Karen

My name is Karen and I have been living and teaching in Milton Keynes for 24 years. I enjoy gardening, sewing, reading, decorating, up-cycling, charity shop shopping and walking my two dogs. My garden is my happy place :-)

Tutoring Experience

I have been a mainstream primary teacher for 28 years and a specialist SEN teacher, within a mainstream primary school for 10 years. I have taught children from 3 to 12 years old and have parented my own daughter, who has specific learning need, home schooling her for a year. She has since gone on to earn a degree and establish her own successful company.
I have a secure knowledge of teaching English and maths, from my mainstream teaching experience and have spent the past 13 years using this experience, to adapt and modify learning, to meet a range of complex learning need: Firstly, within a Nurture Room, then an Additionally Resourced Provision and recently, supporting young people with Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) who are educated other than at school (EOTAS). The focus of the work I do is to identify specific learning need as well as identify and support children to overcome barriers to learning while supporting them to achieve learning milestones, as set out in the National English and maths curricula as well as the Functional Skills curricula. The children/young people I work with, progress at a pace which supports them to gain mastery, one step at a time. This ensures that any gaps in learning/understanding are identified and addressed. In partnership with parents/carers, the focus is to establish a secure learning foundation in core subjects/skills while also developing learning courage, learning confidence and learning stamina as well as emotional literacy.
I have taught children with SMEH, ASC, ADHD, PDA, OCD, Attachment Disorder, Trauma, Dyslexia, Hyperlexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, MLD, Global Developmental Delay, Downs Syndrome as well as children with visual and auditory processing difficulties, issues with working memory as well as children with complex medical need.

Tutoring Approach

I believe, emphatically, that EVERY child is able and talented in unique ways and that every child is entitled to learning experiences which inspire ASPIRATION. I also believe, emphatically, that aspiration cannot be actualised unless pursued hand in hand with the understanding, learning and developing of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. I believe that it is my duty, as an educator, to ensure that the learning opportunities I plan/provide, are generated to stretch and challenge all pupils, to aspire to become ALL they have the potential to be. I acknowledge that children learn in different ways and therefore aim to support their learning, in creative and complementary ways. It is imperative, for children, especially those with specific learning need, to be interested in their learning, in order for them to be able to engage. I believe in establishing and maintaining firm, fair and consistent expectations which support children to feel secure, while investing in relationships of trust and unconditional support.

I am able to be flexible, in terms of support offered.
*I am available to support children, with their learning, particularly English and
maths, in the mornings and afternoons.
*I am available to offer term-time and school holiday support, for children who
may need extra investment in reading, spelling, phonics, comprehension, key
maths skills, writing and handwriting.
*I am available to support parents/carers to teach their own children, assisting
with curriculum and lesson planning, tailored approaches to teaching and
learning, additional resources as well as ‘respite’ teaching, for parents/carers
who home-school their own children, who might benefit from a change of face.