About Me

How to get students through exams

The key to success is to develop a programme of study based on the understanding of the the strengths / weaknesses of the individual students, while having fun and building a strong personal relationship with student and parents. Developing exam techniques and constant practice of past paper questions will form a key part of any GCSE Mathematics course.

PhD Qualified Mathematician and Theoretical Physicist

I started my working career as a University research scientist, after which I became a commercial programme manager working in the city of London (Banking, Power Companies, MOD, Software Development). Subsequently I qualified as a teacher, and have gained many years experience exclusively teaching GCSE Maths, A Level Maths, Further Maths and Physics.

My philosophy is to focus on education as opposed to narrow teaching. The love and knowledge of a subject, supported by self-study and research, greatly increases the chances of a good exam outcome for the student, thus providing an excellent foundation for A Level or university study.

As a private tutor I can focus on the needs and requirements of each individual student providing tailored tuition. My technique is to develop a safe, trusting teaching environment, and build strong relationships with my students, and equally importantly with their parents.

A lifetime’s experience of tutoring...

In research institutions, universities, Independent and state secondary schools. My current focus is GCSE and A Level Maths and Physics, but I would be happy to coach university, re-sit and mature students.

I have also provided tuition to casual learners, who share my interests in holistic and connected aspects of the history of science, theoretical physics and mathematics. This is something I thoroughly enjoy and would be delighted to offer as a training option.

My approach to tutoring...

is student-centric, tailored to the individual needs, circumstances, and any time constraints. Some students require coverage of a complete course, but in general students want to revise specific topics and subjects which they find particularly difficult.

I believe that students learn the fundamental concepts of Maths more easily through real world examples, and it is always rewarding to reveal the deep connections between different areas in mathematics and their applications in fundamental physics, such as quadratics and conic sections (circle, parabola, hyperbola and ellipses). For example the Jodrell Bank radio telescope’s receiving disk has the shape of a parabola (quadratic).

I begin each lesson by asking the student to walk me through the essential elements of the previous session. This helps me determine their level of understanding, and what areas, if any, need to be re-emphasized.

As part of the learning journey, and especially when approaching exams, I believe that it is essential that students are supported while working through past papers, leading up to mock exams under timed conditions.

Problem solving skills and exam techniques are fundamental to success, and these are developed during the individual tuition sessions.

An individual training strategy and plan will be agreed with parents and students at the outset of each engagement, including feedback, progress monitoring and ad hoc online support requirements.

Learning with me

My teaching style is friendly and informal. My hope is that mathematics and physics is enjoyable, challenging and fun for all involved, even when it's being taken very seriously indeed!

For the vast majority of students obtaining good exam results is of paramount importance. A significant number are also interested in understanding the philosophy and history of their subjects, including the great practitioners of mathematics and physics who changed the world and often led very interesting lives.

Qualifications:

• PGCE in Education, Reading University
• PhD in Theoretical Physics, Leicester University
• MSc in Space Physics, Leicester University
• BSc in Physics, Leicester University
• Member of American Mathematical Society
• Member of Institute of Physics
• .b Mindfulness Qualified

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