Alastair Monty - Tutors - Keystone Tutors

Experience

In my previous tutoring experience, I have:

-Helped with successful CE and scholarship applications for Dulwich College and Alleyn's School.

-Assisted with successful applications for 6th Form entry at St. Edward's School Oxford, Charterhouse and Cheltenham College.

-Helped a US college student with their studies and provided general guidance on the US system

-Spent time abroad in a residential tutor role

I have previously taught classes of up to 30 students at a high school in Namibia, as well as tutoring a number of individual students. I taught students aged between 11-16 in English, physics, biology and maths over 3 months - roughly 1 school term, following which the students sat exams. This provided valuable experience at planning lessons according to the national syllabus, as well as how to engage with students in a one-on-one environment. I took individual sessions on further English skills and public speaking for students in these classes.

While completing my undergraduate degree in the US, I particularly enjoyed tutoring two individual students aged 10 and 11 in playing the piano. This required developing a strong rapport with the pupil, as well as ongoing dialogue with their parents regarding practice outside of class. It was especially rewarding to see my students perform in recitals at the end of each term.

Another teaching experience in the US for me was with the group Great Decisions, a nationwide organisation in the US whose goal is promote student engagement with international affairs and politics. After an application process involving interviews and consideration of my prior teaching experience, I was selected as one of my university's 16 student instructors. I had to plan and instruct an hour's class each week, according to the organisation's national syllabus. Skills I feel I developed here were how to encourage outside reading on the part of students, and how to coax shy students into being active participants in class debates.

While at Marlborough College, I taught weekly classes to groups of cadets aged 13-16. This involved planning classes independently and in collaboration with the staff, on matters of basic military theory and field practice. Partly as a result of my teaching, which was supervised by members of staff, I was made Head of CCF (the Combined Cadet Force) for my final year.

Recent Keystone Work:

13+ English, 13+ Science: CE English, Maths and Science (Started: September 2011)

Politics: AS/A2 Politics (Started: February 2012)

Biography

I have recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the United States, which I attended under the Morehead-Cain scholarship. This award is a full, four year merit scholarship awarded on the basis of academic ability, leadership and moral integrity. Under this award, I was also able to pursue projects such as teaching at a high school in Namibia, travelling across Asia following the Silk Road, and interning at J P Morgan. While at university, I completed a degree in Political Science, with minors in French and Creative Writing. I was also able to complete four months studying History at Sorbonne University in Paris.

Before studying in the US, I was at Marlborough College, where I attained 8 A*s and 3 A's at GCSE, 4 A's at AS-Level, and 3 A's at A-Level. I was a school prefect, Head of the CCF (Cadets) and President of Debating.

Before starting my degree I also took a gap year, in which I travelled in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. I also interned at the EU headquarters in Brussels and completed an internship at the american brokering firm Cantor Fitzgerald in Canary Wharf.

I enjoy rugby, photography, travel and reading.

Personal Approach

For me, good tutoring is about one thing above all: empathy with the student. I believe it is a unique advantage of one-to-one tuition that the tutor is able to put themselves in the shoes of their student, and see the topic through their eyes. This is enormously beneficial when trying to get to grips with a subject as a whole, or working through individual problems.

I have always felt comfortable not only explaining a subject, but in taking a fresh look at it through the eyes of someone I am getting to know.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I graduated in May 2011, since when I have been tutoring and working for a Commonwealth-oriented NGO in central London. In the future I would like to teach in China with a view to learning Mandarin, which I hope to start studying in London shortly.

I am also currently working on a guide for British applicants who would like to try for the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, and a guide for those who win on how to succeed at university in the United States.

Testimonials

23/04/2012: Our daughter found the lesson with Alastair useful. Clearly he is very clever! (Mother of AS Politics student)

Passport: Keystone Tutors has a copy of Alastair Monty's passport and therefore can confirm that Alastair Monty is a UK / EU national or has the appropriate visa to be eligible to work in the UK.