualified and experienced teacher will cost significantly more than a much younger one, so many older teachers' applications are often passed over. Also much greater weight may be given to classroom "management" skills, rather than the ability to teach ones subject.

Most of my time teaching in the classroom has been spent abroad, with a lot of it in private schools. For these schools neither behaviour nor salary is a major issue, so they recruit and retain teachers based on how well they can teach their subjects. This is the environment in which I have done my many years of classroom teaching. My years in the classroom have been spent in schools where ones teaching ability is paramount.

In regard to tutoring, this has been my main source of income for the past ten years, and most of this time has been spent teaching A-level, or the equivalent. It's probably fair to say that I spend many more hours teaching A-level than most classroom teachers, and as such I know what most students need, and where they are likely to experience difficulties.

Among the schools whose students I have recently tutored are: Ashmole Academy, Dame Alice Owen`s School, Enfield County School, Enfield Grammar School, Highlands School, Hockerill Anglo-European College, Princess Helena College, Southgate School, St. Michael`s Catholic Grammar School, The Latymer School, The Royal Masonic School for Girls, and Woodhouse College.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that when it comes to teaching I know my subjects very well. So you don't have to tell me in advance what you require help with. If you come to me for tutoring you will be able to ask me, on the fly, about any maths, physics or chemistry that you are having problems with, and I would expect to give you good help immediately.

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Personal Description:
My name is María. I´m a enthusiastic and motivated teacher willing to help you to learn everything you want to know about Spanish language and culture. I believe in a practice-based learning. I think every language is alive and we shouldn't learn it as a dead theory.

I also teach English as a foreign language.

Teaching Experience:
I'm a qualified teacher with a Spanish-teaching title recognized by University of Barcelona and International House World Organization. I also have a Masters in teaching secondary and languages education (PGCE) and a Bachelors in Fine Arts. I have experience working in secondary schools and adult education in the UK.

I think Art and Language are very close to each other, both of them play an important roll in the world's communication system and in the development of society. Art&Language are pure culture and a very important thing in the development of children too.

Tutoring Approach:
I believe that teaching Spanish is much more than teaching a bunch of grammar rules, it's teaching our art, gastronomy, our understanding of life… in short, our culture.

I use a communicative approach to the language, so grammar is always in context and at the service of real communication skills.

I focus on the objectives and needs of each student or small group. In the first lesson I will give you a level test and a content negotiation where you can tell me what grammar and cultural topics you are more interested in and how you prefer to learn them. You are the protagonist of your own education!

To teach in the best possible way I use a wide range of activities that I prepare to fit you.

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Personal Description:
I am a very dedicated, patient and outgoing person. I am fluent in French, English and Hindi. I have good communication and organizational skills as I have been team leader for different projects both at university and at my place of work. What I have to offer is an approach to tutoring which will be fun, engaging and challenging on all individual levels, adjusted to their preferred progression pace. I am currently studying Psychology at Kingston University. I have an A-Level certificate bearing an A grade in French and I must say I have always loved the subject.

Teaching Experience:
I gave private tuitions in French and Mathematics up to GCSEs for more than 3 years now, with a group of 8 students. Throughout my experience, I have developed excellent teaching skills and I am now confident in guiding students to the rightful path and help them achieve excellent grades.

Tutoring Approach:
I can easily put myself in the skin of my students and try to turn complicated things into simple terms. I try to maintain a friendly relationship with my students and at the same time be very professional at work. The most important thing to remember is that I was and still am a student, which helps me understand what is expected from a teacher. I also keep track of the student's progress and use different methods such as exam papers which I find very useful to achieve the desired grades to motivate them. Also, I always try to make the student do the same exercises more than once as practice makes perfect. I want to develop a career in teaching hence any experience will be valuable for me.

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Personal Description:
Currently I work on many Department for Education projects striving to improve the quality of education across the UK, particularly in the area of mental health and effective teaching. I also work as an education consultant delivering training internationally to students and teachers alike.

I am a supportive and encouraging tutor, with many years experience as a qualified teacher and many more as a private tutor on a 1:1/small group level. I am educated to Masters Level in Health Psychology and Education, so I am certainly no stranger to education myself!

In my "spare" time, I am studying for a PhD in Psychological Medicine at Kings College London.

I have worked with young children starting out on their education journey through to Bachelor and Masters Level University degrees.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked with young children starting out on their education journey through to Bachelor and Masters Level University students.

Whilst my subject specialism is Psychology, I have taught across a range of subjects with enthusiasm, which ensures that I have an excellent track record of students gaining exam results which exceed their minimum target grades, with many meeting their aspirational target grades.

I have taught in a range of education settings which include: primary and secondary schools, Pupil Referral Units, Further and Higher Education. This includes working with individuals of all abilities and backgrounds, including having experience in working with individuals who may have special educational needs or have English as a second language.

