Most students want to improve their understanding of the topic and their exam technique. I will spend the first lesson getting to know the student and their strengths and weaknesses in the topic. I do this through talking with the student, engaging them with questions about the topic and their interests. I want students to feel comfortable with me and able to try all exercises we do together without feeling embarrassed about getting the answers wrong. It is really important that they feel comfortable enough to get the answers wrong sometimes as we all learn much more from our mistakes than getting everything correct all of the time.

After this most lessons focus on improving knowledge and understanding. I do this through a range of activities, questioning and work sheets. I also use a lot of past paper questions to help students improve their understanding of the questions and how to answer them to gain the marks. Having been an examiner for 8 years I can pass on useful exam techniques to help students achieve and A/A*. This includes how to read the question. What is it asking? Important key words which must be included in the answers to gain the marks. We also work on key skills such as analysis, how to interpret graphs and data, and most importantly how to analyse and evaluate as these skills are needed to achieve and A or A*.

Having 15 years of teaching experience from state to the private sector, in the UK, China and South America I have worked with many different students of different cultures, and many who's first language is not English.