Stuck on source analysis? Exam technique? English MA graduate (Distinction ~ University of York) offers personalised History tutoring. Perfect for post-mock improvements!

Find out more about Meg

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  Writing has been my passion and talent from a very young age. My father - a published poet, teacher, and my primary caregiver growing up - encouraged me to appreciate and enjoy literature through storytelling and creative writing.
  
  Choosing which of my A-Level subjects (English Literature, English Language and History) to pursue at undergraduate level was very difficult having found an aptitude for all three at secondary school. I decided that the flexibility and diversity of modules offered by a BA in English at the University of York would fulfil my desire to continue developing my interests in all three disciplines. This degree foregrounded the value of considering texts within, and as products of, their historical contexts. My analytical skills and confidence with a diverse range of sources were fine-tuned through the importance of contextualization, evaluating secondary criticism/theory, and word-level analysis within my essay writing.
  
  The next step was an MA in Global Literature and Culture: a wonderful degree that both elevated my pre-existing academic skill set and nurtured a growing interest in social justice and humanitarian action. Helping people became my primary motivation in life and, within a couple months of completing this postgraduate qualification, this drive led me to private tutoring. I wasn't the easiest student or teenager, and I view private tutoring as an excellent way to share what I have learned in a manner that I know would have helped my younger self to better engage with school.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  So, I teach three subjects at secondary school level (with particular emphasis on GCSE and A-Level): English Literature, English Language, and History.
  
  My favourite areas of English Literature to discuss with students are poetry and plays/drama. I thoroughly enjoy reading and watching literary texts that are designed for performance, and this is reflected in my teaching approach. Bringing literary texts to life makes them more engaging for a student. If I had to pick a topic that I enjoy discussing a little less than others, it would be aspects of canonical (traditional 'high art') literature. Primarily, this is because a Thomas Hardy novel or poetry by the Romantics can seem inaccessible to students due to the extensive supply of metaphor, pastoral descriptions, and unfamiliar intertextual references. However, I do enjoy a challenge and I pride myself on being able to break down a complicated text into understandable, bite-sized components for my students.
  
  I particularly enjoy discussing textual analysis and creative writing with my English Language students. A strong grip of the former strengthens the quality of the student's academic and creative writing. Once a student can identify the techniques and devices used by a non-fiction or fiction writer and can discuss their effect, how and why they have been used, their ability to reproduce these techniques in a range of different contexts improves. At A-Level, English Language involves a considerable amount of memorisation. Highly theoretical topics such as sociolinguistics are difficult to make engaging for a student. Often, they require a more one-sided style of lesson and so, I like them less than other topics that allow for more dialogue.
  
  History is a wonderful, rewarding subject to teach because it still often challenges me! Its breadth and diversity depending on the exam board/curriculum means that there are many topics I love to discuss and some that I am yet to discuss at all. American History, spanning from the Civil War (1861-5) to the Civil Rights Movement (both historically 1940s-1968 and ongoing African-American struggles), would have to be one of my favourite topics. It featured in my History GCSE, A-Level, Bachelor's and Masters degree. In terms of topics I like to discuss a little less, it would probably be the areas I am less familiar with! On the other hand, I recently tutored a student through her A-Level history examinations and two of her papers touched upon historical contexts that I have not studied in depth. I fully embraced the opportunity to learn something new and she found our lessons on exam technique, source analysis, and essay planning/proofreading very helpful.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  At my secondary school, our SENCO was also an English Literature teacher. I had lost my way in year 13 and I had a number of overdue pieces of coursework. This teacher showed genuine concern for my wellbeing and made time to see me often despite her busy schedule. Moreover, her support and belief in me never wavered. When I did submit the first draft of my English Language coursework, I received feedback that was very disheartening. The entire project - investigating an idea by conducting, transcribing, and analysing an interview - needed to be redone. Without being asked, she took my interview questions home and recorded the interview with her partner, giving me a brand new set of data for my project. I am inspired by this teacher's commitment to her students, her compassion and solution-focused mindset, and I strive to be half the teacher that she is.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  There are so many desirable qualities one looks for in a good tutor for their child. Attributes that I feel are particularly important and that I consistently strive to offer include:
  
  Dedication. A good tutor will demonstrate a willingness to go the extra mile for their students, from a fast turn-around of marked work with in-depth comments to liaising with parents and schools to optimize their learning and support.
  
  Humbleness and strong communication skills. Communicating effectively with students, asking for lesson feedback to understand what worked well and what worked a little less well, is an excellent quality in a tutor. It is crucial in order to fine-tune future lessons to their individual needs.
  
  Genuine love of their subject/s. For lessons to be captivating, a sense of genuine passion from the tutor for their discipline/s is a must. If a tutor finds excitement, humour, or intrigue in a subject, this is something they can share.
  
  An infectious optimism. Sometimes, a student attends a lesson feeling disheartened or lacking in confidence. One of the roles of a good tutor is to lift spirits, to offer encouragement, and to end the lesson with the student feeling optimistic about their progress.
  
  Adaptability. At the same time as offering structure and clarifying any expectations and boundaries from the offset (such as not helping with a student's school homework), a good tutor should be accommodating and demonstrate flexibility where appropriate.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  During my first year at university, I approached one of my seminar tutors with an innovative essay idea for their module. My tutor highlighted some of the obstacles I would face with this topic including identifying a sufficient number of textual examples and finding secondary criticism to support my unusual interpretation. I believed that my idea had potential and so, rather than abandon it, I took the advice on board and did further independent research that focused on the highlighted areas. I found that by expanding the application of my concept from one character to the literary text as a whole, the number of examples increased dramatically, theory and pre-existing criticism were more easily applied, and my argument became more persuasive. I arranged a follow up meeting and brought an essay plan with an outlined structure and specific examples from my research, and my tutor was delighted and surprised. Ultimately, I wrote this essay and it received a first class grade. Moreover, the feedback praised my creativity. This massively boosted my confidence and demonstrated to me the value of determination, self-belief, and taking the initiative.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  A continual challenge in education in any discipline is the simple fact that sometimes you have to learn about things that don't immediately grip or even vaguely interest you. This could be a topic at GCSE History you find dull or a compulsory module in your BA English that doesn't align with your interests - I speak from experience with both. When such a challenge comes my way, I have trained my brain to rethink its initial perception, transforming the challenge from a chore (or even punishment) to an opportunity to try something new. There are many subjects that I have knowledge on that I would not have chosen for myself. All types of learning serve a purpose, even if it is simply to teach perseverance!

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  l have a number of passions that intertwine and support one another, but the threads of continuity would be my desire to make a difference and my drive to continually learn. For example, I'm a keen writer and I am currently writing a teenage fiction novel in my spare time. The subject matter does not shy away from complicated moral and coming-of-age questions and I'm endeavouring to create a book that is truly relatable and engaging for young people. My passion for and approach towards tutoring is comparable: I believe that young people have so much to offer and a good tutor can be indispensable in getting the best out of them. I'm also learning Arabic which is very challenging but an important step, I feel, in breaking down barriers between people and to fight against discrimination. As the saying goes, be the change you want to see!

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering this interview questions :-P) ?

  I am motivated by the right things. Nothing is as rewarding as watching a student grow in skill and confidence, and knowing that you had a direct, positive impact. Over the course of my two degrees, I have developed a highly transferrable skillset of exceptional quality, one that I have the ability to share. I pride myself on my people skills which facilitate smooth communication with both students and parents.