Jake

Tutoring Experience

My tutoring journey began during my 2018 gap year in Houston, Texas, where I discovered the value of sharing my IB experience and knowledge with students.

I successfully assisted several IB Maths and Physics students, as well as GCSE and younger learners. This experience allowed me to refine my teaching style and develop effective lesson planning strategies. One of my proudest moments was witnessing a student improve from a 4 to a 6 in Physics as part of their final diploma.

With approximately 2 years of tutoring experience, both in person and online, I strive to provide students with valuable insights for navigating the demands of the IB program.

By tailoring explanations, applications, and concepts to their individual needs and wider passions, I aim to make lessons engaging and enjoyable. As an ex-IB student, I understand the challenges and intensity of the program, positioning myself as a go-to person not only for Maths and Physics but also for any other struggles they may face.

Online sessions offer additional advantages, as I leverage electronic whiteboards to deliver structured lessons and provide comprehensive and engaging visualizations and demonstrations—a crucial aspect for true comprehension of Maths and Physics concepts.

Tutoring Approach

My approach is a mixture of student-driven and tutor-driven learning, in that I will plan and deliver lessons, but lessons will be centered around the student, their interests and their needs.

After the first session, I get an idea of the student and they get to know me, and together we work on a plan to identify which areas of the syllabus they find most difficult, skills they need to work on. I then offer them a choice of several different teaching structures, which range from instructional course-based learning, where we go through the course methodically, filling in any gaps the student might have, to a more skills-based approach where we focus heavily on practice problems and exam prep. I emphasize to the student regularly that they can give me feedback at any time, and can also ask us to change direction, or work on something that they are currently struggling with or don't understand.

The actual sessions are very much inspired by my experience of Oxford tutorials, in that I explore topics with the student and they are encouraged to give their input, approach questions in their own way, and explore the topic - with me there to prompt, demonstrate concepts, and guide them through it. Through my experience with tutoring I have developed my own systems and techniques such that I always keep track of the student and their progress, as well as the plans for upcoming sessions and what might need to be worked on further.

I also have a unique experience and outlook when it comes to preparing students for Oxbridge applications, in that I have applied for Engineering at both Cambridge (didn't get in) and Oxford. With this experience I truly know what the these processes are like, what to do, and what not to do.