Hannah is a third year student of Korean at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She tutored English at St Angela's Ursuline School, working with a group of 3-4 girls. Hannah was one of our most capable tutors, and here she writes about her Team Up experience.
I was fortunate enough to attend high-achieving schools where I was taught well, and encouraged to enjoy learning. In fact, until I came to university I didn’t really understand that my experience was unusual and that I had been very fortunate. But when I moved to London and began to encounter different people, many of whom had very different backgrounds to me, I realised that not everybody had access to this kind of opportunity. Coming back from a study year in South Korea which had significantly altered my world view, I felt I needed to do something – to help somebody, in some way. It was at that point that I heard about Team Up. As English had always been one of my strengths, I felt this was something I could contribute to, something which would hopefully make a strong and positive impact on young people who don’t necessarily normally have the same opportunities that I had.
Team Up is a fantastic program. Young people often don’t realise how much impact a good educational foundation can have on their lives, and many are not encouraged either at home or at school, or experience situations where it is difficult for them to achieve highly, they don’t realise their full potential. It is Team Up’s aim to combat these disadvantages and offer young people the chance to reach that potential by offering personal tuition whilst getting to know the students. It seems to me that that is better than most ways of spending my time!
I tutor three Year Seven girls at St Angela’s Ursuline school in English once a week.
I have really enjoyed looking for various ways to stimulate their learning, but in particular I have enjoyed getting to know them – each is very different, but they are all lovely girls and I am privileged to be able to tutor them.
They are already intelligent and eager to learn – my job is just to guide them in the right direction to be able to progress and set the foundation for their futures. I can’t wait to hear what they go on to do, and I am very grateful to be a part of helping them get there!