Eleanor

Certified Tutor

I've been working as a tutor in a range of subjects for over two years. The subjects I offer tuition in include Biology, Chemistry, English, Essay Writing, University Applications, Public Speaking, Reading, and Study/Organization Skills. I have recently achieved my Master's in Immunology and Cancer research at Imperial College London, one of the top-ten Universities in the world. I also have a Bachelor's (Hons) degree in Biochemistry and achieved an A* equivalent in both Biology and Chemistry (7/7 at International Baccalaureate). An example of my recent tutoring success involves tutoring an A-level Biology student from failing grades to B grades in only 8 hours of lessons, with the aim to increase this to A/A* in the next few weeks. This is the most rewarding part of the job for me, and I love helping my students become successful.

Biology and Chemistry Tuition (A-level, IB, GCSE, and High School):
In addition to my tutoring experience, I am also a successful scientist. I have worked in immunology research, and am currently working in cancer research to test the use of a novel compound that forces multiple myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells to self-destruct via apoptosis. My job greatly contributes to my scientific teaching abilities, as I have a wealth of biochemical knowledge that extends far beyond the A-level and IB courses. I find that this has helped me to provide a richer understanding of the course to the student, so that they acquire knowledge and passion for science, rather than simply being able to answer questions.

My Teaching Style:
My teaching style is flexible and adapted to my student's needs. For students who require a deeper understanding of biochemical concepts, I often employ a detailed and personalized approach where I go through each topic in detail and identify and correct all the student's misunderstandings. I then examine the student's ability to apply their knowledge using the plethora of real past-paper questions I have. This is an excellent tutoring tool, where I teach my student different techniques for specific types of questions, allowing them to maximize their marks and immensely increase their confidence. My ultimate goal is to provide them with the tools they need to walk into the exam room feeling completely assured of their knowledge and abilities.


English, English as a Foreign Language, and Essay Writing Tuition:
As a scientist, English and essay writing are at the core of my work. Generating interesting data is insufficient to become a successful research scientist, as the data and information must be presented in an exciting, compelling, and logical manner with perfect grammar and syntax within a professional scientific paper. In addition, I have accumulated a wealth of diverse vocabulary that can be naturally implemented into an essay. Learning how to wield this rich language will immediately elevate the quality of my students' writing, so this is one of the focuses of my classes. Being a native speaker of English, I also have an innate understanding of the construction of complex sentences, which I can also teach my students. Lastly, clear communication is essential, so another aim of my tuition classes is to ensure that my students can write descriptively yet succinctly.

To improve my students' writing and English skills, I prefer to adopt an approach where we analyse pieces of their work together. The class will follow the format of a discussion, and through practice and repetition, I can meticulously point out errors in syntax/grammar as well as suggest substitutions for synonyms. Over time, my students will naturally begin to adopt a higher level of writing and will spontaneously start to implement these skills. In summary, I strongly believe in teaching and practicing English skills within a context that is relevant to my student. I have discovered that this approach results in a longer-lived and rigorous understanding of the English language.

Reading Tuition:
I also offer tuition for students who need help with reading and pronunciation. The style of this class will largely depend on the age of my student. For younger students, reading something engaging is critical, so they can learn how to pronounce new words whilst remaining concentrated for the whole hour. I have worked at summer camps with younger children before, so I understand the importance of creating lessons that are fun and adopting a gentle yet encouraging approach. I want younger students to feel safe to make mistakes in my class so that they can learn and improve their confidence whilst having an enjoyable time.

For older students or adults who are learning English as a second language, reading something that is important to them is beneficial. This puts the class into context and helps the student remain motivated. For example, if someone is learning English for business purposes, the style of passages that I would use will be more formal and therefore more applicable to the student's needs.

For students of all ages, it is also important to assess their level of understanding and the amount of information that they can extract from reading. Therefore, these classes will also implement comprehension questions as a way to track my students' progress.

University/College Application Tuition:
As I am still in academia, I have an intimate understanding of what Universities are looking for in personal statements. Imperial is amongst the highest-ranked and most prestigious Universities worldwide, so I am always keen to help my students with successful applications to their dream University. Although I am a scientist, the characteristics that an admissions team are looking for in a University application are transferable to different majors. Top Universities are looking for students with skills in leadership, teamwork, independent learning, and critical thinking. It is also vital to demonstrate a passion for your chosen subject, as well as perseverance, inquisitiveness, and the humility to accept the gaps in your knowledge that will ultimately fuel your determination to learn.

Public Speaking Tuition:
A large part of my work as a scientist requires public presentations on my research, often to very large crowds of senior scientists. This can be a daunting task; however, over my years working in science, I have developed robust skills in tackling the nerves that can be experienced during public speaking. Moreover, at the end of presentations scientists are usually asked questions about their work. These questions are challenging to answer and demand a deep understanding of what you are presenting as well as the confidence to articulate a clever reply.

To teach these presentation skills to my students, I believe that exposure to public speaking is key. In my classes, I can provide my students with instructions on clear communication, confidence, and tricks that will buy you thinking time during a presentation but appear completely natural to an audience. In each class, my student will have an opportunity to present to me and through repetition, correction, and practice, my student will rapidly build their confidence and talent for communication. I also have good experience with debating competitions, so debates are another excellent tool for challenging my student to learn how to think on their feet and gain confidence.

Study Skills and Organization Tuition:
For this type of tuition, understanding my students' academic goals and their lifestyle is key to helping them improve their approach to studying. Once I have gathered all the appropriate information, I will create a personalized study plan for my student. This schedule will be highly detailed and will aim to organize and balance my student's time. I also take life-work balance very seriously as rest and recovery are equally important for memory retention as studying is.

I look forward to hopefully working together soon!