Steve

I am a fulltime software developer and I have been coding and using IT for over 40 years.

My day to day development is using C# which I have 20 years experience. I also code in Python, Powershell and over the years coded Assembly Language, C and C++ as well as some old mainframe languages.

I have extensive knowledge in designing, creating and managing relational databases as well as 30 years coding SQL.

I started out on mainframes, before moving to Unix and Windows. I have seen everything from the first games machines like the ZX81, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro's, to the first Windows PC's, up to the present day.

As well as being a developer, I have a deep understanding of hardware, networking, operating systems, security, cryptography as well as having a troubleshooting mindset that allows me to tackle any problem at an advanced level.

Tutoring Experience

My roles over the years have included training and I know what works and what does not work when teaching concepts to people. I have a lifetime of learning behind me.

It is all very well explaining what things are and what they do however; I also know why we have them and what we used to have. Knowing the past and what went in and out of fashion, makes understanding todays technology much easier.

I have two children who both took GCSE Computer Science and whom I tutored. This meant understanding the OCR specification and in fact I have gone on to understand both the AQA and Edexcel specifications in order to help others when doing those exams.

This does not mean I am only available for tutoring GCSE; with my background I am able to help anyone from a casual learner, right up to a university student. I spent 4 years helping my nephew who took a Computer Science degree at UCL.

Tutoring Approach

It is very important for a student to have a high level perspective view of any topic. This is where my background and knowledge really helps. Once the student has grasped the concepts, they can then start adding the detail.

I have always maintained that difficult subjects are just made up of lots of simple things. If you jump straight into the detail, you often start to lose interest. There becomes no correlation between the content and the student finds it difficult to retain the information.

Being a software developer I will be able to help you with writing pseudo code, using flowcharts in your designs, coding and more importantly, debugging code which can be an art in itself.

If you want more advanced software design, I can help you with structured methodologies like SOLID, test driven development and design patterns.

I will not pretend that I know how to code every framework because no one does. We can determine your needs against my experience when we first communicate.

I am looking forward to helping you all to achieve your goals and giving you the knowledge and satisfaction that I have attained over my career.