Peter Bray

My teaching methods are quite simple. I don’t expect perfection first time, but I do expect improvement each time.

I have been blessed with the gift of patience and I will take as long as it takes to get results. I am a taskmaster, but jovial with it. I like to break things down into bite size pieces that one can understand. I am also quite creative with exercises and ideas. If a method isn’t working, then try something else.

Much of my experience teaching comes from working in the Pupil Referral Unit in a school. If anyone is familiar with the ready to learn system, a bit harsh at times, but sadly it is needed. I worked in the unit that dealt with challenging students who were almost always in there for one reason or another. I also understand the ideological issues in the education system that causes the students to drop out of class, and the social issues that students may have.

One instance, I was working with some GCSE students on their history, and it covered the Cold War. Being a bit of defence and history wonk, having served for 12 years, I wasn’t exactly impressed with the syllabus. In the words of the great Sir Geoffrey Boycott - “rubbish”. Instead I gathered the lads around the map of the world on the wall and did an impromptu off the cuff session on Deterrence Theory with Nuclear Weapons and Naval Strategy.

My final thought is I like to encourage free thinking. I like students to work things out for themselves. I won’t necessarily always tell them, but will ask questions.