Friendly online English Language and Literature tutor with six years of teaching experience. First Class Honours BA English Graduate from the University of Birmingham, U.K.

Find out more about Emilie

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

  Ever since I was a child, living in the English countryside without any technology or friends nearby to entertain me, reading has brought me joy. Throughout my school years, I loved academics, but it was when I read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 'Purple Hibiscus' at 15 that I realised the power literature has to educate, open minds to new ideas, interrogate stereotypes and hold up a mirror to our own lives. Ever since that moment, I knew I wanted to study Literature further and read as many good books as I could in my lifetime.
  
  I came across private tutoring when looking for a part-time job in my first few weeks of university. I was nervous about the prospect of teaching as I didn't know how much help I could be. Luckily, I quickly realised how much I loved discussing my subject with students, both those on a similar trajectory to myself who enjoyed studying Literature and those who didn't necessarily find magic in the subject, but needed support in their English studies. Looking back now, I realise that the opportunity would not have been there for me if I was not ready for it. I am grateful to my younger self for believing I could try and help others, as it has shaped my work for the past five years.

• 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 both English Language and Literature. This means that I can help you with writing an essay on Shakespeare, the Dystopian genre or Christina Rossetti's poetry, but I also help students to develop their creative or transactional writing skills. Often, one helps the other, and the better students become at analysing other people's work, their writing becomes clearer and more sophisticated.
  
  I find discussing novels, plays and poems in their historical context with my students interesting. Literature and History were always my favourite subjects, therefore I have always been interested in how the two subjects interact. The majority of my work at university focussed on cultural identity, the immigrant experience, law and literature and dystopia, and I enjoy sharing my research in these areas with students where relevant.

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

  My A-Level teacher from ages 16-18, Emma, saw potential in me and instilled a belief in me that I needed at the time. I found transitioning from school to college challenging, but her love for English made me want to persevere and create great work for her. A moment that stands out is when she invited me to a literary festival to watch Sarah Perry discuss 'The Essex Serpent' and write a literary review for a local magazine, which was incredibly exciting for me at the time. It gave me a little insight into what life could be like if I furthered my English studies and went into the world of books and publishing.

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

  A good tutor knows how important it is to listen to your tutees. Even if your students are all studying the same texts, and taking the same exam, their skill sets will all be very different, and their learning styles will be too. One significant benefit of having a private tutor is having that 1:1 experience that allows for students to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, which they might not want to do in a class of 30 pupils. Listen to their concerns about their work, listen to their reasoning for why they want the extra support, and ensure you're providing that. It is important to me that my tutees feel comfortable with me and know that sessions are tailored to their wants and needs every week.
  
  A good tutor knows how to consistently but effectively communicate with parents or guardians of tutees, too. Guardians often pay for tutors because they are worried about their children's grades and feel they cannot support them themselves, so a quick message to update them and explain the support you are providing goes a long way.

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

  A moment I learnt a significant amount from was getting my first A-level English essay marked. After coming out of my GCSE exams with A*s, I was incredibly humbled to see a C- on this A-level essay. I'm not sure I'd ever gotten a C before! By the end of the academic year, I got full marks on both English exams of this same essay style. I always share this moment with my students who are just starting a new academic year, a different exam style, or switching to a new exam board. When faced with a new challenge, comparing back to the marks you used to get can be demoralising. Instead, I encourage tutees to think back to how they got so good at those previous exams or essays and consider whether they can employ those same techniques in this instance. You can't expect to be good at something immediately, and the work is what makes the reward so satisfying.

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

  For me, the biggest challenge in my academic journey was studying English at university. Being expected to read so many texts for my lectures and seminars made enjoying the texts far more difficult, as I didn't have much time to appreciate or process each novel, play or collection of poetry before having to move on to the next one. I know many students find that their love of reading, which might have been so strong as a child, wavers in their teenage years as the academic pressure piles up. For me, the solution was ensuring I always had a 'to-read' list of books I would make time for over the summer, and enjoying audiobooks or paperbacks for pleasure rather than reading on a laptop or e-reader as I did for university reading lists.

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

  I was a painfully shy child, who would be so afraid to speak in class even when I knew that I had the right answer. Therefore, for me, teaching is meaningful because I get to see tutees become more confident and no longer be embarrassed to ask questions or get something wrong. There is so much pressure on students these days, and I pride myself on helping to unburden my tutees by providing as much support with English as I can.

• hat makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions)?

  Having tutored online for five years, half of that being full-time, I have taught all abilities, and a vast selection of exam boards and styles, I've read countless texts and made so many resources for pupils worldwide. I can show students how examiners think, give them example essays to study, and recommend books that I think they'd both benefit from and enjoy.
  
  My extensive experience has shown me that tutoring can be about so much more than boosting grades. Don't get me wrong - I am confident that all of my students will achieve higher grades for their sessions with me. However, tutoring is also about developing a student's voice, giving them time to grow their confidence and allowing them to critically think about their work. The ability to articulate themselves with confidence and clarity is a skill that my students can carry with them for life.