People often ask us why we started our private maths and science tutoring service. The answer is simple – we love our job! Working as maths and science tutors brings all sorts of rewards, and those rewards have one thing in common: they mean that we get to help improve the outcomes and learning experience of our students.
Here, in no particular order, are 4 things that we love about private maths and science tuition.
1. Banishing maths anxiety
Maths anxiety is a vicious cycle. If a child is anxious their performance will suffer, and when their performance suffers, they are more likely to experience anxiety.
Children experience maths anxiety in different ways, from a feeling of mild tension to a strong and deep-rooted fear of maths. Sometimes, it can manifest as under-attainment or irritability which in turn causes further problems. So how common is it? Well, a recent poll indicated that, 23% of children aged 5-15 experienced maths anxiety, with the problem being more prevalent in younger generations – 36% of 15–24-year-olds experienced maths anxiety, compared to only 10% of those aged over 65. Meanwhile, researchers from the university of Cambridge found that girls are more likely than boys to report maths anxiety.
Many factors contribute to the emergence of maths anxiety, including fear of failure, fear of being left behind, and peer pressure. That’s where private maths and science tutors come in. Our 1-1 lessons focus on rebuilding our students’ self-confidence and breaking down the mental barriers that cause anxiety. We focus on their strengths first, then identify the areas they need to work on. And watching young learners rediscover the joy of solving maths problems is hands-down our favourite thing about teaching.
2. Giving STEM subjects a makeover
STEM subjects have a real image problem. Ask any student to name their least-favourite subjects, and the same names come up time and time again: maths and science. As for the reasons why – once again we hear the same things: “It’s boring… I don’t need maths after school… I don’t understand it”.
This image problem doesn’t just affect the subjects, it affects the students too. In fact, over 40% of students in the UK leave school without a good grade (grade 5 or above) in GCSE maths. This is bad news for the students, because poor grades can limit their career pathways and life chances. It’s also bad news for the economy, especially those industries who require a steady flow of well-qualified recruits to boost growth and innovation.
We love a challenge, and one of the best things about teaching maths and science is having the chance to shape the way students feel about these subjects. One way we do this is by delivering lessons with a positive focus –looking at what students CAN do, and the possibilities that good STEM qualifications can bring. And our tutors speak from experience – they have all previously worked in the private sector, using their STEM qualifications to build successful careers. Finally, we use flexible teaching styles and visual technology to engage with students at their level, and help them grasp complex concepts in an enjoyable way.
3. Working 1-1 with students
It’s no secret that class sizes are growing, and it’s harder than ever for class teachers to plan lessons around the needs of individual students. Private maths and science tutors have a lot more freedom. We work 1-1 with all our students, from assessment to evaluation, so they receive teaching that is truly tailored to their individual needs. If they find a topic challenging, no problem – we can slow things down, and try different approaches to help them grasp the concept. Equally, if they’re steaming ahead with their learning goals we can add more complexity and extra goals to really challenge them and develop their subject knowledge.
4. Seeing results
We said earlier that seeing our students grow in confidence was our favourite thing about working as private maths and science tutors, but it’s a close-run thing. Our second favourite part of the job is seeing results! That’s partly the small things, like when a student finally grasps a concept they’ve struggled with. Yet it’s also the milestone results. When a student passes their entrance exams with flying colours and gets accepted to their first-choice independent school. Or when our GCSE students ace their exams, and when our A-level students get the grades they need to enter the top universities. The pride and joy we feel at seeing all their hard work pay off is a reward in itself.
George Alexander Tuition is a specialist maths and science tuition agency based in Central London. We support children aged 11-18 with a variety of termly tuition packages and exam coaching from 11+ to A-Level. We also provide coaching for the UCAT assessment. To find out more, contact us on info@gatuition.com. You can also follow our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook, and check out our handy maths tutorials on our YouTube channel.
