Marinus

I am a qualified teacher of English with many years of study, research and training in some of the world's top universities. My qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in English Literature and the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) in English, including Media Studies and Drama. My Initial Teacher Training covered all aspects of English and all abilities in the 11-18 age range. My interests, of benefit to many students especially at university level, include Critical Theory, Classical Literature, and African Literature. I have guided many students doing research and proof-read their dissertations. I have also taken the official training for one-to-one tutors rolled out by the government to complement classroom teaching. I have experience as a GCSE English examiner for Edexcel and served as Team Leader for the June 2013 exam series. Additionally, I mark A Level English Literature for OCR.

Tutoring Experience

I am a specialist in the new (2017) 9-1 curriculum in English Language and English Literature. I was recently given awards by the Joint Council for Qualifications in England and by OCR for my contribution to GCSE and A Level examining respectively. My first teaching appointment came in 1988 in Cameroon where I taught English and African Literature, becoming an A Level examiner for the Cameroon GCE examination board in 1990. I later took the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) leading to the PGCE, finishing my last year as Education Student of the Year in my university and receiving a national commendation for the quality of my work. I have since taught in different schools in Kent and Medway, preparing students for exams such as Functional Skills, IELTS, GCSE, A Level, IB and AEA. I have also given one-to-one tuition to looked-after teenagers under a government scheme as well as taught in a secure unit for which, in addition to enhanced disclosure DBS, I was vetted over a six month period. My first long-term (over 3 months) supply position involved teaching GCSE English, A Level English Literature, and the IB. Most of my teaching has been in selective (grammar) schools. The students I have taught privately for GCSE (AQA and Edexcel) and A Level (AQA Spec A and B, Edexcel and OCR) have usually achieved or exceeded their target grades.

Tutoring Approach

I like to establish the needs of the students and carefully review all available assessment records. If the student is preparing for a special exam such as the GCSE, I would start by ensuring that the student is aware of the full requirements of the exam and establish a clear plan to cover these. I know from marking exams over a number of years what examiners want to see and would make sure that the candidate understands exactly how to approach exam tasks. I like to build a good rapport with the student so that they are comfortable revealing possible areas of weakness that we could turn into strengths.