Melissa

I am a Shakespeare fanatic with six years` classroom experience. I enjoy reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction and became a teacher to share my passion for language. Now that I have a young family, I have decided to indulge my love of teaching outside the classroom to fit around raising my children. I keep in touch with my former colleagues to stay abreast of the rapidly developing education system. I am a member of The Tutor`s Association and familiar with current best practice.

I create personalised programmes to fit the needs of individual students and frequently adapt these to incorporate new texts and resources to keep the lessons fresh and relevant. My sessions tend to concentrate on assessment technique and start with short focused activities, building the skills necessary to complete longer written tasks designed to mimic the conditions of examinations. Alternatively, I can support students with their class work more directly, assisting with homework and helping with clarity of expression in other subjects too.

I aim for students to enjoy our sessions and feel comfortable asking questions. My main goal is to help them improve and I can only do that through honest discussion of issues. I do expect high standards and find that my pupils meet my expectations and gain grades they are proud of, when they apply themselves. Confidence is the key to learning and it is in this area that my students make the swiftest progress, which enables them to access the top grades and enjoy their increasing capability in a subject that at first seemed inaccessible.

For adult learners, I offer programmes that reflect each individuals’ interests in language development and present activities in a variety of ways to keep lessons lively and relevant. I find that striking the balance between grammatical accuracy and colloquial usage allows second language students to feel much more confident interacting with native speakers.

I like to have a good rapport with tutees` parents as I feel that learning is a joint initiative. Testimonials from former clients are available upon request. My fee includes all resources (apart from set texts) and the loan of study guides and other useful materials as required.

For Classics students: While I feel I am married to Shakespeare, Classics is my bit on the side, especially Ovid. I know Homer (in translation) and the tragedies very well and there`s no area of Classical Civilisation I wouldn`t be happy to master to assist in the studies of my students. I can offer a discursive environment, aiming to nurture the same thrill in the study of the ancient world as I have always felt. Whether you are taking exams or are just fascinated by the cradle of Western civilisation, I can help you deepen your understanding and appreciation of this wonderful historical, cultural and literary crucible.

For creative writing students: I love stories and am fascinated by how they are created and put together. I have dedicated many years to fathoming the processes of writing and the various stages of the drafting process. I would be very happy to help you through your own development. I offer an informal proofreading service, negotiated on an individual basis.

Availability: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 4-8pm
Saturdays 4-6pm

Willing to travel: 5 miles

Experience: I have taught in Grammar schools in Kent, outer-London schools and a wide variety of institutions in Hong Kong. My subject knowledge covers English, Drama and Theatre Studies, and Classical Civilisation (the latter subjects are very useful for approaching English texts in innovative ways). I am most familiar with the GCSE specification for AQA, but can happily adapt to other exam boards. I am a GCSE English Literature examiner for some boards also. I have experience tutoring 11-18 year olds and have worked with students with a variety of special needs.

DBS Check: Yes