Michael

I currently work in marketing and advertising communications, and have done for the past 9 years. I started off working on global P&G accounts at Saatchi & Saatchi, then moved to Havas London to manage local charity and alcohol brands, and now work at an advertising agency creating work for The Home Office and Sport England (This Girl Can)

Before this I completed an MA in 20th Century Literature at Durham University and previously attended King's College London for my undergraduate degree in English Literature. I studied an extensive range of literature throughout the history of Britain, Europe and other cultures as well, so I am willing to tutor students of a range of levels who are studying a variety of literature. From a young age I have had a passion for the arts - whether is be fine art, literature, theatre or motion picture. I have interned as a script developer for DreamWorks studios in Los Angeles, worked for a digital marketing company in London, and finished a short term placement at The Guggenheim Museum in New York. Currently I work for the advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, in London. I understand that a successful teacher or tutor must be a passionate one, and I hope my natural enthusiasm engages my tutee's interest for such creative and rewarding subjects.

Tutoring Experience

During my time at home I help my 12-year-old brother who suffers from ADD with his schoolwork. I try to counteract his distractibility and procrastination by introducing multimedia: the use of colours, flashcards, drawings and role-playing to transform his mundane schoolwork into stimulating activities. This more one to one approach taught me the need to tailor learning to support the individual needs of a student in order to maximize their potential and progress.

I have experience tutoring 6th form students in English and Media Studies, helping them improve by a full two grades. I believe keeping a clear schedule for tutoring (every wednesday at 6 for example) helps the students get into a rhythm for their studies which promotes their work ethic. I try to widen the students knowledge by proving them with alternative texts relating to their topic - ones which other students may not know or consider. This gives a wider range of reading for the student which makes their criticism more unique, setting them apart from the masses and allowing them to achieve higher. Also I have experience of teaching non-native speakers English as a foreign language in Madrid in classes of 8-12 pupils & also 1-to-1.

Tutoring Approach

I have found that teaching needs to suit the individual to gain the best results and there is no one size fits all. I would dedicate time to strengthen the aspect of a student's work he or she is concerned with. Whether we work as a pair tackling a collection of poetry, film, play, artist or novel i think it is important to break the big goal down into manageable and measurable steps: it's all about tortoises and hares. We can analyse a text together, develop ideas, look at past papers, assess writing style, develop skills and structure or set and mark homework, all in the aim to build the student's confidence and ability. What I feel is most important is not simply giving the student the answers to achieve a better grade, but using the method of drawing out the fantastic ideas that a student has by provoking and questioning his or her opinions. This will allow their own ideas to grow more powerful in order to gain higher marks, not only understanding but enjoying their studies.