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Simultaneous maths equations.

My Approach

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Strengths & Weaknesses

My maths tuition starts by identifying strengths and weaknesses in the first few sessions. This will be accomplished by working through questions for each core topic from exam board specifications, and/or looking at recent assessment feedback from an exam or test taken at school, and going through topics with the lowest score - usually highlighted in red.

Quite often there's a simple misunderstanding of a concept that hasn't previously been addressed, and in these cases it's possible to move on to the next topic relatively quickly. However, some topics can prove more challenging, and repeated walkthroughs of graded questions are necessary.

Workthrough of a GCSE maths exam question.

Mirroring School Learning

Once confidence on weakest areas has been built up, I then mirror the topics currently being studied at school to help reinforce what has been taught. I ask students/parents to forward photos of questions which have proved difficult, which I upload to the online whiteboard in preparation for their next tutorial. 

I encourage students to write out the answers to the questions themselves. This will depend on each student, but it aids the learning process if they do. I watch and intervene with a hint whenever I notice an error, misconception or an inability to make a start. If a student can't or prefers not to write, I ask what I should write down for each step, with hints along the way, instead.

An A level maths exam question and solution.

Past Examination Papers

In addition to mirroring classroom learning, I also work through past examination papers throughout the academic year (and not just in the run up to exams) for GCSE, Further GCSE and A Level students.

The reason for heavily focusing on past examination papers throughout the academic year is because, quite often, students say they're able to answer the questions their teacher sets during lessons, but don't understand (or know where to start) with the questions set in formal tests or exams.

This is probably because examination questions test multiple areas of the specification simultaneously and there's now greater emphasis on problem-solving and mathematical reasoning with the new 9-1 examinations introduced in 2017. Also, maths formulas are no longer given and 50% of the questions in the GCSE Higher paper are grade 7 standard or above.

An exam board examination paper for GCSE maths.
GCSE maths higher examination paper.
GCSE maths foundation examination paper.
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