Zaidi

I am an educational psychologist and private tutor. My ethos is that everyone deserves an education, and that it should be the best education possible. This is what I have always maintained and as a result, only the best sources of information are used.

I love education and helping people. This passion drives me to make sure my students succeed. Lessons are often intense and full of questions… this is the best way to learn! I always provide everything my students need to achieve the best grade possible, and with consistency will come the great results associated with a clear, set learning plan.

My main aim is to help students make the best use of resources available, encouraging interactive learning, tailoring lessons to the student, providing help with research, assignments (including dissertations), exams, exam technique, revision and more. For each student, I produce a personalized schedule of work ensuring all parts of the specification are covered and providing practical examples for my students to work with. I also home-school, prepare for entrance exams, do online lessons, tutor private school students and provide ‘summer school’ for students (this is where, over the summer holidays, I tutor my students for the upcoming year – this allows for better understanding of topics and pre-prepares the student for the next academic year. These few weeks are crucial in ensuring the best results).

Tutoring Experience

I fell into tutoring after working at the University of Hertfordshire as a Special Educational Needs (SEN) support worker (I also studied Psychology and Business Studies there). While working at the university, I had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of students with varying educational challenges from hydrocephalus to dyslexia and beyond. This led me to working for myself, (after a few years) as it was clear university students also needed extra help, not only those with SEN. I broadened the age range of students I would work with and now teach from Early Years to Masters Level (I believe it is best to start learning early and therefore, I teach children as young as 3 years old – their brains are like sponge at this age, and will keep absorbing information).

I teach my students not only how to succeed in education, but how to succeed in the real world also. I can provide help with CV writing, interview coaching and personal/professional profile building (I have experience as a recruitment consultant and use this experience to aid my students whenever necessary). I also aid students with their university applications including personal statements and references.

I am also CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) qualified and practice as an Educational Psychologist (when required). I provide a safe environment for all students to discuss anything with me. I am BPS accredited which means that I abide by the British Psychological Society’s ethical guidelines and as such, anything discussed in our sessions will remain confidential. I not only provide these services for my students themselves, but also provide these services for parents and other family members.

Given my fierce interest in education, inclusive education and Special Educational Needs (SEN), I also have diplomas in various SEN topics, thereby allowing me the opportunity to better meet the needs of my students by utilizing the information within these qualifications and fields.

For students undertaking an EPQ, having supervised EPQs for all major exam boards in a variety of subjects, I can teach how to undertake research, how to plan their time and structure their work, how to complete the record forms and all necessary paperwork associated with their EPQ, as well as teaching students how to reference correctly. The skills students learn with me during their EPQ will enable them to go onto further education with confidence, as they will have learnt how to correctly prepare for assignments and how to present and deliver their projects to others.

Tutoring Approach

The approach I take is fun, friendly and approachable, and although this may seem strange of an educational psychologist, cultivating a solid foundation for a relationship based on being friendly has had many successes. This allows the student to feel able to express themselves fully and talk through any issues that may be worrying them (e.g. depression, anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, self-esteem, peer pressure, sibling rivalry, confidence), as well as allowing them the opportunity to fulfill their academic ambitions and explore their personality.

I have been teaching online and interactively for several years now, as sometimes this is only way to provide tuition. And during the pandemic, this is the safest way to ensure our children are learning and continuing with their education in the hopes of fulfilling their ambitions - academic or otherwise. While this is clearly different from teaching face-to-face, I am still able to teach the necessary information to my students, have them understand the concepts we are studying, make notes and ask them questions, both orally and written, in order to ensure that they are grasping the information and are able to recall it. As the lessons are online, sharing resources with students is also easier and both the student and I can see the necessary information and discuss it as necessary.