I am a lecturer of politics and philosophy offering tuition from A-level until postgraduate level.

Find out more about Andreas

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

  My fascination with philosophy and politics began in my early teens, sparked by deep conversations with my late polymath father and my first encounters with thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and Spinoza. Their ideas challenged me to question everything from justice and power to the nature of knowledge itself. What started as curiosity quickly became a lifelong passion for exploring the essential core of human thought, society, and ethics. I pursued this through university studies and into my career as a university lecturer in Politics and Philosophy. My interest in private tutoring grew naturally from my university teaching: I recognized the unique merits of one-on-one guidance in allowing real depth — helping students not just memorize concepts, but truly engage with, internalize, and critically own them. Over 13+ years, this has evolved into a deeply rewarding calling, especially witnessing how personalized support transforms academic performance and intellectual confidence.

• 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 specialize in Philosophy and Politics at A-level (including Politics/Government and Philosophy syllabi), IB, undergraduate, and postgraduate university levels. For A-level students, I focus on the core curricula: in Politics/Government, including UK and US politics and government as well as political ideologies. In Philosophy, I cover epistemology, moral philosophy, metaphysics of mind, and metaphysics of God. I particularly enjoy linking these to real-world applications — e.g., evaluating democratic participation in current UK politics or debating ethical theories in moral philosophy — as they encourage genuine critical thinking and debate. For university students, my expertise lies in political theory and contemporary political philosophy, including modern and contemporary thinkers like Locke, Hobbes, Mill, Marx, Rawls, and Nozick, as well as ideologies, comparative politics, global issues, ethics, justice, rights, and power dynamics (e.g., Rawls vs. Nozick on justice, or ethics of AI). I love guiding students to see how philosophy underpins law, policy, and everyday moral choices. What I enjoy a little less is postmodern continental-style philosophy, which often prioritizes opacity over clarity.

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

  I've been fortunate to have several inspiring figures. At university, a lecturer taught political philosophy with infectious enthusiasm and razor-sharp clarity, showing me how to make complex ideas accessible and exciting — he embodied the principle that true understanding comes from clear explanation. On a broader level, analytic philosophers like John Searle and Michael Huemer inspire me: they strive for clarity and precision, always consider the strongest arguments against their conclusions, weigh beliefs rigorously against evidence instead of indulging in dogmatic absolutism, and never miss a chance for some humor. But the most direct influence came from teachers who treated students as potential intellectual equals, encouraging independent thought rather than imposing views — that's the approach I strive to emulate.

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

  A great tutor combines deep subject expertise with patience, empathy, adaptability, and genuine passion for both the material and the student's growth. You must listen carefully to understand each student's unique perspective, challenges, and goals, then tailor explanations accordingly — breaking down complex ideas into clear, relatable terms. Encouragement and constructive feedback build confidence, while fostering critical thinking and intellectual curiosity ensures lasting learning. Professionalism (preparation, punctuality, structure) is essential, but so is challenging students to reconstruct methods and arguments on more solid rational foundations. Ultimately, the best tutors inspire students to think for themselves and enjoy the journey of enquiry.

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

  Early in my tutoring career, I worked with a student who had an amazing skill at memorizing material. After every lesson, he could reproduce verbatim passages from the notes I provided for Politics A-level questions, achieving almost perfect scores in the mock tests I gave him after completing a topic. The same pattern held at school — until he attempted a subject-wide test and flopped. It turned out his memorizing capacity had an upper limit; when exceeded, his cognitive system shut down. For years, he had relied on memorization while developing a reluctance to rationally engage with the material — to construct arguments as networks of ideas that logically follow from their antecedents. He preferred the apparently easier route: "Give me a model answer, and I’ll just memorize it. I don’t need to truly understand the logical connections." What followed was one of the most interesting, hard, and rewarding tutoring experiences of my career. Over the next 8 months, we built from the bottom up: turning pure, uncultivated intellectual potential into actuality by developing his abilities to grasp ideas, organize them rationally, deduce weaknesses, and create general methods for evaluation. This student ended up achieving an A* in his Politics exams — not because he memorized everything (though some factual recall is necessary), but because for the first time, he created a fabulous cognitive network of meaningful ideas in his mind. This was a true instance of education.

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

  Philosophy and politics are inherently challenging because they deal with open-ended, contested questions that can be approached through various methodological angles — there's rarely a single "right" answer, which can frustrate students seeking simplicity and certainty. Early in my own studies, I grappled with the density of primary texts and the need to balance breadth with depth. Now, as a tutor and lecturer, ongoing challenges include helping students overcome exam pressure while prioritizing genuine intellectual engagement over surface-level memorization, and adapting to diverse learning styles in a field that's often abstract. But these challenges keep the subjects vibrant and make every breakthrough — whether an A* grade or a sudden "aha" moment — incredibly rewarding.

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

  My greatest passion is seeing students develop a deep, confident engagement with philosophical and political ideas — watching them move from uncertainty and confusion to articulating sophisticated arguments with clarity and conviction. Teaching itself is central to this: I love the dialogue, the challenge of explaining complex concepts simply (as per my motto: "You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother"), and the privilege of guiding someone toward intellectual independence. Within the subjects, I'm particularly drawn to ethics and political philosophy — how ideas about justice, rights, and power shape our world. Outside academia, I enjoy reading widely, debating current events, staying active, and transforming other things: rough lumber into beautiful pieces of furniture and bare soil into beautiful gardens. But nothing compares to the spark of a student truly "getting" a profound idea.

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

  What sets me apart is my holistic, student-focused approach rooted in the belief that you haven't truly understood something until you can explain it simply — even to your grandmother. This drives everything: clear, accessible explanations; tailored lessons that inspire deep engagement; and a genuine commitment to each student's success. I care about my student’s intellectual flourishing, not just the scores they might get on a test. My track record speaks volumes — all A-level students have exceeded predicted grades where possible, with a supermajority achieving A/A* — and I've been honored as runner-up for the prestigious, student-nominated Peake Award for Excellence in Learning & Teaching at the University of London. I'm passionate, patient, professional, and focused on building lasting confidence and critical thinking skills. Whether for exams, university prep, or personal interest, I help students not just pass, but thrive intellectually — that's what makes me a Superprof!