Online History Tutor Nils

I graduated from Sidney Sussex College at the University of Cambridge with a first-class degree in history, receiving the Charles Whittaker prize for academic excellence. My focuses have varied and include the politics of time in the French revolution; economic development and class relations in 19th century Britain; the concept of the 'supernatural' in medieval Europe, and the relationship between Islam and communal life in modern Yemen. Currently, I am interested in political and legal thought, which I will pursue in my masters at Humboldt university. I began teaching in academic summer schools at Cambridge University, most of which were directed towards preparing A Level students for the specific challenges of university education. I set up lessons to challenge the more formulaic aspects of pre-University learning, and worked with students to develop their ideas in the context that Cambridge fosters. I have worked as a professional tutor for three years now and have totaled over 700 hours of experience, working with students from GCSE to degree level in HSPS, history, sociology, economics and the political sciences. I lay particular focus on technique in this regard. For pre-University students, this is a matter of understanding what the exam board is testing you on; a rather simple point but one that actually receives little focus in practice. Written presentation of knowledge is not just a matter of style here, it is vital in showing that you understand, and have responded effectively to the question. With university students, the emphasis shifts but there is nonetheless a 'technique' to scoring highly. Primary sources, secondary literature and argument need to be actively utilised together, rather than being 'inserted'; research needs to be specifically articulated as belonging to a niche, be it through historiographical focus, interpretive framework or primary source basis. In both cases, a direct and sustained focus on the requirements for excellence in any given task is absolutely necessary to receive a high mark. This level of focus has resulted in a marked increase in grades for my students, from M2 to D1 for one pre-U student, from a 3 to 8 for one Cambridge IGCSE student, from a 2.2 to a 1st for one university student.