Hello! My name is Tom, I’m a sixth form and secondary school teacher of History & Politics. I previously had 12 years experience as a university lecturer..

Find out more about Thomas

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

  My mom served as President of the historical association in my hometown in Virginia, and I’ll never forget a particular day when I was just 6 years old she walked me into a large, dark, abandoned building which had been used as a hospital for soldiers in the American Civil War – she took me upstairs, down dark corridors, and into several rooms. In one of them, there were a couple of builders fixing a broken floor and my mom explained to me that they were helping to preserve the building so that future generations would be able to appreciate its significance, as well as that of the city, in what was the biggest event in American History. A couple of months later, the city council had the building demolished in order to make room for a new car park. I remember how upset my mom was, and it hit me, too. I decided then that History was the field I wanted to work in, it led to my getting three degrees in the subject, and I became equally fascinated with Politics owing to the fact that so much History is rooted in, and sometimes dominated by, Politics.
  I served as a university lecturer for 12 years, and one particular aspect I enjoyed most about it was working with students 1-to-1 on their history research dissertations and their historiographical essays. As a university lecturer, it was very much part of the job to work with students in groups as well as on an individual basis, and I enjoyed this combination. When I later became a school teacher, I worked exclusively with students in groups, with the exception of those preparing for Oxbridge interviews. And so I was very excited when I began private tutoring, as it gave me new opportunities to work with students 1-to-1, which I feel gives you the opportunity to truly develop their abilities, skills and other aspects which prepare them not only for their exams, but for their upcoming university studies and beyond.

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

  Obviously, History is the study of the past, but what a lot of people forget is the fact that our present, and our future, is entirely rooted in people’s actions in the past, and these events will always influence our behaviour. Therefore, History is an absolutely vital subject to study.
  Politics is another incredibly pertinent subject for people to have knowledge of owing to its being so impactful on all people at all times, and it still stuns me how so many people still believe that Politics has nothing to do with them – this is the opposite of the truth! Our monarch, government, parliament and local councils have regular impact on our lives, and so it is vital to understand how these political systems function, as well as the roles played by key individuals and bodies. The same is true of the United States – their Politics impacts the UK in crucial ways, and so it is important to understand the system of government in that country as well.
  For History, I have a wide range of interests! My specialisms mostly lie in the 19th and 20th centuries within Britain, the United States and Europe, but I also very much enjoy teaching the Tudor and Stuart eras as well. History involving conflict and civil rights are the ones which I enjoy teaching the most.
  Politics appears to be gaining popularity, albeit for all the wrong reasons – events in the world are becoming increasingly unpredictable owing to a number of very powerful, egotistical and sometimes reckless political leaders, and in a lot of ways what we’re seeing on the news these days is terrifying. I think this climate has forced a lot of people to pay closer attention to Politics and current affairs.
  I enjoy teaching UK, US and Ideologies the most, although I’m developing a passion for Global Politics as well. Elections, I think, is the most fascinating and fun topic within Politics to teach.

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

  Yes, absolutely! The first teacher who ever inspired me was Vicki Wert, who was my middle school History teacher in Virginia – what I remember most about Mrs Wert was the fact that I was always so happy walking into her classroom (as were all students), and I think it’s because we all felt so valued by our teacher, and so she literally made it so you wanted to go into her lessons, and you wanted to learn from her. Add to that, Mrs Wert was my History teacher – my favourite subject! She taught so effectively, made me genuinely interested in it, and my being taught by her gave me such a strong foundation going forward, not only because she was such an effective teacher, but because she made me believe in myself, and confidence is something, ideally, students should gain from their experiences of working with teachers and tutors.
  The next teacher who inspired me was Mark Fernandez, a Theology teacher I had in high school. Although Theology not my favourite subject, in lessons Mr Fernandez consistently encouraged me to express my opinions effectively and to defend them. This did wonders for me when it came to learning how to develop an argument and support it with convincing evidence, which is a huge part of what we do in History.
  Finally, in my last year of high school I had an Anatomy teacher named Terry Jacobs, who I absolutely loved. Science was not my strength, as I was far more of a Humanities-leaning student, but Mrs Jacobs was very supportive and highly-effective when I needed extra help, and this did wonders for my motivation, resilience and confidence, this made all the difference for me and I did get a high mark at the end of the year!
  What I learnt from all three of these wonderful teachers is that it is not enough to teach the content of a subject and exam methods to students, you have to build their confidence in themselves as students and as people, and that is how I approach both teaching and tutoring in my own career, largely trying to follow their examples.

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

  There are a lot of qualities required in order to be an effective tutor! Firstly, you have to be understanding of the fact that students who are coming to you for assistance are often struggling with the topic in question, and are probably scared that they will not perform well in that subject. And so a good tutor will take advantage of the 1-to-1 situation to help them develop confidence when approaching the subject, to make them feel that they CAN succeed. It’s also your job as a tutor to identify your students’ strengths and weaknesses, use their strengths to build up their confidence, and then focus on their weaknesses in a way that they can overcome them. Of course, all students are different, and you have to tailor your tutoring to suit their individual learning needs. Sometimes this feels like a lot of work, but it is worth every bit of it, because you are playing a crucial role in helping those students succeed. And so it’s not just their triumph, but yours!

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

  I have taught quite a number of students who, at the start of the year, said, ‘I don’t like History, it’s boring…’ They’re halfway right – if presented or taught poorly, it can be VERY boring. But if you make History approachable for young minds, make it interesting and show History for what it is – it’s the study of people, and it’s relevant to their lives today – they will quickly learn to enjoy it, and it will make them WANT to learn. History also shows what amazing acts we as people can do, as well as the horrible actions we are very capable of committing. Therefore, History is also a warning. All of the above is also true for Politics – it can be a very dry topic, but it can also be, both, humorous and terrifying. Politics is not a boring subject! Unless you make it boring…. As a teacher or tutor, it is your choice! I’ve changed MANY students’ minds about both subjects!

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

  Like any subject, exam boards’ specifications do change periodically – different types of questions, changes in emphasis on topics, etc. With Politics, you do have to constantly stay tuned in to the news to see what’s going on – the exam boards all expect students to include examples from contemporary Politics when answering questions regarding constitutional crises, powers of prime ministers and presidents, legislative branches, cases heard by supreme courts, and so forth. Personally, I very much enjoy watching the news, but it is time-consuming. That being said, it is a very enjoyable challenge.

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

  I have quite a lot of passions! I’ll stick with what’s relevant to tutoring! My family almost exclusively go on holidays to places with interesting historic sites, both in Britain and abroad. Thankfully, my wife and two sons are also very interested in History. I have a particular passion for historic architecture, ranging from the Medieval to Victorian Era. Unsurprisingly, I’m a huge advocate for the preservation, and upkeep, of historic sites.

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

  When I take a student on board, I completely commit myself to that pupil. I make it my mission to help ensure that student is equipped and conditioned in order to perform well on their A-Level or GCSE/IGCSE exam. Equally importantly, I strive to make students look forward to our tutorials – I speak to them, rather than speaking at them. I make sure that they speak as much as I do, and this not only does wonders in building up our tutor-student relationship, but also strengthens the academic resolve and confidence within my students. I tailor my lessons for each individual student in order to maximise the positive impact they have on their learning, all the while also addressing each student’s individual academic needs. Finally, I write monthly reports for each student’s parents, keeping them informed about how things are going, progress achieved, results of practice exam questions, areas which need further development, and so forth. Dedication, I believe, is what makes a tutor a ‘Superprof’.