This has been in a variety of subjects which include: Entrance Exams, English, Maths, Science, Health, Psychology and Humanities, among others.

I have taught extensively online as well as in person.

I am fortunate enough to be an Examiner of KS2, GCSE and A-Level providing me with a detailed insight into a range of exam boards.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly and supportive tutor who can be relied upon to provide the best quality lessons. I like to incorporate humour and fun, tailoring my lessons to the needs and interests of the students I am delivering to.

For higher level tutees such as those at university. I integrate academic skills whilst supporting then with the planning and implementation of assignments, dissertations, exam preparation and more.

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Personal Description:
I currently work in a school in Shropshire. I have full DBS checks and work with children regularly

Teaching Experience:
I have recently started to teach Mandarin to children. I have also taught EAL for many years.

Tutoring Approach:
The key to Mandarin is mastering the tones at an early stage and this has always been my approach to learning.

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Personal Description:
I have always enjoyed being around children and supporting them towards their personal development. I love watching their progression and helping them to achieve full potential.
I graduated in 2005 in the field of Philology, majoring in Teaching of the French Language.
I was working both in primary and high schools in Poland.
I have learnt there how to identify and find ways to effectively aid the learning and meet pupils' needs in ways which appeal to and best help them develop and gain a beneficial experience from their education so that they can achieve their full potential.
I taught Polish, English and French. The range of my clients was very diverse. I've been teaching children from various age groups, from as young as six up to thirteen years old, some with learning difficulties. I was also working with adults' casual learners and company directors with foreign capital or students who were going to work abroad.

Teaching Experience:
2016 freelancer -private tutor- teaching Polish, French and English, including clients with special needs

Tutoring Approach:
I offer an approach to teaching adapted to the individual needs, personalised style of teaching.
As a keen student of foreign languages, mainly French, I am also passionate about teaching languages to students at the earliest possible age. Languages open the door to exciting opportunities in life and providing children with language skills at an age when they are most receptive to absorbing information will allow them to make the most of these in future.

My time in school and as a private tutor has developed my philosophy of valuing each student as an individual, as well as part of a community. I aim to give me students as many learning opportunities and experiences as possible in order to engage, motivate to take more responsibility for their own learning.

I feel it is essential to make learning exciting and creative; therefore, I always make my lessons interactive, give students choices and relate teaching program to their point of interest.

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Personal Description:
I am a teacher, novelist, and musician from Scotland. I have tutored for many years and taught at preparatory schools. I have also taught English abroad (Italy & Brazil).

I enjoy helping students to overcome their difficulties and find ways to enjoy the language and culture.

Lessons at my house or yours.
Online tutoring is a great way to work on your language (rates negotiable).

Teaching Experience:
12 years with First Tutors, from beginners, through Common Entrance, GCSE and A-level to university.
6 years with Greater London Tutorial Agency/Top Tutors
Latin, Ancient Greek & English:
12 years Classics, Hall Grove, Bagshot.
1 year at Academy School, Hampstead.

Creative Writing: 2 year University of Portsmouth
2 years Islington Summer University.

English as Foreign Language:
1 year St Giles, Sao Paulo, Brazil;
2 years English Academy, Molfetta, Italy, including PET, CAE, CPE, IELTS, TOEFL.

I also teach guitar, bass, piano and Italian.

Tutoring Approach:
Most pupils who come to me have simply lost track or lost confidence.
With careful guidance, it usually doesn't take long to put them back on the right track.

I can help with the building blocks of grammar, presenting it as a puzzle or a game; I can suggest ways to improve vocabulary; and I can point the way through the complexities of translation and syntax. Even working on exam technique can ease anxiety quickly.

I also enjoy enthusing students about classical mythology and literature.

I am happy to teach online as well as in person: with a committed tutee, this can work as well as tuition in person.

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Personal Description:
After 37 years full time teaching maths, being an examiner with published materials, and for the last 25 years serving as head of department at a top, selective state school in the north, along with over 30 years of one-to one tuition experience, I have huge knowledge and understanding of how to help a student achieve their maximum potential

Hopefully my profile gives an insight to what I have gained from my professional career and how I can provide the support and help which you seek.

I am highly professional, totally non-judgmental and offer a relaxed, professional working environment in which students will feel relaxed, reassured and able to ask any question in full knowledge that any problems will be fully addressed at a pace and level of understanding which suits them and individually tailored to their needs.

All of this experience allows great attunement with the student, a deep understanding of their needs and difficulties and an excellent ability to address the problems with empathy and a great degree of patience.

Teaching Experience:
With 37 years as a full-time teacher of Mathematics and the last 25 years as Head of Department in one of the top selective state schools in the north, it would be a pleasure to be able to offer my experience to support, guide and help you in this subject.

During this time I have acquired a vast range of experience, navigating through numerous changes to GCSE, A-level as well as having to deal with the impact of Covid.

I have taught the full spectrum across GCSE and A-level, where my abilities to understand a pupil's difficulties and quest to achieve their potential in the subject is at the forefront of my work.

