A bit about Harvy S

Having struggled throughout primary and secondary education and being somewhat of a late bloomer during college, I understand the importance of having one to one support and being pushed to realise and fulfill both academic and personal potential. Since my turbulent years at school and college, I have gone on to graduate in Education Studies with First Class Honours, which has given me a profound understanding of learning processes, and my experience working as a student mentor has also provided me with the personal qualities and skills needed for effectively tutoring students. I have also earned a 2:1 Masters` degree in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching at Nottingham University, from which I have gained a deeper knowledge, understanding and appreciation of how crucial Language is in learning, not only academically but in many real life situations. Over the years, I have realised that a greater awareness and understanding of language in relation to cognition has an immense impact on how all people learn and can provide the foundations to excel academically. Throughout my degrees and subsequent work, I have learned the importance and advantages of providing individuals with the cognitive tools to learn and understand, which is more valuable than simply acquiring knowledge, which tends to be a staple of curriculum based teaching in many countries. I believe this is the key to getting the most out of education and I would argue, life in general. Everyone works in different ways and I am always intent on taking a learner-centered approach to teaching, by working according to pupil`s strengths, weaknesses, personal goals and implementing their own personal interests as an integral aspect of their learning. I am a very easy going and encouraging person who enjoys helping others. I have a genuine passion for English Language, while also having a background in Psychology. Additionally, I have skills and experience in media & graphic design, as well as a life long interest in geography and general science. Whether it`s improving grammar, writing style, how to prepare for an assignment or approach essays, struggling for inspiration to write/create, struggling to understand tasks or topics, or anything related to the other subject areas mentioned, I will be happy to help. I can also assist with one of the most important elements about yourself - confidence in your own academic abilities and personal qualities. This is the key to unlocking true potential and something that is all too often ignored or counteracted by standardised and impersonal teaching methods. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, I will be happy to discuss any of your needs and will do everything I can to help. In 2018, I had been tasked with tutoring two brothers for just 3 months before their GCSE exams, and they had both achieved two grades above what they were expected. However, they mentioned that the feeling of achievement they had went beyond the grades, and that the techniques and new perspectives on learning and understanding made them feel more capable and confident in general, not only in an academic context. To have seen this impact was truly gratifying and reinforced my own teaching techniques, whereby taking a more personal approach very often proves more useful to the student than simply following criteria and curriculum. Pupils very often express appreciation and gratitude in regards to how I tailor lessons to each individual, as well as emphasising the two way dynamic of meaningful education. This is mostly done by giving them some degree of input in content, tasks, and even topics covered. This sense of agency in their own education goes a long way and with the appropriate guidance by the right kind of tutor, can result in a fantastic, productive and beneficial learning experience - for both the student and teacher! English Language & Literature, from secondary to degree level. Applied Linguistics - how we understand our world through language. Science - general secondary level science. Environment and climate change. Animals and ecosystems. Geography. Media. Psychology. There is no general method of delivering lessons in one-to-one learning, as each lesson is tailored to each pupil based on a wide range of factors. Lessons may contain tasks from; - Learning through open discussion of topics and relaying information in academically appropriate formats, rather than traditional rote learning and relying on memorising information - Independently researching topics - Understanding the importance of sources and validity - Improving language skills to enhance learning, understanding and expression of acquired knowledge Lessons often start with a short recap task on previous lesson. Each lesson ends with quick talks about how the lesson went, whether the tasks seemed useful to them, monitoring progression etc. I began tutoring in 2016 and quickly realised that providing this crucial one-to-one support is a role I am perfectly suited for and something that is perhaps needed more now than at any other time. Studying Applied Linguistics provided me with a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of how crucial Language is in learning, not only academically but in many real life situations. Over the years, I have realised that a greater awareness and understanding of language in relation to cognition has an immense impact on how all people learn and can provide the foundations to excel academically. I have learned the importance and advantages of providing individuals with the tools to learn, which is more valuable than simply acquiring knowledge, which tends to be a staple of curriculum based teaching in many countries. I believe this is the key to getting the most out of education and I would argue, life in general. Everyone works in different ways and I am always intent on taking a learner-centered approach to teaching, by working according to pupil`s strengths, weaknesses, personal goals and implementing their own personal interests as an integral aspect of their learning. These concepts can be translated to any subject, as it is language that provides the foundation for learning. Therefore, by working on a pupil's language skills, they are better equipped to address any topic or subject of interest. In essence, it is more about the progression and maturation of the individual that motivates me and is the more enjoyable part of this job, rather than simply having a passion for a subject. As educators, our responsibility should be focused on developing individuals, rather than solely concerned with grades, statistics and criteria. I would describe my teaching style as a cooperative, progressive, pupil-centered and dynamic in its approach. Much of what can be attributed to my own experiences in education, whereby a lack of interesting topics, tasks and engaging tasks deterred me from wanting to learn. Even from a young age, we must be made to feel a sense of agency in what we are doing, instead of too much direction and too many rules. Learning is most effective when it happens naturally and with an intrinsic motivation. This is one of the main reasons why I dedicate a considerable amount of time in getting to know the student strive to implement any personal elements into lessons and targets. The autonomy to teach in a more natural way, without the need to keep in line with an outdated and largely useless national curriculum that is concerned with serving a political agenda. The journey of working with and getting to know individuals, and giving them opportunities to learn in a way that is more conducive to their own methods of learning. The personal growth and perspective that I myself gain from working with such a range of pupils. BA Education Studies: 1st Class Honours MA Applied Linguistics & English Language Teaching: 2:1 Work placements during BA degree involved a mentor role for both young and mature college students. Working as a tutor for five years has provided me with the experience and confidence to work effectively with pupils from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, targets and circumstances. Natural history, music, anthropology and psychology, philosophy, history, traveling, DIY, gaming. I predominantly teach ages 12+. Having been an unruly pupil for almost 20 years, I was fortunate to have a teacher in college who gave me a true appreciation for education and a teaching style that I have been massively influenced by. I can confidently say that without that teacher I most likely would not have been inspired to work in this field at all. Don't give students answers, provide them with the tools to find the answers themselves.