Cui Li's Team Up Experience

Cui Li's Team Up Experience

Cui Li Lim is in her first year at UCL and tutored maths with us at Cardinal Pole Catholic School. Here, she writes about her experience working with two students.

Posted by David Walker on 3 May 2016
Cui Li pictured for her school leavers' book as an aspiring baker mathematician

 

Growing up, I found that mathematics was often perceived as something of importance, but not of interest. Challenging this view of maths through teaching is the ambition that is pushing me through my undergraduate studies. Team Up is, for me, a stepping stone towards this goal and I feel that I have truly made a positive impact on my pupils in my short time with Team up than I have in my four years of tutoring in the past, making it such a special and rewarding experience.

Team Up’s programme utilizes a tutoring system aimed to maximise student-tutor interaction, and I am fortunate to have witnessed the positive impact on my two pupils. This was eye-opening, as I was previously accustomed to teaching large groups of children. I can notice a rapport developing between my students and I as I become more confident as a tutor. This can be attributed to Team Up’s partnership with Trinity Academy who have been essential in providing resources so I can feel prepared for every lesson. Despite this provision of support, I appreciate that the programme allows for tutors to plan their own teaching aids, supporting my creativity as a tutor so that I am more adaptable to the needs of my students.

I honestly had not realised how big of an impact I would make until a Year 8 boy I tutored told me he has set a goal for himself to graduate from UCL with an Engineering degree, regardless of him coming from a background with little-to-no awareness of higher education.

Moreover, hearing my two pupils voice how much they learn from me feels so rewarding, but also had me thinking that I had probably learnt just as much from them. I have now had the opportunity to experiment with different teaching techniques and have been exposed to various teaching settings, making me a more well-rounded and confident tutor.

Team Up not only gave me a learning experience and a purpose, but played an integral part in helping me settle down into my first year away from home. Over the course of the programme, I’ve created some great relationships with fellow like-minded tutors who I can depend on - even if its only for company when I’m feeling homesick!