A bit about Alex B

Hi! I'm Alex, a second year natural scientist at the University of Cambridge. I've been interested in Science ever since I was very young, always having a proclivity for the subject both in and out of school. I'm fascinated by methods in which we can explain fundamental processes, like chemical reactions, using scientific reasoning. As a natural scientist, I have a very broad scope of interest within chemistry and maths. My interests lie in everything from quantum mechanics, and it's description of bonding in molecules, to pharmacology, and it's applications in treating cancer, and other diseases which threaten the modern world. I start by laying out the objective of the lesson, and covering any relevant theory so that the student has a sound foundational knowledge to work from, I then fill the lesson with guided problem solving, to help train students on how to approach different problems. I began tutoring in sixth form, for a scheme tutoring my peers in A-Level Chemistry. From there, I have tutored maths to several GCSE students in the build up to exams last year - all of whom said that my style of teaching was more intuitive than the 'one size fits all' teaching in their lessons at school. I love revisiting, and appreciating, the fundamentals of my subject because it reminds me of the period in my life, and the content I was taught, when I fell in love with my subject. My teaching style relies on building solid theoretical foundations through intuitive diagrams and animations, and then applying the knowledge built to practising problems, before moving onto exam style questions. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a tutor is witnessing the moment when a student grasps a challenging concept or successfully applies a new skill. This "aha" moment can be incredibly fulfilling, as we play a crucial role in facilitating the learning process. My philosophy is that teaching should be accessible, engaging and meaningful. This means that, instead of taking the 'one size fits all' approach adopted by schools, I learn how my tutee learns best, and I apply this to attain maximum results. I've been told by students that I'm warm and engaging, instead of someone who just reads from a textbook. Actually being engaging is imperative to being a successful tutor, as students need to not be switched off by my talking to grasp the concepts I'm trying to explain. During my A-Levels, I was tutoring a student who was on track to fail A-Level chemistry, but my being there to build solid intuitive foundations was one of the contributing factors that lead her to pass the subject. 10 GCSEs (oe), including: Mathematics (Grade 9), Combined Science (9-9), English Literature (9), English Language (9). A-Levels: Mathematics (A*), Further Mathematics (A*), Biology (A*), Chemistry (A*) Coming from a working class background and making it to Cambridge, I firmly believe that education can open so many doors. We're lucky to have amazing career infrastructure in this country, and as a tutor, I can help students attain the qualifications necessary to navigate it. Aside from teaching, and academia, I enjoy reading, cooking, and going to the gym. I teach AQA and Edexcel to students of Year 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 age. However, I am flexible on this, so get in touch to find out what I can do for you!