MathsWithDawn

Over the years I’ve helped countless students work out where they are mathematically and where they ultimately need or want to be. Generally, our first lesson begins with a discussion (including mum and/or dad) and is followed by a low key question and answer session. We tackle the questions together as this allows us to build a working relationship that encourages two-way dialogue. Funnily enough, it also has the effect of putting the student at ease because they appreciate that it is more of a fact-finding mission than a test. 

The majority of my students are school age, ranging from Year 5 to Year 13, and attend international schools in Mauritius. The children in years 5 to 9 follow various syllabi but their work is pretty similar regarding content. Year 10 and 11 students follow the IGCSE syllabus of Cambridge International Examination (C.I.E.) board. The remaining students are in years 12 and 13, i.e. sixth form and they follow either CIE A levels or the International Baccalaureate (I.B.). Until I came to live in Mauritius, more than a decade ago, I was living in the UK and also tutored Edexcel IGCSE mature students. 

I am native English and have been tutoring maths ever since I was at school myself. I am fascinated by maths and have a Ph.D. to show for it, but teaching maths holds even more interest for me. I should qualify that statement. My real love is to teach people how to learn maths. Teaching the core work and at the same time emphasising the connections between parts of the syllabus enables them in time to think for themselves and to join the dots. During lessons I am constantly verbalising the facts they need to memorise and why they are so useful. I am also on a mission to promote important skills such as mental maths and again, during lessons, i don’t waste a single opportunity to practice alongside them. It is coaching in every sense of the word and, even though it is fairly intensive, it is not stressful because we are working together, pulling in the same direction. It is not a party though! We work hard.

Every student has their own story to tell and I view them as a blank canvas. Anything can happen. At one extreme the sky’s the limit, and at the other … well,  we are in for a rough ride! That’s fine too. In that case we just strap in and hold on tight! One group I’ve found success with deserves a special mention because it is encouraging for others.It is the students who have moved schools a few times. Some of them find holes have developed in their basic maths knowledge and that they are altogether less able and confident than they used to be. Those holes may even coalesce and turn into great chasms, causing a previously ‘good’ student to become anxious and confused because they don’t understand what has happened. Repairing all the damage and replacing their negativities with positivities gives me great satisfaction, especially because it has such a positive impact on the life of the student.

Whilst websites are informative, they can only really scratch the surface of what a tutor is about. Every student is different and deserves special attention and the exact nature of the special attention cannot be laid out on a web page. There are too many variables.  However much you read on this site, there will still be a point where you want to make contact and have a conversation with a real person. If you are ready to do that now, don’t waste time reading any further. Give me a call! O