Olivia

Hello! My name is Olivia, and I am an Oxford university student, currently in my second year studying for my BA in History and French. I have grown up in London in a Spanish and English mixed household, and speak both fluently. I took Spanish at GCSE and A-level, so I understand what it takes to do well in the exams, beyond fluency in the language!

Tutoring Experience

I have tutored and taught for the past few years, since being in Sixth Form. First, this was as a GSCE History and Spanish tutor, where I helped my student improve both grades by two points in just a few months. This experience reinforced my motivation and interest in teaching. Since being at university, I have continued to pursue this endeavour. Last year, I volunteered for 6 months as a teacher for Jacari, a charity that helps immigrant or refugee children with English as an additional language to better integrate at school. I was assigned to a primary school in Oxford and really saw the benefit of specialised tuition for the two children I tutored, who benefited hugely from individualised sessions. Furthermore, last summer I was an English camp instructor in Guangzhou, China, for 2 months whilst preparing for my TESOL qualification. Here, I was teaching ESL to children with a varied familiarity with English, and once again was reminded of the value of personalised teaching. I have thoroughly enjoyed these experiences and am keen to keep teaching!

Tutoring Approach

My main approach when tutoring is to make the task (whether it be exams, vocabulary tests, or a presentation) not seem quite so scary or threatening. By breaking down the content into manageable pieces, I believe students are much more likely to do well. Depending on the student's level, I think it is important to concentrate on the core content and really boil down the objectives we are trying to reach, before adding on more ambitious targets. I think it is important to implement some Spanish when saying introductions and warming up to the session, rather than making the session purely about the work, as language learning is such a broad endeavour, which extends beyond classroom learning. I am very flexible and happy to change the routine or plan depending on the student's needs. I have worked with children with ADHD and dyslexia before, so understand the patience or practicality that may be needed.