Numbers are super interesting, lessons should be fun and know what you're good at!

I asked Sarah a few questions about her time with us as a student lecturer. She supervises various students of different levels, and that works well. For example, she talks about her interest in the subjects she teaches, the flexibility of her lessons and how she helps her students move forward.

Who are you? What do you do in daily life? And what do you do at Studied?

My name is Sarah, I'm 20 years old and I've been living in Maastricht for over a year now. I'm studying International Business here at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. At Studied, I assist secondary and higher professional education students with homework guidance and tutoring. The subjects I do this most for are economics and business economics, but I also teach German, Mathematics A and accounting.

Which subject do you like to teach the most?

I think the most fun subject to teach is business economics and accounting. Both courses are about the figures of companies. That may sound boring, but those numbers say a lot about the company and that makes it super interesting! Furthermore, the nice thing about business economics is that it covers so many different topics. It's not just about a company's figures, but also about topics such as insurance and taxes that really help you. This ensures variety in the lessons!

What do you love about teaching at Studied?

What I like most is working with the student. After all, together you decide what the goal is and how to work on it. This way, you can achieve better results in a flexible way. Furthermore, I get great satisfaction from the fact that the students are moving forward. By the way, that flexibility is also very nice for me as a student. This is because I can schedule the lessons together with the student at a time that is convenient for both of us.

What do most students have trouble with?

Most students have difficulty calculating taxes. This isn't easy either, because you have to process a lot of information and know the theory well. In addition, there are also quite a few steps you need to take to get to the answer. First calculate the taxable income, then apply the brackets and finally deduct the tax credits from the tax. Not easy, but you'll learn a lot from it and you'll be able to use it later!

How do you ensure that your students progress?

By looking at the cause of the problem together, making a plan to solve the problem and getting started. For one student, this means back-to-the-basics, while for the other student, an explanation of specific theory is needed. By working like this, you will get the most out of the lessons and the student will move forward.

What is your most important tip for students?

The most important tip is knowing where your strengths lie. After all, you can benefit a lot from knowing what you are good at. It's not just about subjects, but also about skills such as planning. Especially when preparing for a test, it is useful to know what you are good at. After all, then it is clear what less time can be spent on, and where more. This way, you can make an appropriate schedule, you are better prepared for your tests and your results will improve.

What is your most important tip for the final exams?

Practice practice practice... Although you've had all the material, this may be a while ago. Practicing the material helps to freshen this up again. In addition, practicing old exams also helps with understanding the question. Indeed, many students find the questions on exams more difficult than the questions on normal tests. By practicing old exams, you get used to the way the question was asked. If you do this enough, then all you have to do on your exam is to think about answering the question, not understanding the question.

How important do you find the connection with your students?

This is very important, because you work together towards a goal. If the match is not good, it becomes difficult to work together. Both the student and I need to have a good feeling about the collaboration so that the goal can be achieved successfully and in a fun way. After all, it's not just about learning. You should also have fun together!

Do you find it easy to combine your work with your other activities?

It is very flexible work, because you plan the lessons yourself with the student. This makes it very easy to combine with my student life. I can study during the day, then do some lessons and do fun things and relax in the evening. It's really ideal if you're not looking for a job that always takes you half a day. ‍

Would you recommend working at Studied? And why?

I would definitely recommend working at Studied! As I said, it is very flexible in terms of hours and lesson content. Working with the student is also super fun, because you can see progress quite quickly. The best part is when a student gets a good point or when the penny drops. Apart from the lessons, the contact with Bas is really great! He is always available for questions, acts quickly and asks for your opinion. That also makes working at Studied a lot of fun.

Want to get guidance from Sarah? Check www.studied.nl and get in touch with us!