Matthew

When you are looking for a maths tutor it is very important to understand that having a Phd in maths from a prestigious university does not necessarily guarantee the ability to help your child to improve their mathematical understanding. I fully believe that maths teaching is about understanding the child and how they may misunderstand certain key elements of maths. Unlocking some common misconceptions leads to quick wins. But above all, and this is very important, maths should be fun. Getting the challenge just right means that success can be very rewarding. I like to call it "the maths feeling", and as a maths teacher, hearing students say "I get it now" is music to my ears!

Tutoring Experience

I have been teaching maths for 28 years. I have been a head of maths both in state and independent schools in the UK for 24 of these. I worked as the head of maths at Island School, a large international school in Hong Kong for 5 years. I currently work as the Director of learning for maths at a large international school in Dubai. I have taught GCSE, iGCSE, A' level, the IB diploma and MYP, and have been involved in training maths teachers for many years. I have taught students at every level from age 11 through to 18. From children who need help with accessing number, algebra and geometry to those who excel.

Tutoring Approach

My approach is completely student centered. All of my tutoring is bespoke to the individual. I never use powerpoints or generic slides. I work quickly to identify a child's individual needs, and then use a range of methods including visual display software such as Desmos and Autograph, but often the good old whiteboard (or Ipad and pencil on video conferencing) to demonstrate mathematical methods and concepts. I focus on helping the student to understand the concept, not in showing them a set of steps to reach an answer that they don't fully understand.