For convenience and new learning skills
When my youngest son required extra help with Math, I quickly discovered the inconvenience of taking him to the tutor's home for just one hour. This was over 15 years ago, but I knew that helping my own son was probably not a good solution. I knew tha teaching methods for mathematical concepts had changed. Confusion results when a child is introduced to an alternative method. Also, children are usually more inclined to accept help from someone other than a family member, although I do believe family members are a very valuable resource.
Homework time can be minimised
Over the years I have discovered useful resources and focus on students becoming efficient - not just by being organised but by minimising search time for answers and assignments. Effective writing drastically reduces homework time, particularly when the correct writing process becomes automatic. My assistance with writing is always based on correct paragraph and sentence formatting using the 5 paragraph essay format as often and as early as possible. Repetition of paragraph and essay writing skills is a must and should be applied to any piece of writing for every subject.
Learning is fun
I always strive to make tutorials of interest to the individual student. My background knowledge is unusually varied ..... having worked in hospitals, research establishments, as a personal assistant for different needs, with seniors and kindergarten students and I also enjoy art. Plus, I am a Brit and have travelled quite extensively. Also, my sense of humour, patience and perseverance often prove invaluable when helping students reach their potential.
Although I have a B.Sc, Ph.D in Biologyand B.Ed., I am not a mathematical genius. This helps when teaching Math, but just to Grade 9 .... I really appreciate student's difficulties. Whatever the subject, I enjoy the challenge of overcoming individual problems for each student and topic.
Science ..... this should definitely be fun. When I can, I like to introduce the concept of correct experimental design before Grade 6. Science is about questioning. It also requires precision and often simplicity.
Above all, I enjoy learning from my students ...... I still do not understand baseball but enjoyed helping my student draw the baseball diamond using different geometrical shapes. Learning is definitely a two-way process.
My tutoring rate includes driving to your house and having appropriate resources. For local students, my rate is the same as I used to pay when I took my son to his tutor's house more than 15 years ago. You will not pay extra for my travelling time - but also I cannot afford to sit in traffic. Some desperate parents did pay me extra to go 20+ km to beyond Richmond! I did find that tutoring this student over the internet was less helpful ... reducing two way communication.
I have often been contacted a few weeks or even days from exams when students have become overwhelmed. I do my best and have helped these students but do prefer more notice!!
Please make the initial contact through Email and I will gladly phone with details specific to your child's and/or your needs. Rates for the first introductory session are reduced. I am also available for Home School subjects ...... perhaps science or art instruction ..... to spark your child's imagination or maybe to fine tune writing skills.
Contact: Gillian Brown (gillianmbrown@hotmail.com)
