This content is sponsored by Oxford Summer Courses.
What do you have planned this summer? Oxford Summer Courses is recruiting outstanding people to teach and look after international students on our 2017 summer programmes. We are an independent summer course provider seeking enthusiastic Student Helpers (ideal for undergraduates) and talented, well-qualified Tutors (graduate students and above) to deliver authentic, Oxford college based programmes for our biggest summer yet. We’re a great company to work with—take it from some of our 2016 employees.
Gauri Ang taught Medicine with us in 2016, after completing her DPhil in Neuroscience at the University of Oxford
Describe your experience with Oxford Summer Courses in 3 words.
Engaging, educational, inspirational.
Why did you choose to apply for one of our positions?
I have always enjoyed teaching, and Oxford Summer Courses provided a good way for me to teach a range of students of different backgrounds, nationalities, and age groups.
After attending interviews from different summer schools, what made me ultimately choose Oxford Summer Courses was that their claims for providing high quality lessons and experiences for students were genuine. They do not hire staff or plan their programme by simply opting for the most economical option available—this was very important to me, as I did not want to be teaching students who felt underwhelmed by their time in Oxford. Classrooms are also located in central Oxford, which makes it extremely convenient for tutors.
What was your favourite part of working with us?
Definitely the amount of engagement with other tutors. I was very impressed by the training sessions; opportunities for tutors to give talks; and social events organised for tutors and staff. You really do feel appreciated and part of a team if you get involved.
In particular, I really valued the opportunity to give a TED talk to the students. I had always wanted to brush up my skills on public speaking and science communication—so being able to give a talk to an audience of 60-80 people on a topic I felt passionate about was extremely rewarding.
What did you gain or learn from your experience?
Prior to working with Oxford Summer Courses, I had never realised how useful tutorials could be from a tutor’s perspective. Oxford Summer Courses is the only summer school to offer tutorials for older students. This was extremely useful for me as a tutor as it allowed my students to open up and ask me questions that they were hesitant to do so in class. I was then able to alter my teaching approach accordingly.
Oh, I also realised I actually like teaching younger students too! I was initially interested in only teaching older students but was invited to teach younger students as well. I was very glad I took up that opportunity, as they were truly fun to teach.
Would you recommend working for Oxford Summer Courses to a friend?
Of course, and I already have.
Every other summer school out there claims to be the best and it is hard to know which to go for. Prior to applying, I did not know anyone working for Oxford Summer Courses. I relied only on their website to gain information and was worried that they would not live up to their claims. But from my experience working for them, it has been a delight knowing that it really is what it says on the tin. I think Oxford Summer Courses is great for anyone with a passion for teaching and who does not settle for the bare minimum. You get to meet new people, challenge yourself, and gain new skills.
Christian Holland was a Student Helper with us in 2016, and is a 3rd year Trinity medic
Describe your experience with Oxford Summer Courses in 3 words.
Fun, varied, exciting
Why did you choose to apply for one of our positions?
I wanted to use part of my summer to get a job, and loved the idea of being able to stay in Oxford over the summer and enjoy the city without always having an essay due.
What was your favourite part of working with us?
Getting paid to play sports, watch films, go on day trips and eat out in restaurants every night. Teaching students how to play croquet, and taking trips to Bletchley Park, Kensington and Windsor Castle was a fantastic way to spend two weeks and didn’t feel like work at all. A particular highlight was the staff entry to the karaoke night after the first formal of the course…
What did you gain or learn from your experience?
Beyond having a great time, it was really useful to be able to gain experience of working in a position of real responsibility. Looking after a group of 20 students from across the world, many of whom have never been away from home by themselves before, is a challenging task, but being able to say that you’ve done so looks great on a CV and lets you prove your reliability and responsibility to prospective employers.
Would you recommend working for Oxford Summer Courses to a friend?
Absolutely: it’s a fantastic job, I can’t think of any other way I could get paid for punting, eating out and generally having an all-round great time in Oxford over the summer!
Build your experience in international education with Oxford Summer Courses: Recruiting Student Helpers and Tutors Now
Work for us for 2-6 weeks, 25 June-12 August 2017, and help us share the magic of Oxford with the world. We have vacancies to suit everyone; undergraduates to postdoctoral researchers; and offer competitive pay for a fun and rewarding summer experience.
We operate a rolling recruitment policy: apply now to avoid disappointment!
Apply online: http://oxfordsummercourses.com/jobs/
