Rory

My father served in the Armed Forces, so I spent my childhood jumping between various schools and countries, including a two-year stint in Kuwait. Eventually I joined Wycliffe School as a boarder, remaining there until I completed my GCSEs.

By sixth-form, my parents had settled permanently in Stratford-upon-Avon. I attended the local state grammar, King Edward VI School, renowned for its pedagogical contribution to the genius of William Shakespeare.

Surrounded by the RSC's vibrant theatrical productions, my interest in literature superseded my scientific curiosity; alongside Maths AS (A), Biology (A*), and Chemistry (A*), I took the Cambridge Pre-U in English (D1), which I went on to read at Lincoln College, University of Oxford.

While at university, I received the Lord Crewe Scholarship for consistently producing work of a high standard. I later received a first-class mark for my dissertation, which fused my literary and scientific knowledge by exploring Donne's poetry in relation to Early Modern cosmological theory. I also flexed my creative muscles, winning a college poetry competition, and writing various miscellaneous pieces in prose and verse.

Having now graduated with a 2.1, I very much look forward to passing on my range of skills and knowledge to budding tutees.

To my mind, interaction and discussion are prerequisites to a successful tutorial. A lesson is not a lecture; rather, it is an opportunity to inform and consolidate understanding through active engagement in a specific topic. Having worked with students of all ages, I have come to notice a common trend: often, the basic knowledge of how to answer a question or solve a problem is present, but the student lacks the skill-set to confidently perform this in an exam scenario. My interlocutory approach will encourage critical investigation into a topic, resulting in a more complete understanding and improved confidence.

Unsurprisingly, I'm a big fan of books. At present I’m reading Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History”, which claims to have inspired the “dark academia” aesthetic subculture. I’d never heard of dark academia before starting the book, but suddenly the strange insistence of some of my fellow Oxfordians on wearing all black and caffeinating themselves in the college library until the first hints of sunrise makes perfect sense.

I also occasionally try and put pen to paper. A smattering of articles and poems can be found on my blog (www.shorterpoems.com), and I’m now at work on a real novel.

Outside of words, one of my greatest loves is the humble pull-up. I’m currently building endurance through use of a weighted vest, and hope one day to have attained the strength of a heavily-armoured hoplite marching upon the doomed city of Troy.