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Information About Katharine:

Personal Description:

I graduated from Oxford University in 2006 and was the recipient of a Progress Prize in November 2005. I am a very strong academic and have been working in the field of education at an independent school in Notting Hill Gate, where I monitor the progress of students and have been responsible for their university applications. I have also done some private tutoring work there, as outlined in the 'Teaching Experience' field below.

I will be returning to university in September 2008 and will begin a postgraduate course in Law, so I will be leaving my full-time job and looking for student to tutor privately in London. I am flexible as to the location and I would enjoy having students at my house in West Dulwich, if it is not inconvenient for students to travel there (I live a few minutes from Herne Hill station, which is five minutes by train from Victoria). I am also happy to travel to the student's home, depending on location.

As well as my 2:1 in English Language & Literature, I was an excellent student of History and Music A-Level and achieved 'A' grades in both, receiving full marks in History AS-Level (300/300) and in the Performance Module of Music A-Level, both for AS (90/90) and A2 (90/90). I also took Gold Medal with Honours in both The Speaking of Verse & Prose and Acting, as well as Grade 8 in Singing (with Distinction) and Piano, all before I had left school.

Teaching Experience:

In my current position as Acting Director of Studies at an independent school in West London, I have also assisted two overseas students who needed help with their English in order to be able to enter university. In both cases I worked intensively on exam technique in order for the students to improve sufficiently before their next scheduled exam to get the grades they needed. Both students achieved the required score in their next exam and progressed to university.

For 2.5 years I was a volunteer assistant at the Stretton School of Speech & Drama, helping to teach students aged 11 - 16. As well as helping students select and prepare pieces for recitals and LAMDA examinations, I gave mini-workshops to classes on mime, accents, stance and other details for improved acting, taught the basics of sight-reading and sight-acting, covered for more senior teachers in their absence and taught the Theory of Speech and Drama to Grade 6 standard. As my experience, qualifications and confidence grew, my responsibilities increased and by the end of my experience I was holding classes of up to 15 students on my own. My favourite memories are of privately tutoring the more shy students, assisting them with their pieces, and helping them to prepare for their upcoming exams.

I used the skills I developed outside of these classes by giving free private tuition to peers who wanted to improve their basic singing.

Tutoring Approach:

I am very proud of the achievements that I have listed because I feel I worked very hard to accomplish them, and I think that this is why I make an excellent private tutor.

The best person to help someone who has a problem is someone who has experienced that problem themself. If I had always been a perfect student, I do not think I would make a good teacher. But I wasn't always a perfect student: I had to work hard at some areas, and I learnt to 'play the game' by picking up excellent exam techniques.

My approach is as follows.
(1) Try to pinpoint the student's difficulty. Is it a lack of understanding of the material? Do they understand but need greater depth of knowledge? Have they developed a 'mental block' about that subject?
(2) Explore that problem with them, helping them understand what is holding them back as the first step to helping them resolve the problem.
(3) Constant practice is the best way to ensure a proper understanding and knowledge. Going over and over the material with the student in different and interesting ways will help them understand the information whilst keeping it fresh.
(4) Encourage the student to read around the subject, if time allows, and provide the necessary starting-point for their extra reading. Teaching them to apply all the knowledge they acquire is paramount.

Qualifications:

• BA English Language & Literature (Oxon) 2:1
• A-Levels: History A, English A, Music A
• The Speaking of Verse & Prose: Gold Medal [Honours] Acting: Gold Medal [Honours]
• ABRSM Grade 8 Singing [Distinction] & Piano; Grade 5 Violin [Merit]

Further Information:

Availability:	Weekends / Weekdays (evenings)
Types of Tutoring:	Travels to you / From their home / Online
References Supplied?	Yes
Current DBS/CRB Check?	Yes