Tutor HuntSubjectsGeography Tutors

Darren

Not available to contact
Darren
Darren
Tutor
Southampton, Hampshire
Feedback Score:
+5
Member Since: 16/09/2009
Last Login: 4 years ago
Response Rate: no data
Expected Response : no data
Not available to contact

My Qualifications

MA
University of Winchester
Writing for Children
Pass  (2004)
PGCE
University of Southampton
Geography
Pass  (1990)
BSc
Loughborough University
Geography
2:1  (1989)

Verification Status

Tutors ID Verified

Information about Darren

As a student, little came easy for me. I learned the hard way. Now, with over 20 years of teaching experience in a variety of institutions - from Oxbridge entrance to comprehensives on `Special Measures` - I am young enough to remember my struggles and old enough to know better.

I know how to bridge that gap for my tutees.

To make the most of tuition, a tutee must be `on-board`. If it`s their idea - even better. A tutee that is in-charge of their own learning makes an excellent pupil.

As a tutor, I decide what is right for the tutee - not an institution. Parents often want someone who is familiar with the education system but independent enough to give an honest assessment. My main concern is the welfare of the tutee - not just their academic progress - nor the reputation of some teacher or institution.

In the first session I will try to identify what it is the tutee needs, and you may wish to quiz me in more detail. I will need access to school reports and examples of the tutee`s work. Through discussion with my tutee and parental input it should become clear the reason for the tutoring.

From this `snag` list, I will design a bespoke program to meet the educational needs of the tutee. It is flexible and, unlike a classroom situation, I can respond immediately to the needs of the tutee.

Homework will always be set, depending upon the demands placed upon the tutee by the normal school week. The tutee will be far more involved with learning than in a normal school class where they can `hide`, so prospective tutees need to expect plenty of chat and discussion, reviewing work and giving feedback.

For learning to be `on the wing`, to be natural and instinctive, tutees need to work hard without feeling the burden. That`s my part: helping tutees to work hard without realising it.

If at any point I feel unable to help, I won`t just prolong tuition, or if our work has met its aims then I will call a halt. The point of tuition is not to need me anymore, so they can `fly` all by themselves.

I am fully insured for indemnity and public liability.

Availability: As mentioned above, I am moving to Southampton for the new term, so I will be available for tuition in and around Southampton.

I teach the majority of my pupils from 4-8pm but I am invariably available throughout the day as I am a full-time tutor. I am also available during most holiday times.

Please be aware that I do charge for travelling over 30 miles(roundtrip: 15 miles each way):
30-40 mile roundtrip - £5
41-50 mile roundtrip - £10
51-60 mile roundtrip - £15
61-70 mile roundtrip - £20

Willing to travel: 20 miles

Experience: This is my tenth year as a tutor, but I was a secondary school teacher for 19 years before that.

I have experienced many types of academic performance from high-performing grammar schools to comprehensives on special measures. I have held a variety of positions of responsibility within schools, particularly in the pastoral system such as Head of Year. I have been a grade-A examiner for AQA GCSE Geography.

During the last nine years of 11 Plus entrance 16 out of my 28 students have passed. I have also successfully helped one parent and child through the appeals procedure for grammar selection. Three out of five 12+ and 13+ tutees I have taught have passed their exams.

I have taught numerous syllabi: in the last 6 years I have tutored AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC at A level Geography. Indeed, I taught the whole of the A2 Edexcel Geogaphy syllabus online to one a tutee in Moscow: he has now gained a place at Aston University. I have mainly tutored the AQA and Edexcel syllabi for GCSE Maths. It would be fair to say that the overwhelming majority of my A-level tutees experience significant gains and regularly obtain A or B grades.

I offer two types of remote tuition options at the moment:

i/ ONLINE FACE-TO-FACE TUITION: face-to-face on Skype is very good in dealing with syllabus issues and reinforcing and filling in the holes the class teachers leave behind. Face-to-face tuition lends itself well to visual resources such as diagrams, maps and pictures. It is primarily discussion-based and the tutee needs to take notes as we go along. I regularly send tutees files to prepare them for the lesson and to discuss in the lesson. If a tutee comes to face-to-face tuition and expects to be spoon-fed or entertained, it just won’t work. Extra work can be set to test their written understanding. Usually, it is enough to go through topics the student struggles with. Once they ‘click’ with the topic/issue, we move onto other areas. Payment for this type of tuition is a flat fee each week to cover lesson preparation and the lesson itself. The marking of substantial pieces of work outside of lesson time such as essays will incur a modest marking fee.

ii/ CORRESPONDENCE-STYLE WITH UNLIMITED EMAIL SUPPORT: work is set through powerpoints, pdf files and word documents for the student to do on their own in their own time. This should keep the tutee occupied for between 1-3 hours each week, unless more is required. It is then returned to me within the week. I mark it and provide feedback in the form of an audio file (up to 30 mins), talking them through the various issues. Any amounts of email conversations to help the student with this particular piece of work are allowed, after feedback has been given. This is very much an ongoing and open-ended commitment, once work has been set and feedback given, and the student is totally free to contact me with any issues. As a result, the payment structure is open-ended and depends on the amount of time used to prepare resources, mark and give audio feedback. This is added up at the end of each week, and the client is then billed. Follow-up emails and support are not timed but are considered as a ‘free’ part. Generally, this time will be from about 45-90 mins per week. I keep a track of the time minute to minute and endeavour to keep the time used as short as possible while setting about 1-3 hours of work. This is very much a trust system of working. I tailor the work individually to suit the student as opposed to an ordinary correspondence course that just covers syllabus content.

Not available to contact

Availability

 MoTuWeThFrSaSu
Morning
Afternoon
After School
Evening

More Photos (1)

  This user has a total of 1 images, view them all in their Photo Gallery .

Feedback For Darren (5)

We have a total of 5 review(s) for Darren.

Louise (Mrs)
08/08/2016

5/5 Rating

Very punctual and helpful.


Teresa (Mrs)
23/03/2016

4/5 Rating

Darren has been incredibly helpful for my son. He has an excellent knowledge of the Geography A Level curriculum, and having been an examiner is brilliant with helping my son fine-tune exam technique. I would highly recommend him for anyone who needs a little extra help. My son really looks forward to his sessions with him, and I know they are very valuable to him.


Mark (Mr)
17/01/2016

5/5 Rating

Darren`s input certainly raised Jamie by a grade in GCSE Geography. Thank you.


Phil (Mr)
06/10/2014

5/5 Rating

This tutor, following initial contact, consistently gave prompt and clear communication to arrange a preliminary evaluation session: followed by creation of a tailored road-map for agreed subsequent sessions. I am confident that this tutor`s input will provide strong support for my son.


debbie (Dr)
24/10/2013

5/5 Rating

I cannot speak highly enough of Darren. He has had a fantastic impact on my son.

Darren is punctual, conscientious, caring and inspiring and has re-engaged my son with learning.

An absolutely wonderful find!