Information About Katie - Cloyne tutor

Personal Description:

My name is Katie and I live in Cork City. I grew up in Kenya and moved to Ireland at age 12, starting secondary school at Midleton College. After school, I travelled for a year before beginning my undergraduate degree.

I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Music and Human Development at Dublin City University. I graduated with first class honours and my music dissertation placed 2nd in the annual musicology competition of the Council of Heads of Music in Ireland for Higher Education (CHMHE).

I have always loved music and studying the subject at third level was really special for me. My knowledge and enjoyment of music has changed over the years; as a child, I took lessons in ballet, as a teenager, I started singing and playing guitar and as an adult I've delved into the technical aspects of music theory and musicology. I have experience with all elements and genres of music.

Tutoring Experience:

I have taught in several secondary schools in County Cork, including Midleton CBS, Cork Educate Together Secondary School, Bishopstown Community School and St Vincent's Secondary School.

I have also provided private music tuition for the Leaving Certificate course, my student received a H3 in music in 2023.

Approach to Grinds:

I have had an interest in teaching since I was in secondary school and really enjoy working with young people. Music can be a challenging subject to get to grips with and I aim to use a variety of methods suited to different learning types to best students in understanding (and enjoying!) music.

I will begin any grind process by getting to know the student, assessing the students' needs and working with them to figure out what they want from my classes. As every student is an expert on themselves, I will also have a chat to students about their approaches to studying and what they find works for them so I can tailor my tutoring to their learning style. I believe education is a two-way process, and that every student has as much to offer as each teacher. I know that every student has the skills and capabilities they need to learn and it's my job to show them that and help them feel confident in their abilities. I view students as active participants in their own learning rather than passive recipients of information, so I hope my classes will be challenging but rewarding.

In relation to secondary students, depending on the students situation, I can tailor grinds to the general Junior Cert or Leaving Cert course or I can focus in on a specific area that requires work. I will ensure my students develop a comprehensive and holistic knowledge of the technical aspects of music so that they can approach their tasks with ease and confidence. I will work on the students homework with them by providing them with additional resources or explaining the technical elements required in more detail. I will help in the memorisation of required material in a way in which promotes contextual understanding and not simply rote learning. I hope to make music learning fun, adventurous and fulfilling.