Cambridge University Masters Graduate, experienced tutor of History, Essay Technique, Critical Thinking and Personal Statement prep.

Find out more about Guy

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  When I realised how much of a nerd I was. Often my response to discovering some cool bit of history or beautifully built poem would be to share it with friends, and it occurred to me that excitement about learning and instinct to share was probably useful quality in a teacher.
  
  I also really value the flexibility it gives me in terms of when and where I work. I don't think I'd survive going into an office 9-5.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach History, English Literature, and English Language, all subjects I'm very passionate about.
  
  English literature is a subject that's important to me because, alongside tutoring, I'm also an actor. In both my careers then, words and stories are the building blocks of my job and I get endless joy from discussing how authors fit together words and phrases to create meaning. In those classes, I love being able to pass on the tools that help students to understand difficult texts or to write complex stories of their own. It's incredibly satisfying to watch a student find joy in that, or at the very least, get comfortable in a subject they used to find scary.
  
  I qualified as a TEFL teacher during the pandemic, something that once again appealed to my technical/word brain. It was when I changed from having a native speaker's limited understanding of a language to learning how it actually all fits together. This is another subject I enjoy breaking down with students, however, this is the subject that probably has my least favorite parts of the job in it. Sometimes the English language simply doesn't make sense or obey patterns, and it's down to a student and teacher to just work through all the tricky bits. That's tough for both of us!
  
  As for History, I've studied historical subjects from Popes in the 12th century, to the Maoist Insurgency in India in 2005. I love the imaginative range of the subject, and the breadth of individuals and systems you get to investigate. My Master's is in World History though, in particular the Early Modern period. Something about that time, when European cultures were colliding with Native American, Asian and African cultures in ways never seen before, and causing big changes for all participants really fascinates me.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My History teacher at school, Gareth Mann, was as wise as he was mischievous. His classes treated us like adults, he taught us new and exciting things but also challenged us and dared us to think for ourselves. He's a big part of why I teach now.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  Empathy, adaptability, patience, and great subject knowledge.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  When I was ten an English teacher told the class a story about a clever student who wrote an extremely good essay in his 13+ school exams, but clearly misunderstood or misread the question. No matter how brilliant the ideas were, because he hadn't answered the question properly he couldn't receive a good mark and didn't get into the school he wanted. Now, I have no idea if that teacher made up the story to strike fear into his Year 5s - it worked, by the way. However, now that I am a teacher, I do see how easily and how often great students don't answer the question - because they're rushing or stressed out, or over-confident. So if he did make it up, I understand why!

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or are still facing in your subject?

  I used to find poetry very challenging because I was never sure what was 'right'. I just couldn't see why a particular word or comma in a particular place was important while other students clearly could. It took me a while to realise there isn't often one right answer in English literature. There's no one who completely 'understands' every device in a poem and knows what it definitely means. Once you learn what the devices are (metaphor, assonance, rhyme, whatever you like) and what they can do, then you can use that knowledge to back up a whole host of different interpretations.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  I am very lucky to find a lot of things exciting. History, English, teaching, acting, writing, the music of Muse, hiking, anything sci-fi or fantasy, really good pasta. I could go on.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  I give my students the respect they deserve. If they've made the effort to come to me and pay my fee because they want to learn then I respect the commitment they're making and I will do my best to work with them in whatever way best suits their learning style.
  
  Also, if the lesson's boring for you it's probably boring for me too, so I do my best to avoid that!