NZ Reg Psychologist 250+ hours experience supporting undergrad and postgrad students in AU and NZ

Find out more about Hannah

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

  I blame the fascinating people in my life for my interest in psychology! They sparked a fire that carried me through undergrad and postgrad. At first, tutoring was just a side gig, a way to share the knowledge, tips, and tricks that I picked up throughout my university career. But over time it's become a passion... and has me considering pursuing a PhD... watch this space ;)

• 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 love qualitative research! Having now supported more than half-a-dozen qualitative students with their theses, I can confidently say that this is my favourite area to help students in. It's also rewarding to see how students flourish after receiving (often) tough feedback from me about their writing. Regarding specific areas in psychology, those have to be social justice, counselling theory, and abnormal psychology. As for subjects I don't like.. cognitive psychology and quantitative research isn't my jam.

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

  Absolutely. I had some awesome lecturers, tutors, and supervisors through my studies at Auckland University and Auckland University of Technology. My favourite teachers have been those that have respectfully challenged me to become a better writer and push myself academically.

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

  I believe that tutors should embody the qualities of a mentor. That is, tutors should model the passion and discipline that it takes to be successful at university. I also think that 'good' tutors should have qualities such as empathy and creativity.

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

  I vividly remember my very first psychology lecture. I was in a theatre that couldn't even fit all the students (500+!) into seats,
  students were sitting in aisles, some were even in an 'overflow' theatre. I remember the lecturer asking, "who wants to be a
  psychologist?", and about half of the students raised their hands. Then he said "only five of you will make it." Despite the odds, I was determined to become one of those five. This determination carried me through every pain-staking or boring or uninteresting assignment that I had to do to reach my end goal. It carried me through every piece of harsh criticism and feedback that I received from my teachers. It carried me through times that I failed. I had to complete work that I
  didn't like on subjects that I was bored by. I had to listen to feedback that was upsetting and hard to hear. But in the end, it was
  all worth it.

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

  Research design proved to be my greatest challenge on this journey. It was a struggle, mainly because my passion lay in becoming a clinician rather than a researcher. The motivation to dive into research was lacking, but I had no choice - it was a necessary step to qualify as a psychologist. As I reached the end of my Master's thesis, I couldn't believe I had done it. It seemed almost comical that now, of all things, I had developed a love for qualitative research.

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

  One of my biggest passions is critical thinking, whether with my counselling clients, when tutoring students, or proofreading
  assignments. I am particularly passionate about qualitative research and its potential to illuminate new information about how human beings think, feel, and/or behave.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions)?

  What makes me a 'Superprof' is a combination of professional and academic skills. These professional skills include active listening and empathy with students, while academic skills include writing etiquette and critical thinking.