Adam

My long-standing academic interest in politics and history was sparked by a dynamic and enthusiastic ‘A’ Level politics teacher. I hope that I can be the catalyst for your own life-long interest in these topics as well as success in your examinations. My career in education, including a PGCE (Huddersfield) specifically aimed at teaching adolescents and adults, has included teaching A Levels and university courses, including the UK’s Open University, but also in Canada. As a student, I learned to read more widely around the subject and to keep up with current affairs, habits which I advocate for my tutees now. It is also crucial for Generation Z to be able to distinguish between fake and authentic news. My interest in studying politics and history has been a lifelong experience and this is what I bring to my tuition.
Formally, I studied Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent, gaining an Upper Second Honours degree (2:1). I won a scholarship to study for an MA in Politics at Brock University, Canada, and later went on to complete a doctorate (PhD) in the politics of the European Union at the University of Bristol. I’ve published articles on regional politics in the European Union and a book chapter on minority rights. I am currently researching republicanism in UK politics.

Tutoring Experience

I am familiar with most GCSE and A Level politics and history curricula (EdExel, AQA, IBac). My understanding of history and politics (UK, American and European) has been enriched by teaching undergraduate students while completing my MA, PGCE and PhD. These periods gave me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in different teaching and learning methods. In addition, I’ve designed programmes of learning and assessment at both undergraduate and postgraduate level at the Universities of Reading, Leicester and Bristol, so I understand how curricula work and understand how to meet learning criteria in your subjects. Thirteen years of teaching on Open University courses has given me an understanding of how people learn in many different ways, including remote and hybrid learning, and how to adjust teaching material and delivery to suit students’ needs.

Tutoring Approach

Learning is important but can be fun at the same time and this characterises my approach to teaching politics and history: it should be enjoyable! I use current affairs from across the world to set in context curriculum topics – including video clips, social media and newspaper articles. I use these to prompt discussion to get at the heart of key topics studied in the curriculum - a key way for a learner to process new information. I use visual aids – pictures, charts, statistics etc. and ask lots of questions to extend the discussion and prompt you to articulate and review your learning. Note-taking during learning sessions is kept to a minimum, with students expected to reflect after the session and write-up more detailed personal notes. Ultimately, my aim is to equip you to become a self-motivated life-long learner who continues to enjoy the subject long after we’ve stopped learning together.

Teaching a wide range of A Level and Open University students has caused me to carefully consider how to structure an essay, revision techniques and how I can best give written and verbal feedback on formative work submitted by students. These can all feature in my tutorials.