My background

Born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire I'd always dreamt of going into theatre, Patrick Stewart being my childhood (and adult) hero! 
Given the acting world, I knew I needed a back up and seemed to be pretty good at maths, being the son of two accountants will have that effect!
My Theatre teacher at Greenhead college recommended that I get a maths degree, set myself up as a substitute teacher, then I could act wherever and wherever I wanted, money no issue! Knowing that Durham had the biggest student theatre, I headed there not realising I would fall in love with Durham Cathedral and St Chad's college, or that I'd make the best of friends in the North East.

Cut through the maths degree, I began teaching in Hartlepool, quickly realising that my theatrical background served me well, bringing maths to life for the kids.
At the very least, I was happy to play the jester and make kids smile, realising it's okay to get it wrong. Studying the psychology behind learning maths I realised that I was desperate to learn more so, for a year, I scurried down south to study Psychology & Education.

Realising that, in the south, the landscape is flat and so is the ale, I came back to the welcoming arms of Durham. After three years looking at Mathematics in Engineering and surviving COVID, I have come to realise that supporting students' wellbeing is my number 1 priority.

Expertise

2014
(No, my sister didn't like my hair either!)

 

With my 2:1BSc in Mathematics (okay, maybe I was a bit too involved with the theatre!), I studied a wide range of subjects such as calculus, linear algebra, mathematical physics, statistical analysis and Bayesian statistics. After all that, certainly considering probability, I know what it's like to get a headache when learning maths. I occasionally revise my old notes or read a new book; partly because I'm a nerd and partly because I feel the need to empathise with my students.

My Masters in Education explored what is known as 'mathematical problem solving'. It became obvious that any maths question could be a problem to someone and what matters is your relationship with solving the problem. As a result, I look to help students develop a positive & resilient mindset in order to develop the confidence that you CAN do it!

The Master's in Psychology & Education looked into ASD, biological, social and individual development and, most exciting for me, cognitive psychology. My thesis explored Mathematical Anxiety with a view to understanding it in great detail, thereby finding ways to mitigate it and help, even the most nervous learner, manage to find some confidence in the subject.

After eight years teaching, and far more in tutoring, I have learned to adapt to the needs of any learner to support their confidence first, followed swiftly by their progress. I have coached students as young as six and old as thirty-one in Maths at every level.

My tuition/ coaching

Thanks to the pandemic, I spent a large amount of time teaching groups of twenty-five students maths online via Teams.
I have spent a lot of time finding quality resources to help you understand the maths in a way that pen and paper simply can't.
That is not to say that pen and paper don't have their place, but why not make it a little more dynamic and exciting if given the chance!

I moved away from the classroom to focus on exactly what makes me smile, seeing people walk away from lessons with a feeling of confidence, clarity and a big smile! I have taken all my skills from the classroom to create a learning environment that offers the highest quality tuition.

Not convinced? Head to the contact me page and book a free 40 minute lesson!