Ilari

I am a London-based tutor with eight years of teaching experience.

I hold a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Oxford. I also completed an MPhil at Yenching Academy of Peking University, where I specialised in Comparative History and Philosophy. I received a First Class from my degree at Oxford and a high distinction from my degree at Peking University.

In addition to my expertise in Philosophy and Psychology, I specialise in three key areas:

1. Special Educational Needs (SEN)
   With a background in Psychology, I am a sensitive and effective tutor for students with SEN. I have extensive experience working with students on the autism spectrum and those with ADHD, tailoring my approach to meet their unique learning needs.

2. Students from Chinese Backgrounds
   I have developed specialised methods for English language learning for Chinese-speaking students. These have produced excellent results. As an example, one of my long-term students recently achieved full marks in the speaking and listening sections of the English gaokao. Only three students in the whole of Beijing did so.

3. Admissions
   I have years of experience teaching critical thinking and guiding students through UCAS applications. My passion for helping students navigate university admissions stems from personal experience: after completing state school in Finland, I successfully applied to Oxford in 2013 without any formal support from teachers or tutors. The challenging journey inspired me to support students from all backgrounds in achieving their academic goals. Beyond university admissions, I also assist with school entrance exams. As an example, one of my former students is now studying at Eton on a full King's scholarship.

Tutoring Experience

As a private tutor:
During the past eight years, I have worked as a private tutor for Philosophy and Psychology, but also History, English, and Geography (in English), as well as Economics (in Finnish), and Finnish (in Chinese). My students have ranged from pre-school children to professional adults.

In the classroom:
In 2017-2018, I worked as a supply teacher at the Finnish-French School of Helsinki, running classes on a variety of topics for students ranging from 6 to 19 years of age. I ran classes using Finnish, English, and French. In 2020, I worked for two months as a full-time Psychology lecturer at Lohja High School, Finland. In 2024, I worked as the Head Tutor of UKSS Summer School held at St Peter's College, Oxford.

In the seminar room:
In 2020-2021, I worked as a graduate teaching assistant at Peking University, running seminars and grading assignments for a diverse student population. Having received excellent feedback from students and teaching fellows, I was awarded an “Honorary Teaching Assistant” award in 2020.

Tutoring Approach

In most cases, I design my classes in the style of Oxbridge-style tutorials. I believe that critical thinking is a key component in all teaching sessions, and I challenge students to question the teaching content wherever appropriate. This benefits both the student and myself: throughout the years, I have benefited immensely from the comments of my students, many of whom I have maintained contact still after the official tutoring period.