Juan R.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Rydal Penrhos School
GCSEs in:
Biology A*
Business Studies 9
Chemistry A*
Design & Technology 8
English Language 9
English Literature 9
French 9
Further Mathematics D (Distinction)
Geography 9
Mathematics 9
Music 9
Physics A*
AS in: Economics A
A-Levels in:
Chemistry A*
Further Mathematics A*
Mathematics A*
Physics A*
RNCM
Grade 8 in Piano - Merit
The Open University
First Class BSc (Hons.) in Mathematics
Electromagnetism (SMT359)
The quantum world (SM358)
Mathematical methods and fluid mechanics (MST326)
Deterministic and stochastic dynamics (MS327)
Imperial College London
MSc in Physics (Current)
Sun, Stars and Planets
Mathematical Methods
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Private Piano Tuition: 1 year
Grades: ABRSM (1-8), Trinity (1-8)
Love Learning Tutors: 2 months
Common Entrance: Maths, English, Sciences, Non-verbal, 11+, 13+
GCSE: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics
A-Level: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics
I have one year of private in-person piano tutoring experience (90+ hours) to eight students of varying abilities, preparing some for graded exams and teaching others from scratch. Last year, I prepared a first-year Physics student for an examination on university-level Newtonian Mechanics, which she gained a First-Class in.
SKILLS & INTERESTS
I enjoy racket sports a lot, including tennis, badminton and hockey, and representing Imperial in the hockey team. An exception to this is football, being a Liverpool supporter! I play piano in my spare time, Prokofiev being my favourite composer - finding obscure pieces and sight-reading them is one of my hobbies. I am currently preparing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 to play alongside the university orchestra in one year’s time. I also like to play chess, although the only time format I seem to have time for is Blitz! When I’m not doing any of these things, I am generally programming or reading. I can speak English and Korean to fluency, and French and Polish to a basic working proficiency.
WORK EXPERIENCE
At H&D Fitzgeralds, I was lucky enough to gain experience in working with world-leading density metrologists, who are concerned with density measurement and calibration. I worked for two weeks full-time, and gained lab experience conducting research into the density of alcohol-water solutions, later used in a paper by the company! I also conducted a statistical analysis into the densities and passed on my conclusions to the research department.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
I first became interested in tutoring in an academic setting after starting my piano tutoring business. I started off with only two students, growing to teach over eight by the end of June. After experimenting with so many different approaches to teaching, I finally realised that the key to unlocking my students’ potential was confidence. Once the students intuitively understood the different components of the music, this gave them confidence, and their progress rapidly increased. I believe that this increased their enjoyment of music and motivation to practise, and I have mastered this approach of developing intuition over one year.
Spoon-fed facts and information in different subjects can be difficult to memorise or understand, not because the content is difficult, but because it is not taught effectively. This is the approach many schools take, as they are forced to go for a middle-road strategy in their teaching methods as they teach large classes. The unique approach I take is by providing physical intuition or analogies to better understand complex subjects, tailored to each student. This is my general approach to teaching, and also my approach to learning at university-level. I believe that analogy is the best way to develop intuition and a deep understanding behind each subject. This is what brings confidence to young people, as they can be sure that they thoroughly understand each subject through and through. All that is left then is to perfect the exam technique.
I would describe myself as an engaging tutor, full of energy and fun to be with - teaching young people and children over the past year has taught me how to engage my students effectively. I remember being a student sitting my entrance exams, GCSEs and A-Levels, allowing me to understand their feelings and concerns. I believe this allows me to understand my students better than perhaps older tutors, as it hasn’t been as long as I’ve been in the same shoes! Knowing how my students feel, I am personally as motivated as they are to get them to achieve as much as they possibly can. It is why I find tutoring so rewarding. My primary aim is to provide my students with a general approach to learning and challenge them to work as hard as they can and to achieve their potential.