Sina

I'm a 32 year old PhD researcher and have a passion for passing on knowledge to others, thereby helping them achieve their goals, whether it is obtaining a degree or simply to learn something about a topic that interests them. That is why teaching and tutoring are my primary vocation. I completed several studies in the Netherlands with the highest honors before receiving a merit-based scholarship to pursue an MA in Philosophy at King's College, London, which I have obtained with a 1st or Distinction award.

I am currently pursuing and in the final stages of completing a PhD in History at the University of Cambridge, where my focus is on the history of ideas in modern English and European history, as well as certain aspects of social, economic, political and cultural history. Philosophy of history and historiography (the methodology of historical analysis) will also be a central concern.

Tutoring Experience

I have worked as a tutor for 5 years in the Netherlands at a middle school, where I helped hundreds of pupils between the ages of 12 and 18 with subjects such as Philosophy, History, Social Studies and English. At the same time I was also providing private tutoring. As many of my pupils had learning difficulties I also acquired the appropriate skills to deal with such challenges.

After that I worked as a teaching-assistant at the University of Amsterdam's Philosophy department for 2 years, and for 6 years now I have worked as a private tutor in England with students ranging from Primary to GSCE, A-level and university undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as a teacher for 1st to 3rd year undergraduates at Cambridge University for the History and Politics Tripos.

During my work and studies I have written, assessed and provided feedback on countless papers and essays in history (in particular social, economic, cultural, modern European and American history) and philosophy (in particular political and social philosophy, ethics, philosophy of history and critical theory), at both undergraduate and graduate level, so can offer assistance to those who are struggling with formulating their ideas or structuring them properly.

Tutoring Approach

My main approach when tutoring is to first find out what the individual requirements of each pupil or student are, and then tailor my tutoring plan to that. This tailoring involves a variety of techniques I have learned through my formal training as a peer tutor and teaching-assistant and over many years of practical experience tutoring and teaching.

In general I am a strong believer in dialogical learning, which means that my tutoring is heavily focused on grasping the material in question through critical discussion with the pupil/student, whereby I try to present it in a way that appeals to the curiosity and interest of the pupil/student. I have learned that this is particularly important for philosophy and history, subjects that some have difficulty with when it's presented as a dry set of facts to learn, but can be brought to life by opening up the many compelling narratives they contain, and the many ways one can engage with them. It is exactly this kind of creative engagement with the material that is looked for in papers/assignments at undergraduate and especially graduate level, so by helping the pupil/student develop their skills in this respect they will be better able to succeed academically.

So if you require assistance with writing and structuring a paper or preparing for an exam, or simply want to learn about a particular area of history or philosophy, we can go over your needs in the first introductory session, and draw up a plan for any sessions after that if you would like to proceed.

Also, history and philosophy are rather broad subjects, ranging from the religious practices of the Ancient Romans to the intricacies of modal logic. If you can be as specific as possible in your tutoring request about which topics you wish to cover, I shall only accept if I can be of assistance to you in advance of the introductory meeting. This saves you the introduction fee in case your difficulties are with a topic that falls outside my areas of expertise.

With regard to availability, I am generally available on weekdays and weekends, but specific times and dates have to be agreed in advance. However, I am quite accommodating in this respect!