Oliver G.

I am a third year Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge (Gonville and Caius College) with a particular interest in mapping 18th to 20th century French philosophy and philosophical fiction. This year, I will be reading philosophy and literature at the prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure having received a scholarship from Gonville and Caius college to study there under an exchange agreement. Also, I will be studying philosophy, politics and economics University of Buenos Aires as part of my "year abroad" where I am excited to learn more about the Latin American political and economic landscape.

Some highlights of my educational career thus far include being the recipient of the Gonville and Caius Bell Wade scholarship in 2024 for my performance in the Cambridge winning varsity tennis team. Equally, I relished in the opportunity to be interviewed by Gonville and Caius for my role as co-director in a student run docuseries 'Cam Uncut' which was sold out and screened at the prestigious Gonville and Caius Bateman auditorium.
Additionally, I have been privileged enough to be a part of the World's oldest debate society, the Cambridge Union and have enjoyed the opportunity to engage in debates and attend talks with world-renowned speakers.
It has also been a great honour to be a member of the moral sciences club (the philosophy society) in Cambridge where speakers and researchers have come to share their concepts and ideas.
Another highlight of mine as a student of Modern and Medieval Languages was having the opportunity to speak with the Cuban ambassador and the Spanish Ambassador to the UK, discussing the future of foreign relations and policy.
Other academic highlights of mine include being shortlisted for the Erasmus essay prize, winning the Nissen-Bridgeman essay prize for my essay on restitution law in differing European countries post WWII and submitting my translations for the Stephen-Spender translation prize where I also got to talk with the previous winner Stephen Lyons (translator of Xu Zhimo) at a talk about UK relations with China at Kings College Cambridge.
As for case studies, I am particularly proud that the student I tutored in GCSE Spanish went from a grade C (4) to a grade A* (8) after I tutored them.
With regards to my teaching style, I like to build good rapport and understand the personal goals and aspirations of each individual student. Then, I provide a tailored approach in my teaching style to optimise learning in the most effective and enjoyable way for the student. I am interactive and enjoy trying to get my students to think critically. I will not simply give them the answer, but rather take them on a journey to work through the answer themselves. This is similar to the approach at Oxbridge interviews where the ability to think critically, curiously and at length over an issue is valued enormously.