I loved maths at school but I knew I was part of a minority. I hope my previous maths teachers’ aren’t reading this but my favourite teacher was not a mathematician. It took me a few years after finishing school to decide I wanted to become a maths teacher. I began tutoring maths 7 years ago and only through tutoring did I realise I wanted to teach. I was motivated by the opportunity to change the stigma attached to maths and make learning maths fun and achievable for everyone. I started studying Mathematics at the University of Strathclyde and moved to Mathematics with Teaching in my 3rdyear. I graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree. I studied a Masters in Inclusion part-time at the University of Strathclyde whilst working as a teacher and now hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Inclusive Education. I have experience working with children who have various learning difficulties and autism.
I have taken time out of teaching in the traditional classroom setting and moved to teaching online with the hope of making 1-2-1 help more affordable for families. I initially began teaching English online to children in China; I was inspired by the effectiveness and ease of online tuition. The only requirement is internet connection and Google Chrome browser. I use a programme called BitPaper. Before each lesson starts I will email a link to an online whiteboard from which we will work throughout the lesson. The notes from the whiteboard can be saved as PDF to refer to at any time.
Please find detailed information regarding my tutoring services below.
Primary School: This is such a crucial stage for forming a child’s relationship with mathematics. It is essential that children feel confident, successful and inspired by what they are being taught. If a child forms a poor relationship with maths or develops misconceptions at a young age, this will become more difficult to reverse. I aim to teach in-depth understanding using visual representations.
S1- S3: Moving to secondary school can sometimes knock confidence in maths or generally feel daunting. Pupils are working with new groups of students in large class settings. School transition systems vary therefore children may feel more confident in some areas of maths than others. The child is the person who knows best how they feel. I would aim to talk to the student about their learning and address any gaps/misunderstandings. Hopefully this grows their confidence for moving into senior school.
National 3/4: I will first capture a picture of what has been taught so far and assess these areas. If required I will reteach prior learning in order to bridge any gaps in understanding. I will provide guided support and homework when working towards class assessments.
National 5: I will first capture a picture of what has been taught so far and assess these areas. Together we will devise a plan for moving forward based upon the length of time we have before the exam. I will provide homework and revision materials along with a personalised study plan.
Higher: Higher is a large jump from National 5 for most students. I will first capture a picture of what has been taught so far and assess these areas. Together we will devise a plan for moving forward based upon the length of time we have before the exam. I will provide homework and revision materials along with a personalised study plan.
Homework Assistance: This class is for the supportive parents who are finding helping their child with homework difficult. Often this is because the way in which certain topics are taught has completely changed from previous school days. Both you and your child can take part in sessions and the topics can be chosen by you.
Adult Learning: You may find difficulty with maths in everyday life. Please do not be embarrassed, this applies to much of our adult population. If you would like to relearn certain mathematical concepts that will help with day to day life, I would be delighted to plan some sessions accordingly. Adult learning also includes people who are going back to further their education in some way and need assistance with maths for entry exams.
