Will A.

I'm Will and I've been tutoring for six years, full-time for the past two years. During this time I have delivered over 2500 hours of quality online tuition, helping in excess of 150 students to achieve or exceed their target grades, accumulating a plethora of resources and experience along the way. I have also taught group classes and workshops, sometimes teaching ten or more students at once.

My ethos is centred around helping students to develop an understanding of the material they are covering, as opposed to just memorising the specification points. My lessons are tailored in such a way that nurtures this understanding, as well as the problem solving skills required to apply this understanding in unseen contexts. 

I firmly believe that no two students learn in the same way, so my lessons are also tailored to the individual needs of the student, in order to accelerate their progress and help them to succeed.

As well as this, I have developed an ability to talk to students on their level to help them become not only more proficient in their subject, but to help them enjoy it more and become more confident in conveying their thoughts.

My approach to tutoring is largely discussion-based. I have found that difficult concepts are much easier to understand if broken down into manageable chunks which can be pieced together in a logical manner. This gives the student a deeper understanding of the concept and develops their ability to solve problems and tackle questions delivered in an unfamiliar context. Due to the application-based nature of exams it is no longer enough to know the content, a deeper understanding is required. I find it is beneficial to teach concepts from first principles and build upon this throughout the session, that way there are no gaps in the student’s understanding. My teaching is supplemented with the use of diagrams and various other resources to aid explanations.

I am friendly and passionate about teaching. I like to build a rapport with and gain the trust of my students to make them feel comfortable, engaged, and help them enjoy the learning experience. I have learned a lot about how to plan and structure lessons to get the best out of students. No two students are the same, as such it is important for me to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of a student and find out how they learn best – that way I can design a specific learning schedule tailored to their individual needs.

My lessons consist of thirty to forty minutes of explanation, asking the student questions to spark discussion and making notes continuously on the whiteboard, followed by some time dedicated to practising past exam questions and honing exam-technique. Periodically I will ask the student to explain back to me what we have been covering, this ‘check-in’, ensures they are understanding, rather than coasting. Explaining a concept to someone else also reinforces understanding, highlights the areas the student doesn’t understand, and helps with retention. 

Everything in my lessons is drawn on an interactive whiteboard using a graphics tablet, as it would be in a classroom setting. The student can also take notes and answer questions on the whiteboard. I will not simply upload a PowerPoint and talk at the student, expecting them to remember just the basic facts. All notes will be saved on the whiteboard and can be accessed at any time, making the period of revision leading up to the final exams much more straightforward and organised.