John

You`d hardly expect adjectives such as lazy, impatient, inflexible, unreliable and humourless to crop up here. Immature, uninspiring, conceited or lacking in knowledge wouldn`t encourage you to read any further either.

Of course, most potential tutors will cram this section with completely the opposite. "Lively, conscientious, innovative and resourceful" sound just what any parent would be looking for. "Totally dedicated, exceptionally positive and wonderful with children" could finally clinch it. Hopefully it`s true!

Unfortunately, most CVs allow yourself to flatter too easily. Some, or all of the details may be spot-on, but perhaps the potential tutors are merely following just about every employment agency`s guidelines?

Let`s not get too theoretical or cynical, however. I really enjoy tutoring and 99% of the roles I take up are exceptionally positive experiences for the students, the family and myself included.

However, please read between the lines. Look carefully at my qualifications and experience, and please read between the lines, if that`s possible here! Please, also base your judgements on face-to-face interactions rather than on shallow or throwaway platitudes .

Unfortunately though, you have to commit to even meet. That`s why I`m happy to work the first lesson without charge. This effectively covers your sign-up fee, paid to Tutor Hunt. If you feel things are not going to work from there, it becomes a one-off lesson for a pretty small financial risk. Needless to say, that`s never happened.

In 2012, after 22 years as a full-time primary teacher, I decided to split my working life between supporting adults with learning disabilities and to start enjoying teaching again through 1 to1 tuition.

Some families have asked for intensive help for SATS, GCSE or 11 plus exams, whilst others have opted for longer-term, more general input across the curriculum. Four of my tutees began as primary and have continued into secondary school students with me.

I particularly enjoy teaching maths and English to key stage 2 pupils. I have also covered verbal and non-verbal reasoning for the 11+ tests, but more recently I have begun to specialize in key stage 3 and 4 maths. I find those who have perhaps got left behind at secondary school benefit greatly from my distinctly primary methods of teaching. It`s immensely satisfying to bring back their confidence and to sort out the best techniques for them when school seems to have become a hive of mixed messages. To play games and to make maths a little more fun has reaped major rewards over the past few years.

I have also taught English to GCSE level, although much of that relates to organisation of writing and grammatical accuracy. I never thought that O-level Latin could be so valuable in this day and age!

A final area of interest is my university subject of geography. Familiarising myself again with the A level course was an interesting challenge but an enjoyable one at the same time.

Speaking of time, I now teach entirely via Skype.This saves an immense amount of travelling hours for my part and most students are quite comfortable with this method thanks to their recent experiences over the Covid years. It has meant that I have taught from Morley (2 miles away) to Morocco ( a little further) since 2020, but I look forward to hearing from you wherever you come from in the near future.

Availability: Apologies but mid year availability is very limited now. Online lessons between 6 and 7pm on Tuesdays is all I can currently offer.

Sorry about that.

Willing to travel: Home Only

Experience: EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

1. For tuition history, please see my associated article on this website.

2. Oct 2011 to present:

Personal Assistant to Disabled Students at Leeds University.
Duties include collecting students from their homes, accompanying them to lectures, note taking, library work, assisting with administrative matters, general mentoring during their university careers. Reading and /or scribe during exams. Also attendance of any relevant meetings within the department related to the PA role.


3. February 2012 to present:

Support Worker in Bradford (Tuesday to Friday) for Adults with Learning Disabilities. This entails encouraging people out into the communities to gain as much enjoyment from life as possible. My role is to be imaginative, enthusiastic and ultra-patient with all eventualities!


4. Sept 1988 to Jun 2010:

Field Lane J. I and N School, Albion Street, Batley.
Positions varied from EMA support teacher to Year 4, 5 and 6 class teacher and PPA teacher for Years 2 to 6.

Achievements here have included:

* Teaching 98% of pupils learning English as a second language, using the most dynamic and enjoyable approaches possible, and interchanging between visual, auditory and kinaesthetic methods of teaching wherever judged most appropriate.

* Development of school`s policies and long term plans as coordinator of Maths, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages, ICT, PE, History and Gifted and Talented pupils of quality resources from simple worksheets to interactive computer games and role play areas of a functioning IT room from an empty classroom and an outdoor classroom through a fully functional "Eco garden".

* Succeeding in teaching myself computer technology from an absolute beginner in 1988 in one-to-one, maths boosting sessions after school to improve confidence and performance of pupils, and with a 100% pass rate in getting 20 privately-tutored pupils through local Grammar School tests over 15 years.

* Supporting children with special needs through Independent Education Plans, the settlement of Bosnian refugee children during the 1990s the initiatives of children themselves to raise money for charities and the wishes of many girls to take part in out of school sports events.

* Raising the self-esteem of children with behavioural problems by exhibiting their work by encouraging their attendance at after-school clubs and by introducing a weekly "Golden Boot" award for excellent performances in PE lessons.

* Liaison with others to optimise lesson delivery and content share skills with colleagues support trainees or supply teachers improve understanding between children of different cultures (Batley Twinning Projects) and keep parents informed on all issues (from formal report evenings to contact in the cloakrooms).

* Adaptations and improvements in personal teaching style by way of course attendance, in computer usage for planning and resources, and in reaching end-of-year, performance targets using Integris software.

* Initiation of Youth Hostel weekends for children away from home for the first time of Thursday packets to facilitate school`s communication with families of excellent links with local companies and schools through sporting fixtures and inter-school quizzes, and of Powerpoint slide presentations to illustrate success stories in assemblies (before everyone else did them!).

* Volunteering to run out-of -hours clubs (football, cricket or rounders, weekly and ECO club twice weekly)to develop an ECO garden from a wasteland to accompany children at extra-curricular events such as acting in a local mill drama or the opening of a neighbourhood green space and to help at events run by The Friends of Field Lane at the school`s parent group.

* Following school policies and Health and Safety guidelines specifically in relation to computer access and out-of-school visits to potentially risky locations such as railway stations, outdoor activities, water sports areas and coal mines. Also pursuing personal interests in education with study tours to Kansas, USA (2005) and Friedrichshafen, Germany (2008).

* Organising school sports days and inter-school cricket rallies for the last 20 years an array of artifacts from around the world to give children as much hands-on experience as possible, and the whole school collection of vegetable waste for garden composting.

* Reporting to parents on progress of their children to staff on changes in 7 areas of personal subject responsibility and to children on their performance, progress and next steps.

* Management of accounts for Batley Primary Schools Sports Association and Eco Club of a £40000 Government grant to promote residential visits of Books Plus resources for 15 years and of school fund audits to year end.

* Enhancing the school`s profile at sporting events by acting as Primary Link Teacher for the St. John Fisher Sports Partnership and the standing of "lesser" subjects in the curriculum such as geography, history and RE by demonstrating their importance in the weekly timetable.

* Modelling a work ethic for thousands of young children by setting personal examples of self-discipline, honesty,punctuality, resourcefulness and loyalty over 22 years at the same school.

DBS Check: Yes