Tutoring students who are studying BTEC Sport and Exercise Science at Level 3.

Find out more about Abbie

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

  I’ve always had a science and maths-based brain and love the satisfaction you get from solving a complex problem (especially if you’ve been working on it for a long time!). I also enjoyed sharing this experience with friends when helping them understand difficult topics in school, so I decided to look into tutoring. Since then, I haven’t stopped & love watching students’ faces when they have that “lightbulb moment”!

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students.

  I mainly tutor maths and sports science. With maths, my favourite topic is algebra. There's a stigma that it's really difficult but can actually be very fun! It is the base of most maths as a student progresses through school, so it is also really useful!
  In terms of sports, my favourite is sports psychology. I enjoy applying the theories to complex scenarios and debating with students about what the athlete could be thinking.

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

  Yes! One maths tutor (who we'll call Jack) was always really passionate during lessons, and I could see how much he genuinely wanted to help people learn. Jack would explain everything in a simple, step-by-step manner, making even the really difficult topics fun to learn! I will always be grateful to him for helping me and hope I can pass on what I've learnt from him to my students.

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

  It should go without saying that you need knowledge. Any good tutor should know what they’re talking about! Along with that, it’s important to be enthusiastic yet patient with students, sympathise with any struggles they might be facing, and have great communication to help them overcome problems and succeed.

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

  I always remember my PE teacher in school teaching us movement analysis. She would get up in front of the class and perform the action, telling us what muscles were beginning to ache. She even did cartwheels in the classroom a few times! This turned out to be really useful during my exams as I'd be picturing her at the front of the class, complaining about which part of her body was hurting the most!

• What were the difficulties or challenges you face in your subject?

  I tend to struggle with memorising many of the mathematical formulas. They all seem very much the same! Instead of memorising anything new, I usually find myself deriving them from one I already know. Although this gets me the answer, it can take up some time in exams and I'm not always sure that it's correct, so I need to work on this.

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

  I'd say that I have a passion for knowledge. I love learning new concepts and developing my understanding of things I'm already aware of. It's crazy to me that there's so much out there I haven't learnt about yet. I hope to further my education as much as I can while passing on what I know to others. I also hope to qualify to teach some practical activities, such as skiing and water sports, allowing me to teach and travel the world - another of my favourite things!

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

  As I mentioned earlier, enthusiasm and patience are crucial for a good tutor. I believe I possess both qualities. I enjoy watching my students succeed and adapting the lessons to keep them motivated. For my younger students, for example, some lessons are through interactive games, where they have their own characters and collect items when questions are answered correctly. This always goes down well!
  
  I know that all students learn differently and believe everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full academic potential.