Philosophy & Methodology
My
Philosophy
I specialise in nurturing dedicated students who are passionate about classical violin performance as their primary extracurricular pursuit. I aim to instil a lifelong love and excitement for classical music, alongside an appreciation and respect for discipline and intentional hard work. An intentional and adaptive approach to hard work fosters independent learning skills, which are highly transferable to other fields. My own journey from excelling in violin to achieving success in mathematics exemplifies this versatility.
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For Cambridge mathematics admissions, my approach is to provide students with a clear understanding of the specific interview/exam style they will encounter during the admissions process. I focus on identifying their strengths and weaknesses and tailoring our preparation accordingly. I place a great emphasis on taking responsibility to check in with my students' stress and confidence levels, and give advice or make adjustments to ensure a healthy approach towards succeeding in the admissions process.
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On the software career mentorship front, the idea is to understand my clients' goals and needs, ensuring that my experience and insights align with the challenges they are facing. I have a particular focus on advising women, especially women of colour, early in their careers.
My
Methodology
My violin teaching methodology is rooted in the techniques passed down from my mentors, many of whom are inspired by Ivan Galamian, the renowned teacher of many famous violinists, such as Itzak Perlman and Dorothy DeLay. We will employ his scales practice regime, complemented by Kreutzer studies and eventually Paganini caprices, to build a robust technical foundation to enable students to eventually play the most technically demanding pieces in the violin repertoire.
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For Cambridge Mathematics Admissions, preparation will involve conducting a series of mock interviews or exams using questions from my personal question bank, depending on which stage of the admissions process the student is currently working on. In the case of interviews, I will ensure that our mocks align with the format of the student's specific college. All of this is supplemented with general advice on stress management and confidence building, ensuring students are well-prepared for their big day.
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For software career mentorship, the method here is flexible and adaptive, primarily conducted through question-and-answer sessions tailored to my clients' specific needs. Drawing from my 4+ years of experience in the software industry, including roles at JP Morgan, AWS, and startups, I provide practical, actionable advice to help my clients navigate and succeed in the tech landscape.