Teacher / Tutor
Daniela Souza
Helping IB students fall back in love with reading — and then write about it well.
The work, in their words.
- Years
- 15+
- Audiences
- 2
Daniela Souza has taught IB English Literature for fifteen years across schools in São Paulo, Singapore, and Lisbon. She works one-on-one with students who want to engage with literature on their own terms, and she helps applicants find the voice that turns a college essay into a person.
I believe almost every student who has stopped enjoying reading has stopped because school made it feel like a test. My work is to help them remember what curiosity felt like and then to put words to that curiosity in writing that sounds like them. The grade follows from there. It always does.
- IB Diploma01
IB Literature — Year 1
A weekly seminar covering the core texts and the mechanics of the Paper 1 commentary.
Cohort$480 - IB Diploma02
IB Literature — Year 2
Internal Assessment and Higher-Level Essay coaching, end-to-end.
Cohort$540 - Senior year03
College Essay Workshop
Find the voice, find the story, finish the draft. Six sessions over six weeks.
Cohort$720
What I teach
Areas I cover and have built curricula for.
- 01
IB English Literature
- 02
IB Theory of Knowledge
- 03
University Application Essays
Credentials
Independently verifiable credentials.
IB Examiner, English Literature
2016International Baccalaureate Organization
PhD, Comparative Literature
2014University of São Paulo
MA, English Literature
2009King’s College London
Courses I run
3 pieces selected.
What people say
Daniela helped me write the essay that got me into Oxford. More importantly, she helped me read. Her IB English coaching took me from a 5 to a 7 in twelve months.
Mira K.
IB Diploma, 2024
The most demanding teacher I’ve ever had, and the one I want to thank the most. André went into IB Year 2 with a 4 and finished with a 7 — and a love of Borges.
André L.
IB Diploma, 2023
We had tried two other tutors. Daniela was the first who actually read our daughter’s drafts and treated her like a writer. Her predicted grade went up two points.
Helena & Pedro M.
Parents, IB Diploma 2024
0+ yrs
Teaching
0+
Students coached
98%
Pass rate
★ 5.0
Avg parent rating
90 SECONDS
How a session runs
A walk-through of a typical IB Literature session — close reading, drafting, and the questions that move a 5 to a 7.
- IB Magazine
Top private tutors 2024
2024 - The Times
Education guide: literature tutors who actually teach reading
2023 - Tatler Schools
The IB whisperer
2023
Do you offer trial sessions?+
Yes — the first session is a 45-minute discovery call at no charge so we can see whether the fit is right and agree on goals.
How are sessions structured?+
Each weekly session is 60 minutes: 15 minutes of close reading on the assigned text, 30 minutes of drafting or commentary work, and 15 minutes setting the next week’s reading and writing.
What ages do you teach?+
I work with high school and early-university students — typically ages 15 to 19. Most students are in IB Year 1 or Year 2, with a smaller cohort working on college application essays.
Do you cover IB and AP?+
My main practice is IB English Literature (HL and SL) and IB Theory of Knowledge. I also coach AP English Literature and AP Language students on essays and exam preparation.
Let's build something good.
Reach out about projects, collaborations, or to talk about working with Daniela Souza. Replies usually within a day.