I have had many years as an A-level examiner, author of specimen examination papers for a major education publisher as well as having participated in projects on mathematical education from a European Research Institute.

Along with all of my classroom experience and expertise, I also have over thirty years experience of one-to-one private tuition with a wide variety of students whether they be local, resident in the UK or students from the USA or the Far East

Tutoring Approach:
Behind every target and expected grade, it must be remembered that each student is a unique individual. This has been at the heart of my teaching and tutoring over all these years. After an initial discussion, in which I get to know about your difficulties and goals, there would be a plan designed to address these and tailored made just for yourself.

In our tutor sessions I would offer you a highly professional, yet friendly, working bridge where you feel comfortable and relaxed. You know that you would be free to ask any question, confident that your understanding and ability is progressing forward and that I will always be non-judgmental.

Whilst every session would have a clear target and goal, combined with a sense of achievement, they have to be highly flexible. It may be that we need to take a sidestep to strengthen previous knowledge or alternatively, using my experience, prepare for something which lies ahead. You will feel reassured that my insight and knowledge is ensuring progress is as smooth as possible.

We will always work at a rate comfortable for you and build up and strengthen your knowledge and ability to apply it, as we progress. A solid understanding of especially 'why am I doing this', is very important.

Essential to your progress is the need to use your knowledge and understanding in not only 'standard textbook/worksheet questions' but those set in unfamiliar context as your final exam (or test/end of year) paper will be a mixture. Hence undertaking extra 'homework', will be an essential component to your progress in the subject. I will always ensure you feel prepared to undertake this work which will serve to practice basic understanding as well as pushing you into thinking carefully about how to apply your working knowledge. We would always agree a manageable amount to be completed by an agreed deadline. However, I may also need to be flexible with this as, of course, workloads and pressures can vary during a school year. The fact that you are comfortable raising this issue, means that we can easily work around the matter and reach a solution which eases the situation for you.

I would also offer all my support and experience in helping you prepare for any tests or final exams. There is a lot which can be done to help you mathematically, mentally and psychologically prepare for these stressful events.

Also provided as the result of every lesson, will be a pdf of the notes and work we undertook in a session. This maximises the learning potential in a session as the student is focused on the work being done and undertaking worked questions, and removing the need to 'take notes' and 'keep up'.

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Personal Description:
I come from a very multilingual and multicultural background. Having grown up in Tanzania and now Kenya I have had the opportunity to go to a French School for 8 years, learning every subject in French. Additionally, my fluency for Italian has come from my parents who are both Italian, which this level of Italian increased during my time at Boarding school (GCSE and A level), similarly with French.

Furthermore, having gone to an International Boarding School I have profoundly learnt Spanish from the ages of 10-18.

Teaching Experience:
This past summer, I have been able to participte in Language Summer School at Stonyhurst College and I have been priveleged to be able to teach the kids developed and more intermediate levels of English along with native languages, which I am fluent in. This enabled me to communicate with children when they haven't understood words etc...

Similarly, when I was at school I used to help the younger kids with their revision for upcoming exams, and used to help them learn relevant content along with grammar and conjucations, which is extremelly important when it comes to understanding and pronouncing foreign words.

Tutoring Approach:
As a tutor, I will be patient as I know that languages are very hard to learn and therefore having patient is important to fostering an important positive mentality, which is also a key factor to being able to achieve the grades an individual is aiming for.
Additionally, pronounciation will be worked on as this is very important when taking speaking exams, and I feel like this is very overlooked amongst tutors and not taken seriously; when someone knows how to pronounce it will be easier to spell and remember key vocabulary.
Furthermore, one thing i learned at school was that doing past papers is the most important thing to get yourself used to examination strcutures and get you to really understand syllabus and contents of the subject you are studying.
However, even though these are all contributing factors to learning a subject, knowing how to revise is just as important, which is something I will also be teaching and helping them find what revision tactic is best for them.

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Personal Description:
Hey, I'm Phoebe (some people call me Flea) I'm a 26 year old interdisciplinary artist from South Wales. I work mainly with creative writing, painting and sculpture. I have a first class BA in Fine Art and I believe that confidence and creativity are tools to anyone living a more well-rounded life, and figuring out who they really are or want to become. My practise is holistic and intuitive, using whatever materials that express me ideas

Teaching Experience:
I have run art workshops both with adults and children, I volunteer at an Arts centre to run art workshops with primary school children surrounding different techniques and art mediums. I also have some experience teaching experimental approaches to writing and sound work. I have transferable experience in printing, design, book binding, painting, drawing, performance, editing and film, sculpture, textile.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is more broad and wellbeing based. I am able to share my material knowledge, but focus more on what the creative task may give my students confidence and esteem. There is no right way to be creative, the process is about questioning and experimenting and I warmly encourage my students to be patient with themselves and trust the process.

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