Smaragda

Hi! My name is Smaragda and I am a medical student stuyding in London. I am currently in my fourth year, and I am doing an intercalating degree in prehospital medicine. I am from Greece (Thessaloniki, up north!) and I grew up between Greece and Romania, before moving to London for my studies. I enjoy playing Water Polo and volunteering at my foodbank :)

Tutoring Experience

I officially started tutoring 3 years ago at the start of university and have been teaching physics, biology, chemistry and maths at GCSE level (and below), and biology and chemistry for A-Level/IB. Unofficially, I tutored my friends in the sciences and maths (coincidentally!) in secondary school, which is what made me want to get into teaching!

Tutoring Approach

I always tell my students that they lead the lesson. They are the student, they are there to learn, and I will cater to their needs and teaching styles whatever those may be. I have tutored students who move very fast, and others who would like to take things much slower. Students often have different learning styles; some are note-takers, whereas others are visual learners and some are kinesthetic. My aim is to try and figure out which way my students learn best and cater to that. Homework is largely dependent on their motivation and if they are willing to go the extra mile, but I will always offer it up with gentle encouragement.
During the lesson, my approach varies again according to student. Some students have the knowledge but struggle to apply it to exam questions, while others need help understanding the content - this usually determines where we place more emphasis.