Andrew

I am Andrew, a 2nd year Economics student currently pursuing my degree at Durham University. With an ever-increasing understanding of economic concepts through rigorous study and a commitment to academic excellence (on track for a 1st after getting a 2:1 in 1st year), I am excited to share my knowledge and help students navigate the intricacies of the subject (despite my degree being BA there's a fair bit of Maths so I have no choice but to be good at that too).

Tutoring Experience

I have achieved significant milestones, attaining all A's in my 11 GCSE's and A levels (Maths, Chemistry and Economics) including securing the 2nd spot in my sixth forms Economics essay competition as well as bringing practical teaching experience to the table, having successfully tutored students throughout my time as a student at both the secondary and sixth form level. Many of my former students have gone on to achieve A grades in their examinations, a testament to the effectiveness of my teaching methods and the personalized support I provide.

Tutoring Approach

I customize my teaching methods to suit individual learning styles but my standard approach to teaching consists of the following:
Regular, positive reinforcement and encouragement; I cannot tell you the amount of students I have tutored that had negative expectations that translated into negative outcomes in their past (I myself have been guilty of this), this shall not be tolerated but will be transformed into nothing but the highest expectations. I had a friend in secondary school who thought she would fail her Maths exams, so me and a couple of her friends in the class as well as our teacher provided her with messages of confidence and encouragement on post-it notes after EVERY Maths class and revision session: she was targeted an B, she ended up with an A*. Positive attitude is the first step to success.
Student-defined start, with sessions targeting areas the student feels less confident in. This takes place via an application and alternation teaching orientation: working through practice questions or alternating roles and getting the student to explain concepts as a test of their understanding and to identify gaps in knowledge. I also employ drills which are useful when needing to memorise definitions and fundamental concepts (pointed questions with specific answer to drill it home to the point of being second nature in an exam hall).
Finally Exam Focus: the end goal is to get that A/A* (7+ if GCSE English/Maths) but that also involves checking through the exam boards subject specification (it should be your revision guide, it still is for me @ university) and having knowledge of exam technique. Each subjects exam I have found to require a different approach to maximise time and mental energy in achieving the highest marks. I endeavour to make arrangements for my students to complete timed practice exams (in or out of session) which we can then discuss questions answered incorrectly as well as their general approach.