7 Great Choices

Tuition choices

These options look to give you a sense of the different tuition choices available to match a variety of requirements. However, variables such as the student's experience with mathematics to date is significant. Therefore, after assessment and discussion, my recommendations for any particular course of tuition may vary widely from these estimates.

Student needs help to complete a question

Typically this would require just one 30 minute session. For this option I would look to tutor the knowledge and skills needed to complete the question through use of related but different examples.

Student wishes to understand a topic

Clearly topics are different sizes, breadth, and complexity. But if we use the National Curriculum specifications' topic breakdown at their lowest level as a guide,  they typically justify between 30 minutes and 2 hours tuition each.

Student needs to prepare for an exam

I would ask the student to prioritise the 4 top topics they they wish to revise and look to take an hour to revise each one using exam style questions and providing focused guidance on good exam practice.  So, typically this would require 4 one hour lessons.

Student needs to cover a whole area of mathematics (eg Statistics, Algebra etc)

Under this scenario it would make sense to agree at least 10 hours of tuition.

Student has fallen behind in Mathematics at school

Loss of confidence in mathematics creates a vicious downward circle and this requires patient nurturing and encouragement to re-establish foundation knowledge. Under these circumstances I would recommend a continuous support program of 25 hours or more to rebuild that confidence.

Student is looking to ensure the highest grades to secure a place in one of the top Universities

This also justifies a continuous support program of 25 hours or more. It enables the student to be challenged by more advanced topics and to concentrate on developing the overarching themes relating to mathematical argument, language and proof, mathematical problem solving and mathematical modelling. These themes are explicitly called out in the A level syllabus but are equally relevant from Key Stage 3 upwards for ambitious and talented pupils.

Student is just interested in improving their mathematics skills

Perhaps start with a course of up to 5 one hour lessons (which may satisfy the itch (!)) or alternatively this will give us a chance to work together to define a personalised programme for the longer term independent from the strictures of the National Curriculum!