Adam H

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, GCSEs: 11 A*s, 2 As
A Level: 3 A*s (Maths, English Literature, Politics), 1 A (History)

University of Oxford, History

University College London, Institute of Education

Postgraduate Diploma in Education

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Love Learning Tutors: Maths

GCSE: Maths

A-Level: Maths, Further Maths 

I am a fully qualified maths teacher, having been teaching secondary maths across Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 (years 7 to 13), including A-level further maths, since September of 2018. Previously I graduated with a BA from the University of Oxford, and am in the process of completing my PDGE at the Institute of Education, University College London.

SKILLS AND INTERESTS

Outside of mathematics, I have a keen interest in history, and get involved anything active and outdoors, from hiking in the country to watching and playing an array of sports. When at home, I enjoy playing board games, cooking and watching films with friends and family. I am friendly, approachable and positive, but relaxed and enjoy taking the pressure off when winding down.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Teacher of Mathematics, Capital City Academy
Teacher of History, Capital City Academy

STEM Co-ordinator, Capital City Academy

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I have been involved in informal education settings outside of schooling since I was thirteen and was involved in a community youth movement. Then the focus was all about engaging younger children and their enjoyment of any activity was paramount. As I eventually grew and moved on to becoming a fully qualified teacher and now working in formal education as a secondary maths teacher, this element of joy and engagement still maintains a core part of what I understand teaching to be about. So often all pupils require is a little confidence and support, so frequently even in the smallest of quantities, to kickstart or blossom their engagement with a subject. If given that engagement in a nurturing environment, student progress can erupt from even their first tutoring session.

One of the most common challenges that a pupil faces which a tutor can be best placed to approach is being understood. Pupils who do not have the confidence to ask can get lost in a class of 20 or 30 pupils, and what can simply be a case of different styles of communication and a teacher who does not see that barrier or has too many other things to deal with, can lead to a knock on confidence and in turn a reduction of progress. Tutors have the opportunity to get to know their pupils personally and understand how they communicate and how they understand their subject material. This is not only essential to honing in on the exact needs and solutions for a pupil, but make the learning process a more rewarding, personable and enjoyable experience for both the pupil and the tutor. That personal element is also key; pupils and tutors can form connections that often take longer or may not happen with their classroom teacher in the given subject, and that can only add positively to the education experience.

I was incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful education surrounded by teachers who nurtured my love of my subjects and encouraged my confidence so that I was always afforded the opportunity to communicate my ideas and my understanding clearly in ways I was comfortable with. A core part of my teaching and tutoring philosophy is giving pupils that same opportunity.

As a teacher I am enthusiastic and hard working but believe that engagement is better than pressure, and progress comes from stimulating lessons, tailored lesson plans to a students particular needs and nurturing confidence, rather than enforcing habits and focusing on sanction over reward. I hugely enjoy working with all kinds of pupils, from those who may be struggling but who often merely need some personalised attention and engagement to progress rapidly, to high-achievers who want to push themselves beyond the curriculum and prepare themselves for the next level of education or life.

Lessons, particularly in maths, can never be in isolation, and so no matter what skill we are developing we will always explore questions in new and interesting contexts, problem solving activities and questions, and links between topics, or even to other subjects. Exam and revision technique will of course be focused on in the run up to any formal or even internal examinations, but practical advice, techniques, and strategies are applicable throughout all education years and all through the year. As such, we always look to explore the best strategies that suit individual pupils when approaching different questions, with a view to making the most progress and reaching the highest attainment level we can.

I believe that all students can achieve and succeed, and that it is the role of any teacher or tutor to get to understand their pupils as best they can and find the way to communicate concepts, encourage engagement and grow confidence and progress in our subjects for our pupils. Identifying misconceptions, being creative in our articulation and demonstration of learning content, and empathising with our pupil needs, interests, experiences and expectations are all as important a part of the learning and teaching process as knowing the core curriculum subject matter.