Passionate chemistry Student with 3 years of tutoring experience offering online maths and chemistry lessons

Find out more about Shereen

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I recognised that tutoring could be a powerful way to share my knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm for the subject with others who might benefit from personalised guidance and resources. It was incredibly rewarding to see my students understand challenging concepts and witness their confidence and success grow as a result of our interactions. Additionally, private tutoring allowed me to develop strong one-on-one connections with my students, understand their unique learning styles, and tailor my approach to suit their individual needs. This personalised attention and the opportunity to witness their progress firsthand further fueled my passion for private tutoring.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach chemistry and maths, which are my strongest topics as IA am currently studying chemistry with drug discovery at university. The students normally give me a list of topics they struggle with the most and I prioritise them to eliminate any doubts or weaknesses. We normally run through the course specifications found on the SQA website to make sure the student has a clear understanding of any topic that could be asked within the exam. Topics in chemistry include:
  
  -rates of reaction
  -chemical changes and structures
  -natures chemistry
  -acids and bases
  -chemistry in society and many more

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  Yes, my higher chemistry teacher was my role model who inspired me to continue learning about chemistry and turn it into a career path. He made teaching the subject enjoyable whilst effectively teaching and that is also why I love tutoring as I want to give my students that same learning experience.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  Qualities that are required to become a great tutor are:
  patience: Patience is crucial as students have different learning paces and might need extra time to grasp certain concepts. A great tutor remains calm and understanding, providing support and encouragement to their students.
  Adaptability: Each student has unique learning styles and preferences. A great tutor can adapt their teaching methods to suit individual needs, employing various approaches to ensure effective learning.
  Communication Skills: Effective communication is key to successful tutoring. A great tutor can convey information clearly and concisely, actively listening to students' questions and concerns and responding in a supportive and encouraging manner.
  Goal-Oriented: A great tutor sets clear learning objectives and goals for their students. They create a structured plan to help students achieve these objectives, monitoring progress along the way.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  When I was deciding what subjects to choose for my 6th year, I spoke to my physics teacher because I was unsure whether to take 3 advanced higher subjects or only do 2 advanced highers and 1 higher subject. He told me that with my work ethic and determination, I would be able to not only manage but succeed in all 3 advanced highers. He motivated me and I ended up achieving amazing grades in all 3 subjects. He never let me give up or doubt myself and it was really encouraging.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  Chemistry is a very complex subject that has many layers, therefore you need to know your basic chemistry to have a foundation to build off. It is always useful to keep returning to older content to refresh it in my mind as it can be difficult to retain.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  As much as I love teaching, I really enjoy learning as well. Being half-Arab and half-Persian has taught me to appreciate my culture and this has led me to enjoy other countries cultures too. Learning and immersing myself in different cultures is the best way to really open my perspective on life. I love reading historical literature about my countries and surrounding myself with family who can teach me about it. I have also starting learning Spanish and coding because i love to keep my brain stimulated.

• What makes you a Superprof

  I know I am a Superprof because of the amount of effort and time I put into these student's success because their success is my success. Pushing them to achieve their best whilst being patient enough for them to come to me with any problem is what makes me an outstanding tutor. I have changed lives for some students as I have managed to get them good grades in subjects they need for college or University, which makes me extremely happy for them. Being so enthusiastic about teaching the subjects I love helps the students love the subject too because I try to make the lessons as enjoyable as possible.