Information about Catherine - Greenwich tutor -

(8 reviews)

Personal Description:

Hi, I'm Catherine and I specialise in helping students who struggle with Maths, lack confidence, have Maths anxiety and/or Dyscalculia. Rather than using worksheets, I quickly identify the areas of Maths your child is struggling with and use physical equipment and simple board games to put your child at ease, building confidence from their very first session.

I have been a qualified teacher for over 20 years, having taught in both England and Venezuela. I am currently tutoring full-time, both face to face and online and have recently moved to Sydney, Australia.

As well as being a teacher, I love to travel. I have participated on volunteering programmes in Nepal, South Africa and South Sudan, where I have used my teaching skills to provide encouragement, support and lead workshops with local teachers. While travelling, I am able to indulge in my other passions of photography, learning languages and music.

Tuition Experience:

I began my teaching career in a Middle School on the Isle of Wight before moving to an International School in Caracas, Venezuela. Upon my return to the UK, I taught in a variety of primary schools in Kent, before moving to London to work in an Academy. In 2016, I chose to become a full-time tutor in Maths and English.

I am currently completing a qualification in teaching children with Dyscalculia as many of the students I work with struggle with Maths and Maths anxiety and it has always been an area of interest for me. My style of tutoring works particularly well for students with Dyscalculia and Maths anxiety and I really enjoy seeing the progress my students make. I have also completed a full-time CELTA course, which has provided me with up-to-date knowledge of teaching English as an additional language. I have used many aspects of this course when teaching both adults and children English.

As well as working as a classroom teacher, I have worked with smaller groups of children and carried out one-to-one sessions, where I am able to tailor my teaching to the needs of the students more effectively. I have a range of experience working with high ability children, encouraging them to reach their potential.

I am currently working as a full-time tutor, with experience of tutoring children and adults to be exam ready as well as providing more regular support for children struggling with particular areas of Maths and English. Several of my students that I began working with in 2016 still continue having tuition with me.

Tutoring Approach:

Tutoring is a partnership. I believe that it is vital that a student is involved in making decisions about their learning. Upon meeting a new student, I will always ask them to explain why they feel they need a tutor, what they think a tutor can do for them and what in particular they would like to improve upon. Giving a student ownership of their learning and being able to reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses, enables them to develop a positive attitude towards their sessions and to understand that they have many abilities.

Throughout my tutoring sessions, I use a range of methods to enable the student to understand the concept being taught. For younger children, this is often through practical equipment and visual diagrams. For older students, drawing up previous knowledge and working methods, helps students to make connections with other areas of their studies. By exposing students to a range of different strategies and developing core understanding, students are able to approach new concepts with confidence.

One of the main aims of my sessions is to help students gain confidence and self belief. I always spend some time reflecting with my students how far they have come. All too often, students focus on what they cannot do, not what they can do now. By taking time to identify aspects of their learning that they are now confident in, helps my students with their motivation and continue to try when they find their work challenging.

I aim to use students' interests and hobbies to make learning enjoyable as well as using a variety of games and investigations to encourage problem solving.