Graham C.

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

Psychology can be a challenging subject for many. However, I am a dedicated believer in enabling others to critically explore the concepts underlying psychology through dialogue, to reach an understanding of the subject that translates into exam success. I have taught psychology in schools and universities, adopting an approach rooted in analytical questioning to develop an understanding grounded in the individual's own experience. I have had a keen personal and professional interest in psychology for more than 30 years and continue to explore this exciting and diverse subject. After achieving a first class honours degree in psychology, I completed a Masters in Psychological research methods. Following a successful 24-year teaching career (12 years as Head of Psychology at a school), I completed a PhD at the UCL Institute of Education, using Michel Foucault's theories to understand teacher stress. As well as enjoying psychology, I have a passion for helping others discover the subject. Psychology can be challenging as it often means learning to think differently about the world around us. It is helping others to do this that I find most rewarding, and is the key to exam success. I look forward to working with you on that journey.

TUTORING EXPERIENCE

I have been teaching and tutoring psychology for 30 years at GCSE, A and degree level, working with a range of students from 14 years to adults. I have extensive experience of all aspects of both OCR and AQA specifications, specialising in research methods, abnormal psychology, criminal psychology and environmental psychology. I have an excellent track record of using a variety of teaching strategies to effectively prepare students for their examinations and enabling them to achieve their potential. My success was recognised by the Good Schools Guide when my department won the award for outstanding results in 2005.

TUTORING APPROACH

To succeed in psychology you need to do three things: know, understand, and demonstrate. To help you the most, we will work together to identify what you know and set personal targets to learn the content of the course. First, we will identify any gaps in your knowledge by looking at the specification. Then we will work on your understanding, which comes through discussion, so you can see the wider implications of psychology. Finally, you will have to practice examination questions so that you can demonstrate what you know and understand to an examiner. To do this, we will identify the ways in which you learn best and develop tailor-made learning resources to give you the best chance of success.