Isabel Ruthven - Professional Teacher in South London
I graduated from Durham University in 2012 with a degree in Natural Sciences, specialising in Biology and Psychology. Shortly after graduating, I moved to London to begin work as a Medical Writer. This involved writing a variety of medical papers for the pharmaceutical industry for new, or developing, medical drugs.
In 2015 I made the change into teaching. I undertook my teaching degree at Goldsmith's University and specialised in Secondary Science. I am now a professional Science teacher based in South East London, teaching pupils aged 11-18 Chemistry, Biology and Physics to GCSE and Biology A-level. I am an enthusiastic and committed teacher and am passionate about helping young people to understand and enjoy science. I encourage pupils to think on their own, scaffolding their learning and slowly taking away training wheels so they have the confidence and self-belief to make progress on their own. Tutoring allows me to have for the 1-1 teaching contact that young people so often need in order to reach their potential.
Subjects I Teach
My Education & Qualifications
-
University of Goldsmiths, 2015 – 2016
PGCE Secondary Science (PGCE): Outstanding -
University of Durham, 2009 – 2012
Natural Sciences (BSc Hons): 2:1 -
St Leonards Mayfield School, 2001 – 2008
Biology, Chemistry, Maths (A-level): A,A,A
My Tutoring & Teaching Experience
I have been teaching Secondary Science full-time since 2016 in a co-educational Academy in South-East London. I teach all three sciences at KS3 and KS4 level but I specialise in Biology and Chemistry at GCSE and Biology A-level (AQA and OCR specifications). I teach pupils with a variety of abilities and attainment level and am able to adapt my teaching strategies to suit each individual. I strive to have a positive and encouraging atmosphere in my classroom which has helped enthuse even the trickiest of classes.
I run intervention sessions after school and on Saturdays to help students who are struggling on a particular concept and need some 1-1 support; or those who need revision techniques and exam practice. These sessions have provided invaluable support for those approaching GCSE or end of year exams.
I also have 2 years tutoring experience with long- and short-term clients. (Long-term: tutoring 2 hours each week for a year duration leading to an A-level Biology exam; short-term: intense revision courses prior to GCSE and SATS exams).
My Approach to Tutoring
I believe it is important to know the individual in order to be an effective teacher. I therefore spend time getting to know my pupils before teaching begins - finding out their interests, hobbies, strengths and weaknesses. We will then chose achievable goals together - this is very important as it is vital the student has a sense of ownership for their learning. After that, it is all about making the lessons as relaxed, interactive and informative as possible. By being approachable and encouraging I like to create a safe space where students can make mistakes to aid their learning. For pupils in KS2 and KS3, I like to use a variety of activities in the sessions to help keep focus. When preparing pupils for GCSE and A-level exams, I focus on key content and revision techniques with plenty of exam practice. I always strive to make my lessons as fun as possible, while ensuring pupils make as much progress as possible.
Fun Facts About Me
I love to play sport and do anything active. I play in netball and hockey teams during the week and run everywhere I can - my current marathon total is at 7 and I am on the lookout for number 8, 9 and 10!
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Otherwise, you can read about our tutor selection criteria, or read about Wentworth Education's philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. You can also see more tutor profiles on our tutors listing page, where you can filter by subject.
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