Robert

I tutor English literature and philosophy (both AQA Philosophy and OCR/WJEC Religious Studies (philosophy and ethics pathway) at Key Stages 4 & 5. My approach is different in each case.

English literature:
When we talk about ‘meaning’ in literature, we’re talking about those things that a writer makes you notice about the real world by creating a world in your imagination that is in many respects the same, but at the same time, ever so slightly different . He or she used various techniques (literary devices) to highlight these differences, whilst at the same time ensuring the two worlds are similar enough to be relevant to one another. It’s extremely difficult for a school teacher to get this idea across to a mixed ability class of 25 young people a far more achievable aim in those circumstances is to equip students with a working knowledge of some literary devices and to tell them that any interpretation of a text is valid. It isn’t! I’m sorry to say that a great many students finish their literary education without ever having begun to understand any of this. They often turn away from literature at this point with a belief that it’s either mysterious or ‘wishy-washy’ and irrelevant to them. This makes me quite sad. My approach, then, is to demystify literature – to make it as graspable as any other subject, if you’re willing to put in a little work to train your imagination properly. My students’ grades improve rapidly, and English often goes from being their least favourite subject to their favourite subject.

Religious Studies and Philosophy:
Philosophy (at A-level sometimes called Religious Studies - philosophy & ethics pathway) is one of the toughest subjects offered by a-level exam boards, and university admissions tutors recognize this. You improve by improving the way in which you think, aiming all the time for greater rigor and subtly, and then learning to write in a way that is accurate, clear and concise. AQAs AS & A2 philosophy syllabus has been transformed in recent years, bringing its content in line with the philosophy you see when you go to university. The areas not covered are the inappropriately technical ones, like formal logic (a form of calculus but with linguistic items instead of numbers.) The OCR and WJEC Religious Studies – philosophy and ethics pathway- is slightly different in that it focuses on the philosophy of religion and both secular and religious ethics, but this doesn’t mean that the philosophical content is watered-down – you still meet such timeless thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant and Wittgenstein, and you have to find problems with their arguments and to learn the techniques necessary to write about them properly. I have supported students through all these syllabuses, as well as taught them in their entirety to independent candidates (students not currently at school.) Witnessing the growth of a student’s capacity to think properly is, for me, one of the most satisfying aspects of my job.

Availability: At the moment I have availabilty Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings but if that doesn`t suit you, feel free to get in touch anyway to discuss it. I can teach at your home or at my home in Aigburth.

Willing to travel: 10 miles

Experience: I`m a university teacher by training, but I`ve worked as a private tutor for younger learners for three years. I`ve also taken a number of students through their a-level courses as independent candidates.