Joao - Stoke Newington - Biology

Experience

- What kind of experience do you have?

I am currently working as an Academic Mentor for Biology and Chemistry in an inner London Sixth Form. I give academic support in these two subjects at A-level to pupils who, with a little extra one-to-one weekly support, can improve their grades. I am working both with students aiming to achieve a pass grade as well as with students aspiring for A stars. The main goal of my job is to help these students become independent learners.
I know the pressure these students feel everyday and I also realise that the biggest barriers to the good grades are motivation and most importantly lack of confidence. And this can be easily tackled in one-to-one tutoring sessions where a safe learning environment can be created and a confidence relation can be developed. The pupil needs to feel comfortable to express him/herself without the fear of judgment and to ask questions and make mistakes. I therefore have a professional but friendly approach to tutees and tutoring but I am still strict on aspects such as behaviour, respect and commitment.

During the past academic year I was a Lecturer at the Jean Piaget University in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, teaching Discrete Mathematics to IT Engineering students and Immunology to Medical students. This gave me valuable experience in lesson planning and delivering, tutoring, and coursework and written examination planning, assessment and marking.
I have also experience working with younger pupils. I am a volunteer with the charity Action Tutoring as a GCSE-Maths tutor. Their programmes are focused on students that are in the C/D borderline and that without this one-to-one support risk leaving secondary education with no qualification. I have participated already in a programme at Swanlea School, Tower Hamlets, and at Acland Burghley School, Camden. In 2011 I also worked as a volunteer tutor with the charity IntoUniversity in a "homework club" for 12-16 years old students from deprived families in Hackney.
Additionally, I worked as a private tutor (secondary school Maths) in Portugal as well as a Mathematics Sessional Lecturer for one term at my University during my engineering degree.

- Do you have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service, formerly CRB) Certificate?

I have an up-to-date and clean Enhanced Disclosure CRB certificate.