Lena A.
I am having acquired two degrees from Oxford University (both BA and MPhil) and I am now also undertaking a part-time PhD in economics at King's College London (alongside my full-time job as a senior economist at the Bank of England). Furthermore, I hold a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) qualification, in which I achieved the highest grade (Pass A).
I am a creative, engaging and patient tutor with extensive teaching experience, and am passionate about education. I consider myself to be an articulate and clear communicator, and am always determined to ensure that my students fulfil their potential. I also aim to foster an organic enjoyment and appreciation for the taught subject, as I believe that this leads to more effective learning, as well as greater curiosity and drive to continue learning. With any subject, I believe that confidence is key. Therefore I aim to focus on activities that promote the student`s confidence in the subject matter. With languages, this includes conversational training (speaking and listening) as well as reading and writing. I am a strong supporter of educational access, having worked as an Oxford University Target Schools committee member, and having provided regular voluntary assistance to a boy with language difficulties whilst at sixth form. I also trained as a peer supporter whilst at Oxford, developing my listening skills and helping individuals to think clearly about their issues.
I have extensive experience teaching both languages (French and ESOL) and the other subjects mentioned above, some of which was on Skype. My French tutoring experience includes AS Level French to one student over four months, GCSE French tutoring to two students over two and six months respectively, 13+ French to two students over three and nine months respectively, French conversation classes with a group of adult learners over three months, beginners French tuition for a 9 year old student over three months, voluntary French lessons at a local primary school in Oxford over three months, French literature classes with an A Level student over one year and French conversation classes with Oxford University students keen to improve their spoken French (ad hoc). My English as a foreign language tutoring experience includes weekly English classes (six classes per week) to French children aged 2-9 (over the academic year 2010-11), weekly English lessons to three French students aged 11-14 over six months, and weekly English conversation classes with two French boys aged 7-9 (over the academic year 2010-11). With regards to academic subject tutoring, I have taught English to a 13+ student over three months, and to two 11+ students over nine months, and have taught history to a 13+ student over three months. I have also worked with an undergraduate student at SOAS on essay writing techniques, over an academic term (three months). I have provided GCSE maths tuition to a student over a period of nine months, 11+ maths to two students (both over nine-month periods) and have provided voluntary GCSE maths lessons every week at Salvatorian College (London) over a six-month period. I have also offered philosophy classes to an A Level student, who I also helped to successfully win a place at Christ Church, Oxford University to study French & Philosophy, over a one-year period. Additionally, I have helped a student to successfully win a place at UCL to study modern languages.
Aside from my tutoring experiences, I have also worked as a researcher for a number of organisations, most recently as a trainee at the OECD, prior to which I was managing research projects at the Policy Institute at King’s College London. I’ve worked as a research assistant in a think tank in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and have worked as a marketing strategy analyst for two years at Sky UK. During my spare time, I enjoy fitness activities such as yoga, cycling and running half-marathons (most recently in Berlin), as well as languages and travel (I am currently teaching myself Spanish). I am also politically engaged and enjoy the arts, such as going to concerts, the cinema or theatre, reading literature and visiting modern and contemporary art galleries.
