Maaike

Hi there! My name is Maaike and I look forward to being your tutor :) I am 24 years old and have recently returned from teaching in South Korea for three years. I have over 10 years experience being a tutor, working in schools as a Teaching Assistant, Learning Mentor, and being a Foreign English Teacher. I love meeting new people and chatting over shared interests. I am a huge book and movie nerd! So if you are a fan of talking about book or movie theories or debates of love triangles, then I am your girl! I do enjoy dabbling in History, Food and TV shows. I love travelling, exploring new places and cultures.

Tutoring Experience

From the age of 14, I was a 1:1 volunteer tutor for French and English at my secondary school. From there, I have tutored for English Language, English Literature and French for Under 13s, GCSEs, A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate. I feel honoured to have helped my students move up several grades in these subjects and completely change their attitude from hating the subject to wanting to study it further. I have studied English and French up until University with 'A*'s at iGCSE and 'A's at A-Level followed by a 2:1 at University (during which time I also additionally studied Dutch to an intermediate level along side my degree). After completing my TEFL qualification, I have spent 3 years teaching English as a Foreign Language to children of 8-13 years old. During this time, cultivating a love for languages and experiencing new cultures among the students, as well as massively improving their English literacy rates and overall levels of capability that were greatly stunted as a consequence of COVID-19. Due to my efforts I was awarded the Best Native English Speaking Teacher in Korea Award in 2023.

Tutoring Approach

I am a great advocator for creativity and flexibility in lessons. Not all methods of teaching and learning work for everyone and I pride myself on how I adapt and tailor my lessons specifically to the individual involved to maximize their learning (and fun whilst learning). With this type of engaging approach, it will in turn develop the student's skills and make them feel more motivated and confident in their progress. It is important to make materials and lessons that not only interest the students but to create an environment that students feel safe to make mistakes, ask for help when needed, and to question things that they don't understand. From my experience, in this way, students have felt encouraged and empowered to be proactive in their own learning thus deepening their knowledge and understanding. When it comes to learning languages, the best way to learn is by talking, and luckily - I am told - I am very chatty! As someone who has learned (and is still learning) four languages, I understand wholeheartedly the issues students face and the hurdles that seem almost too big to overcome - but don't worry, with my help, we will jump over them together!