Josh Dade

BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND
Teachers and parents are, understandably, results focused. They want students to hit their targets. While proficiency in a subject is strongly correlated with final grades, sometimes not enough is done to prepare students for how their knowledge is going to be tested. Exams take on a certain structure and style. Familiarity with this is a significant advantage. I once tutored a student over 20 hours of lessons going through several years' worth of exam papers. I never forget the lightbulb moment he had when he finally saw how similar the question-styles were! Once we had identified the set of problem types, it was about mastering the skills to solve them. It's like learning how to operate different tools in a toolbox. Problem types come in different shapes and sizes, but the same skills are used to solve them every time. My goal is to help students know which tools to apply to any given problem type with confidence.

LEARNING EXAM STRATEGY, NOT JUST THE SUBJECT
Exams are stressful (trust me, I've done a lot of them!), and many students - even the brightest ones - underperform on the day. Maybe they didn't sleep well, or they're anxious, or they simply spend too long on one question and run out of time. It's a horrible feeling to walk out of an exam hall knowing you could have done better. But it doesn't have to be that way. My goal is to help students, whatever their ability, maximise their marks in the exam. I will coach you on time management, dealing with nerves, and navigating your way through an exam paper in the best manner.

LESSONS BUILT AROUND LEARNING STYLE
I respect learning styles and tailor lessons to suit a student's needs. Whether they learn best by seeing, hearing, doing, or reading and writing, I shape sessions to fit the way their brain works. My goal is to help students' newfound knowledge and skill to stick; to be intuitive; to make sense. No two students are the same, so I adapt my approach accordingly. That is the advantage of private tuition over classroom teaching, and I lean right into that.