Find your passion for Latin and Classical History with an Oxford and Yale Graduate.

Find out more about Lucie

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I myself was tutored for Latin as a teenager, when my school could not support the subject at GCSE. It was life changing, and set me on a path which took me to Oxford and then Yale. If it hadn't been for the enthusiasm and tailored support of a young tutor when I was 14, my life would have looked very different.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach a range of subjects, with an especial focus on:
  
  Shakespeare
  Greek Tragedy
  Latin
  Ancient Greek
  Acting
  Public Speaking
  English Literature
  
  I'm passionate about the humanities. Beyond tutoring, I work as a freelance museum curator and as a theatre director. Telling stories, analysing text, and playing with language are all at the core of what I do every day, and I love to pass that enthusiasm on to students.
  
  I'm interested in topics that make us think hard about ourselves and our place in the world. I love teaching subjects where the answers sit in grey areas, and demand that we think about juicy questions together.

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  A real role model was my chaplain at school who taught me that my education outside the classroom was as important as my lessons inside the classroom. He taught me to attend to my curiosity, seek out things I didn't understand, and expand my horizons. I like to bring that same holistic approach to my own teaching.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  I believe that a good tutor has to really listen to the needs and learning styles of each student, and shape their approach to suit them. It's important to understand how to pace work to stretch but not stress the learner. I like to cultivate an atmosphere where it's fine to get things wrong and make mistakes. It's often the quickest way to learn.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  When I was at school, I didn't understand Shakespeare at all. It made no sense to me on the page, and still doesn't. And yet, I am a professional theatre director now, and I've just written a book about Macbeth. The pivotal point for me was a trip to the theatre, which helped me understand that these texts only make sense in three dimensions in the bodies of actors. Shakespeare, in fact, never intended for them to be read! I bring that spirit to teaching Shakespeare, and helping students understand it in three dimensions.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  As you can tell from my answer above, I am a very visual learner, and sitting still and reading rarely works for me. This has helped me learn a range of teaching and learning styles to fit a whole range of different kinds of students.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  I am absolutely passionate about the theatre, where I spend most of my time working. I believe that it is a place where we come together with strangers to think about the messy business of being human together. It's a cure for loneliness.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  There is nothing I love more than infecting students with enthusiasm for the subject. I learn as much from my brilliant students as I teach them.