Diana

Over my time as a teacher I have held the key roles of Deputy Head and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) together with a variety of subject co-ordinator roles (including maths and literacy) and as Gifted and Talented Pupils co-ordinator (my CV is available on request). I have recently relocated to the Isle of Wight from West Sussex where I worked for the Local Authority as a Special Needs Officer monitoring and advising about the education of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs. As such I have experience and knowledge about a wide variety of teaching methods and current National Curriculum requirements. Please note that as I live on the Isle of Wight I am unable to tutor pupils on the mainland unless specific arrangements can be made.

Tutoring Experience

I worked in mainstream schools for 27 years before moving to the role of Special Needs Officer (WSCC) which involved monitoring and advising about the appropriate provision of education for pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs (SSEN). My experience as a class teacher has covered all the age ranges between 4 and 12 years of age and tutoring and advisory work up to GCSE level. I was a Deputy Head for 7 years with managerial responsibilities for Teaching and Learning and the Curriculum ensuring that teaching staff were providing high standards of education for pupils. During this time I studied for and qualified for the National Professional Qualification for Headship. I have held the role of co-ordinator for Gifted and Talented pupils and have worked with pupils preparing for entrance exams to independent schools. I have also held the role of SENCo (Special Educational Need Co-ordinator) and have a special interest in different learning styles and ways in which to help pupils with specific learning difficulties, reinforcing this interest with the studying and qualifying for a psychology degree. As a result of this I moved to work as an Advisory Teacher for West Sussex County Council as a Special Needs Officer working with the many schools across the County advising and monitoring pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs whilst maintaining a keen interest in, and applying the latest developments in the education field.

Tutoring Approach

Learning should be an enjoyable experience for the pupil and by tailoring lessons to the learner's individual needs and interests subject matter becomes relevant to them, improving their confidence and raising their achievement potential. All pupils are individuals and as such it is important to be aware of a variety of different approaches in order to maintain interest and motivation. Making links from what they already know to new learning is a valuable skill to learn and I encourage pupils to question, developing problem solving skills and looking for these links to develop new understanding.