Jane

I am a GTC (General Teaching Council for Scotland) registered secondary Maths teacher with a first class hons BSc and PhD in Chemistry and a background in engineering and industry.

I now have only have some occasional sessions in the Easter holidays, unless a new space becomes available, otherwise please note I am now fully booked up to the exams commencing end April 2024, so the earliest I can take on new clients is likely to be mid May.

I can take some students face to face in Edinburgh (student needs to travel to me), although there may be times when I am away from Edinburgh and so need to use online technology for face to face students. Most students do actually find that online works better for them as less time is spent travelling and they have access to the online resources we work on together at any time to revise and follow up after tutorial sessions.

While I am highly academically qualified, I understand how it feels to struggle with study and the benefit of getting extra support. I found parts of maths and language difficult at school and was lucky to have a very understanding teacher who helped correct the damage to confidence and understanding left by some rather less sympathetic practitioners.

I am friendly and approachable with a real concern for individuals and their experiences, passions and difficulties and for how I might be able to help them. I take a flexible approach to build positive relationships with students having different interests and personalities.

I have many interests from sports and the environment to languages and the arts and believe in lifelong learning, both for the enjoyment of gaining new skills and the importance of remaining adaptable and responsive to change.

I really enjoy tutoring students and helping them to achieve in their studies and gain a sense of satisfaction in their work.

Tutoring Experience

I have over 20 years of teaching experience. I am very comfortable using online tools for tuition and assisting students to use them in collaboration with me so that remote sessions are productive, personal and interactive.

I have assisted many students in achieving the grades and confidence necessary for admission to study medicine at University and also have particular focus on supporting students at times of transition where knowledge gaps may occur and confidence falter - e.g. moving from primary to secondary levels, S3 to N5, N5/GCSE to Higher/A-level and AH. Also TMUA, particularly for Scottish students following Higher.

During my PhD I taught in undergraduate chemistry labs and was a mathematics tutor for first year engineering and science students at Edinburgh University and I have continued to support students entering University or College education where they need a boost in their mathematics skills especially as they interface with the sciences.

I have experience in coaching statistics at advanced higher and for university students of Sciences and Social Sciences, this is frequently an area where it can be helpful for students to have assistance where they may have little previous background and need statistics skills for data analysis of various types.

I find the coaching and mentoring aspects of tuition and the ability to address individual's concerns in detail, more satisfying than classroom teaching and so now focus entirely on providing one to one tuition at both school and undergraduate levels.

Tutoring Approach

Online tuition is via interactive whiteboard with an integrated videolink. All that is required is that students have good broadband speed with a browser (up to date chrome, edge or safari) with a reasonable sized screen and appropriate input device, ideally plus a mobile phone as backup in case of any communications glitches...

A positive relationship between tutor and tutee is essential for effective learning, so building a respectful and trusting dynamic is the basis of my work. I always seek to focus on improving and deepening understanding with an approach that reduces anxiety and builds confidence and motivation.

In maths particularly students can feel anxious and worried about making mistakes. I try and help students understand that making mistakes is not only ok, but also a necessary, inevitable and useful part of learning. We will all make mistakes, the important thing is how can we best learn from them?

I also use various strategies to help students to improve their study techniques and habits and to become more independent learners and reflective and critical thinkers. This helps students to achieve at their best in all subject areas and also to develop the resilience and self-directed study skills needed to succeed in their future studies.