A level & undergraduate politics, University Admissions | Former LSE lecturer | Oxford, UCL & LSE PhD

Find out more about Irene

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

  My interest in politics and law led me to study Law at Oxford, work in human rights organisations and later complete a PhD in banking regulation. Tutoring has been a lovely way to bring these experiences together. I enjoy helping students understand challenging ideas and become more confident in expressing their own views.

• 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 politics and also support students with essay writing, admissions and university-level work. There isn’t a topic I particularly dislike, but I find facts much more interesting when we explore why they matter, rather than simply memorising them!

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

  The teachers I admire most are those who take students’ ideas seriously and make it feel comfortable to ask questions. I think a good teacher can be both encouraging and challenging: someone who helps you think more deeply without making you feel embarrassed about what you don’t yet know. That’s the approach I aim to bring to my lessons.

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

  Patience, warmth and the ability to explain things clearly. It’s also important to listen, students have different strengths, interests and ways of learning. A good tutor should be able to adapt, give useful feedback and help students feel that progress is within their reach.

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

  One thing my own journey has taught me is that your interests can take you in unexpected directions. Studying law eventually led me into human rights work, banking regulation and now training in psychotherapy for young people. These might seem quite different, but they all involve questions about people and the institutions that shape their lives. I like to remind students that they don’t need to have their whole future worked out to follow something they find interesting.

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

  A challenge I recognise from my own studies is turning a complicated idea into a clear argument. You can understand something but still find it difficult to explain on paper! That’s why I spend time helping students break ideas down, organise their thoughts and build an argument step by step.

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

  I’m particularly interested in understanding people, both through politics and through my current training in psychology. In teaching, I love the moment when something clicks for a student, especially when they begin making connections or developing an argument of their own.

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

  I bring a broad academic background, a friendly approach and a real interest in what each student has to say. I want lessons to feel like a space where you can ask questions freely, try out ideas and build confidence. And I’m always happy to explain something another way if it hasn’t clicked the first time!