Nicholas

Behind every target and expected grade, it must be remembered that each student is a unique individual. This has been at the heart of my teaching and tutoring over all these years. After an initial discussion, in which I get to know about your difficulties and goals, there would be a plan designed to address these and tailored made just for yourself. This would be based from my 37 years of teaching as well as a deep appreciation and attunement of your difficulties and need for help and highly experienced support, help and guidance.

Tutoring Experience

With 37 years as a full-time teacher of Mathematics and the last 25 years as head of department in one of the top state grammar schools in the north, as well as 30 years of one-to-one tutoring, it would be a pleasure to be able to offer my experience to support, guide and help you in this subject. All these years of being at the forefront has provided a wealth of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the subject from the student's perspective. During this time I have also been an examiner at A-Level, author of specimen papers for a major publisher and participated in studies of the delivery of mathematical education across Europe.

Tutoring Approach

In our tutor sessions I would offer you a highly professional, yet friendly, working bridge where you feel comfortable and relaxed. You know that you would be free to ask any question, confident that your understanding and ability is progressing forward and that I will always be non-judgmental.
Whilst every session would have a clear target and goal, combined with a sense of achievement, they have to be highly flexible. It may be that we need to take a sidestep to strengthen previous knowledge or alternatively, using my experience, prepare for something which lies ahead. You will feel reassured that my insight and knowledge is ensuring progress is as smooth as possible.
We will always work at a rate comfortable for you and build up and strengthen your knowledge and ability to apply it, as we progress. A solid understanding of especially ‘why am I doing this’, is very important.
Essential to your progress is the need to use your knowledge and understanding in not only ‘standard textbook/worksheet questions’ but those set in unfamiliar context as your final exam (or test/end of year) paper will be a mixture. Hence undertaking extra ‘homework’, will be an essential component to your progress in the subject. I will always ensure you feel prepared to undertake this work which will serve to practice basic understanding as well as pushing you into thinking carefully about how to apply your working knowledge. We would always agree a manageable amount to be completed by an agreed deadline. However, I may also need to be flexible with this as, of course, workloads and pressures can vary during a school year. The fact that you are comfortable raising this issue, means that we can easily work around the matter and reach a solution which eases the situation for you.
I would also offer all my support and experience in helping you prepare for any tests or final exams. There is a lot which can be done to help you mathematically, mentally and psychologically prepare for these stressful events.