Jack

I am a PhD candidate of philosophy, with long-term experience teaching English as a Second Language and tutoring the subjects English (literature) and philosophy privately. I come from Ireland, but have been primarily educated in the Netherlands since third-level. I have been residing in the UK since October of 2023, and presently am based in SE London.

Beyond teaching, I love helping students unlock the `aha!` moment in dense philosophy, showing them how logical thinking can impact understanding of real-world problems. To my mind, the best philosophy can remind us that our reading of the world is not so secure as we once envisioned. My passion for English and literature extends beyond the classroom; I`m an avid reader of literary fiction, and enjoy helping students discover the significance of contemporary aesthetic forms.

In my part-time, I love to run! At present, I am training for a half-marathon. I also volunteer once a week at a local primary school and read to, and with, children who are falling behind in literacy. I have recently taken up gardening, having joined a group based in a park local to me in SE London; it makes a change from having my nose in the books, and I feel like I have found a new home amidst the soil.

Outside of formal teaching roles, my commitment to education extends to volunteer work. Since December 2024, I have been a Volunteer Reader with Coram Beanstalk in London, dedicating time weekly to one-on-one sessions with children who are developing their literacy skills. This experience reinforces my belief in the power of individualised attention to make a significant impact on learning.

If you`re looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated tutor, I`d be delighted to connect!

Willing to travel: 8 miles

Experience: My teaching experience is diverse and driven by a deep commitment to fostering learning and personal growth. For over three years, between September 2020 and December 2023, I have been a dedicated Freelance Teacher of English as a Second Language and as a Freelance Teacher of Philosophy and English (Literature). In both I worked with private students; in the former the aim was to enhance their language proficiency, while in the latter the aim was to cultivate either already existing passions or furnish philosophy and literature as passions. My philosophy and English (literature) teaching primarily consisted of providing and assigning reading materials and secondary literature to be read outside of class, before discussing these in class together. Of course, when problems arose with either primary or secondary literature, we did turn to the actual texts in class and read them together. Writing strategies for essays were also discussed when appropriate; not all of my students were being instructed in these subjects outside of my classes. I believe these roles have allowed me to develop highly personalised teaching strategies, adapting to the unique needs and learning styles of individual students. For this reason, and regardless of the subject, I try to prioritise getting to know the student in the first few sessions, particularly their learning strategies, learning ambitions and learning environment outside of our sessions.

I also served as a Lecturer of English at the Writing Centre, University of Amsterdam, from December 2022 to September 2023. In this capacity, I guided both Master and Bachelor students in honing their academic writing, and while the norm was to teach within one`s general school, I regularly found myself being assigned to the social and natural science departments due to my seniority in academic writing amongst the staff at that time.

DBS Check: Yes