Ian

I taught Maths in large independent secondary schools in Kent for 40 years, and retired to Dorset a few years ago. I have also written a series of revision guides for the IB in conjunction with Oxford Study Courses, with whom I have also taught on holiday revision courses here and around the world.

I live in Sherborne with my wife and dog. I have three children, now scattered around the country.

Tutoring Experience

Throughout my teaching career I have tutored one-to-one. Particularly in Maths, a great deal more can be achieved in an hour working with one person than is possible in the classroom, and I have always found it satisfying to be able to make such a difference in such a short time. Maths is such an important subject to grasp, and I hope that I can make a difference to those that I tutor - both in their understanding and their enjoyment of the subject. Northwest Kent has a large number of state and independent schools, so I have taught pupils from a wide range of schools, and always on personal recommendation - I can provide many personal recommendations from tutees and their parents. But I am only happy to take on pupils who are themselves keen for help, and are clear that they want to succeed.

During the pandemic I was asked to run online courses with students from around Europe, and am now fully equipped to do the same on a one-to-one basis. With a virtual shared whiteboard, graph-drawing package, touch screen and the rest, lessons can be conducted as if I am almost in the same room!

Tutoring Approach

I have no set structure for tutoring - everyone's needs are different. However, I think it a good idea to start by arranging an initial meeting (no charge, of course) to discover the particular issues and devise an action plan. This could be just a few sessions to resolve particular problems, followed by ad hoc sessions as required; or an intensive set of lessons in preparation for an exam; or help filling in gaps after a period of illness; or just a couple of lessons to boost confidence. In general, my preference is to help pupils prepare for exams (GCSE, A-Level or IB), so likely to be in Year 10 upwards.

As far as session content is concerned, clearly some of it involves teaching and explanation; but pupils must be prepared to work through problems with me watching their every move (daunting!) so I can quickly identify where they are going wrong, or where misunderstanding is occurring. Sometimes, just putting one detail right unlocks a whole area of Maths that was proving problematical - and Maths is as much about the detail as the overall picture. Above all, I want pupils to feel good at the end of each session - they should have enjoyed the experience, and feel buoyed up by their success.