Katie

LAST SLOTS AVAILABLE: SATURDAY 4.30, SUNDAY 9am

“Mrs Michaels is a hugely talented teacher, who put the needs of the children she teaches first and I would highly recommend her to help children fulfil their potential.” (LF 2017 - headteacher)

I am passionate about education and ensuring children achieve their potential. I derive enormous pleasure observing children overcoming barriers to their learning and growing in confidence. Having taking a step back from school life when my husband retired, I quickly discovered I missed the buzz of helping children with their learning and began a thriving home tuition business, where I successfully supported children from the Foundation Stage to Year 7, catering for needs such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, auditory processing disorders and a lack of self-esteem.
Trying to play golf regularly reminds me how children feel when asked to do things that seem completely unnatural and extremely challenging! I have great empathy, am hard-working and dedicated to planning completely individual schemes of work for my clients to suit, not only their needs, but their personalities too, however boisterous or reserved they may be.

“The difference in my daughter’s progress and confidence is amazing…Each week she looks forward to her time with Katie.” (TR 2017 - parent)

Tutoring Experience

“Katie quite honestly saved our son’s schooling …I never ceased to be amazed with the patience Katie showed and how our son responded to her encouragement.” (SJ 2020 - parent)

I have 30 years experience as a primary teacher, including delivering the current National Curriculum, and over five years experience as a dedicated home tutor. With no other jobs, I can be totally focussed on the individual needs of my clients.

My classroom practise was very highly regarded by head teachers over the years and staff from other schools were periodically sent to observe my interactive teaching approaches and the relationships and independent learning strategies I fostered in my pupils.

“Katie’s knowledge in teaching is exemplary. Katie is an outstanding teacher, who is totally dedicated to the children in her charge.” (DS 2016 – colleague)

I have excellent subject knowledge and understanding of current expectations. I am a phonic enthusiast and experienced at explaining current teaching practices to parents through a work-shop approach.

Tutoring Approach

I recognise the importance of motivating children of all abilities and helping them to develop a 'growth' mind-set. I enable them to hone their 'learning powers' to enable them to become life-long, successful learners. I employ 'talk for learning' strategies to develop coherence of thought and reasoning skills. I believe the development of children's vocabulary is fundamental to success. Children are given both the time to reflect on their learning and the confidence to dive into the 'learning pit', recognising it is through our mistakes that we truly have the opportunity to learn! After all, if you complete a whole page of learning with no mistakes what learning really took place? You were simply doing what you could already achieve and not moving forward.

If you feel your child is being overlooked in the classroom, “plodding” along and staying within the wide band of 'age-related' expectations, their placid behaviour never drawing attention to themselves or their individual needs, then I can help. If you can see your child's self-confidence dwindling and frustrations brewing then give me a call so we can restore self-esteem and re-motivate them.

“Katie was fundamental in building his missing skills.” (CB 2018 - parent)

My passion is giving young children firm foundations and positive attitudes on which their future learning can be based. I aim to develop a strong rapport with children and adapt learning experiences to their interests and needs, using games and a variety of hands-on learning techniques to maintain their interest and concentration. I quickly identify gaps in children's understanding in English and Maths and develop programmes of work to overcome these and consolidate learning. We never do 'work' but are always learning through games and practical activities where I play the role of a critical friend or collaborative learner.
"Katie used a variety of strategies to help *** and included a high element of kinaesthetic techniques whereby *** learnt by doing, which suited his individual learning style.” (ML 2020 - parent)

I liaise with parents and can leave appropriate homework recommendations to suit your lifestyles.

Currently lessons taught from my dedicated home classroom are £35 per hour. payable in advance by bank transfer. There are pleasant routes around and about for walking/dog walking or parents could wait in our house/garden or even pop back home for a bit of peace and quiet.

“There is a lot more that goes into Katie’s lessons than just the hour teaching; having seen the room prior to the lesson starting it’s clear a huge amount of preparation and groundwork is done to make sure the lesson time is as productive as possible with the use of various props, a tablet, prompts, printouts and computer based work etc.” (LR 2020 - parent)