Alfred Corrigan

I loosely base my lessons on powerpoint presentations that I make about the topic (e.g. states of matter) and decide how long we spend on each subtopic by the level of understanding from the student. I start my lessons with an overview of the importance of the topic and how it has progressed so that students have an understanding of why they are learning it and how each breakthrough is exciting. I then go through the examinable subject matter and cover tricky points that students slip up on. Finally, I ask them to do exam styule questions on the topic material. The final section usually takes up the most time and is very important to seeing how well students understand the content. The next week, the student will briefly revisit the previous weeks topic by answering a few exam style questions.

I try to ask stretching, open ended questions that are not examinable when giving lessons on the topic content. If the student is willing to have a discussion about the topic this is always very positive for their learning. By doing these two things, students develop their critical thinking and appreciate how science works as a field using the scientific method. I also believes that it puts into perspective how acheivable high grades are when we go from answering very difficult questions to the examinable ones.

I have experience of tutoring students with a range of abilities, ranging from failing GCSE students to very good A-level ones. Although I have not tutored an international baccalaureate (IB) student yet, I do believe that I'm more than capable as I took the IB and have since completed my Master's in chemistry (expected first class).