Lucy W

How I teach Maths (KS2/ Years 3-6)

Children can find maths challenging for a number of reasons. I start with building rapport so that you child feels confident to have a go, to get things wrong and to ask for help. I teach Maths through hands-on experience (e.g. using equipment, cooking and real-life scenarios) as well as using visual representations (e.g. bar models) and the more formal methods that are needed as they progress. Struggling with maths can impede performance so it is important to me your child feels safe to try and that they experience success in every session.

How I teach English (KS3-4/ Years 3-11)

I have been Head of English in a London prep school as well as a state primary school. As with maths, my aim is for sessions to be characterised by a sense of fun and achievement. Creative writing skills are taught using a well-tested method that aims to help your child to overcome any fear of the blank page so they can write with flair and fluency. Your child’s vocabulary will be stretched, to include technical vocab (e.g. grammar and punctuation). I help children with spelling using visual and hands-on techniques.
If your child is struggling to decode words, we will start by ensuring a sound grasp of phonics as well as progressing higher-level skills including inference, deduction, summarising and predicting. Reading makes all the difference to a child’s progress in English, but some children find reading difficult or ‘boring’. I love to find texts (fiction, non-fiction and poetry) to help them to fall in love with the written word, as well as teaching them skills so they can to access it with confidence.

How I teach children with focus and concentration difficulties

I structure sessions according to each child’s needs and capacity for concentration. Some may learn best while moving or playing with a fiddle toy. They may need visual aids, very short stints, repeated practice or regular learning reviews. Some children prefer working on a computer but for others, pen and paper is more effective. All sessions are bespoke: it is helpful to hear suggestions from parents, any Ed Psych report
and of course your child. It can also be a great help for a child to develop self-awareness about their learning preferences.

How I teach Study Skills (age 10+)

I ‘discovered’ Study Skills while in my final year at Cambridge and only wish I’d known about them sooner. Study Skills are great for preventing overwhelm and giving your child confidence to organise revision and use their time effectively. I typically teach Study Skills as a one-off three-hour intensive, but can teach over separate sessions if required. Study Skills include memory aids, mind mapping, notetaking and strategies for effective
time management. They are especially useful in science, humanities and languages in
Common Entrance & GCSEs where there is a large volume of content to review and retain.

How I teach Emotion Coaching

Emotion Coaching (devised by psychologist John Gottmann) shows children how to understand the different emotions they feel, why they occur and how to handle them. Every child can benefit from Emotion Coaching as it helps them ‘feel seen, safe, soothed and
secure’ (Gottmann) so they can begin to regulate their behaviour. This helps children to communicate their needs and relate to others more easily. I teach Emotion Coaching in two phases: first to parents and then to children, so you can put it into practice on an ongoing basis. It can be especially helpful for children who are
currently out of school but looking to return; or for children with exam anxiety.

How I create fun lessons that impart knowledge

The first thing we do is to develop a rapport and sense of fun so that your child looks forward to tuition sessions and feels safe to ‘have a go’, to get things wrong and to try again. I aim for all sessions to include both challenge and a sense of success to keep your
child motivated and to develop their sense of self-belief. We may use real life examples that make them laugh; we may talk about ‘failure’ and how it’s an important part of learning; we will use hands-on activities where appropriate. I will both challenge and
encourage your child so they can feel proud of their efforts. How I teach children and young people to develop their independence I have high expectations for children and want them to feel clear about what they need to be doing, whether in preparation for a lesson or as they complete a task. Through mental
models, strategies and checklists, my aim is that your child will build a skillset they can rely on when faced with a learning activity.