Ian

I am Ian, a friendly and enthusiastic mathematician, a former teacher of maths and physics A Levels while living on the south coast of England, now relocated to Glasgow. I believe that there is much beauty to be found in mathematics and science and try to convey this appreciation alongside the technical skills required to get you through your exams. These subjects don’t have to be the impenetrable list of technicalities they are often portrayed as!

I offer tutoring for Mathematics (A Level, Higher, Advanced Higher and IB Diploma), Further Mathematics (A Level) and Physics (A Level, Higher and IB Diploma).

I can tutor at your home in the Glasgow area, at my home in the West End of Glasgow (near to Partick, Kelvinhall and Hillhead subways), or online via Zoom for students based anywhere in the UK.

Tutoring Experience

I have several years of recent experience of teaching A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics at a school in the south of England. While living in England, I have tutored students from across Brighton and Hove (and occasionally beyond), and have a good understanding of the common barriers to success that students encounter and how to help overcome them.

Tutoring Approach

Everyone’s tutoring needs are different. To make sure that I can offer you the help that you need, I usually start by arranging a visit to you at your home. For students living with parents or carers, this is an ideal chance to meet with everyone and make sure that we are all happy with the arrangements we come to. The topics we can discuss include general points (why are you considering tutoring? What would you like to get out of the experience?) and more practical issues (are you studying Highers/Advanced Highers, A Levels or taking the IB Diploma? Which exam board are you studying? If studying Further Mathematics, which options are you taking?). There is no charge for this first meeting.

If we are all happy to proceed, we can discuss the timing and frequency of tutoring sessions.

I also tutor online using Zoom - this is easy to instal and configure, and I can help you get set up with this. There is no restriction to your location with this option.

I have a first class BSc (Hons) degree in Mathematics and its Applications from the University of Sussex. When friends asked me how I managed to get a first in my degree, I’m afraid I could only offer a traditional answer – hard work, and a fair amount of it. Maths is one of the hardest subjects to bluff your way through, and although it’s possible to scrape by with a passing acquaintance of the concepts involved, you will never do particularly well without a deeper understanding of the subject. However, this shouldn’t be taken as a cause for despair – far from it! With a proper understanding of the subject, a real empathy with the “why” rather than the “how”, mathematics not only becomes far more interesting but also easier. I always aim to help students see the bigger picture and how the disparate parts of your course syllabus fit together.