Jon - Physics tutor - Leicester

One of our best tutors. Quality profile, experience in their field, verified qualifications and a great response time. Jon will be happy to arrange your first Physics lesson.

Jon

One of our best tutors. Quality profile, experience in their field, verified qualifications and a great response time. Jon will be happy to arrange your first Physics lesson.

  • Hourly rate £32
  • Response Time 5h
  • Number of students 50+
Jon - Physics tutor - Leicester
  • 5 (38 reviews)

£32/hr

See Physics tutors

Unfortunately, this tutor is unavailable

  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Science

Experienced and versatile Teacher and Tutor for Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Biology; International Baccalaureate Diploma, UK and international A'levels and GCSE, UK Keystage 3. Non-UK based pupil

Lesson location

Ambassador

One of our best tutors. Quality profile, experience in their field, verified qualifications and a great response time. Jon will be happy to arrange your first Physics lesson.

About Jon

Using Skype I am an online science Teacher and Tutor of many years' experience. I have a passion to teach and assist pupils with their studies in a comprehensive manner to help them achieve the top grades.
Whether you are someone who is struggling with a subject or someone who wants to improve your grades for GCSEs, A'levels, International Baccalaureate (Diploma sciences) or your University place I offer a bespoke tutoring experience.

I hold a bachelor's degree (Upper Second) in Applied Chemistry and a Master of Philosophy research degree in Mechanical Engineering with strong Physics and Biology components. In addition I hold a PGCE and am a qualified teacher registered with the DfE.
I also have an enhanced DBS check, so you can be assured that I am "child safe".
During my career as a teacher I was the author of numerous teaching schemes that were commended by OFSTED.
When teaching A'level Physics I had a 100% success rate in gaining pass grades for my pupils, most at “B” grade or higher.

Following sixteen years as a teacher, rising to the position of Head of Science at my last school, I decided that I wanted to teach pupils more as individuals and became a tutor specialising in GCSE and A'level sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), including international equivalents.
In conjunction with several Guardian services (See "Claire Y"s reference below for example) and over a period of fourteen years up to the present, I tutor overseas pupils here in the U.K., in China and Taiwan.
I have also tutored pupils in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Sudan, Sweden and Thailand; I currently tutor further learners in Azerbaijan and New Zealand.
From this I have a wealth of experience (several hundred hours) with pupils for whom English is not their first language and who thus need extra emphasis and teaching on the correct uses of English and in particular subject-specific technical vocabulary.
Consequently I also work to improve and ensure pupils' spoken and written English where necessary.

My services include tuition for the following subjects:
* Biology (CE, GCSE, IGCSE, IB, AS, A-Level)
* Chemistry (CE, GCSE, IGCSE, IB, AS, A-Level)
* Physics (CE, GCSE, IGCSE, IB, AS, A-Level)
* Science at Keystage 3, 4 and 5 (AS/A) level.
* BTEC science courses.
* GCSE Physical Education (theory).
*International Baccalaureate DiP Environmental Systems and Society.
*Cambridge Engineering admissions assessment (ENGAA) Physics component.
* Bespoke bridging courses to bring overseas pupils up to UK standards.

I am familiar with the syllabi of all the major English and Welsh exam boards; AQA, Edexcel, OCR and EDUQAS / WJEC as well as IGCSE (both CIE and Edexcel) and IB.

Today my tutoring is done via Skype for all pupils. Properly used, Skype allows a “face-to-face” experience even when the pupil lives, quite literally, half a world away.

All my tutoring is customised to meet the needs of the individual pupil as everyone's level, background and ability is different.

My tutoring methods include question and answer, working through questions and problems collaboratively, giving extra and enhanced exercises for more pupil practice and to deepen understanding and, where appropriate, use of personalised presentations to give information to pupils which then provides them with a “personalised text-book” to help them understand aspects of the subject with which they have struggled.

I believe the key to long-term retention and understanding lies in encouraging the pupil to work out a problem for themselves from first principles and engaging them through questions in order to enable them to discover the solution rather than using a “spoon-feeding” approach. In other words I generally prefer Socratic to didactic teaching methods to create a strong foundation from which the pupil may tackle more complicated or previously unseen problems.

I work with my pupils on both subject-specific performance issues and overall academic development. In particular:

Knowledge and Application:
To identify any gaps in knowledge, to enable full understanding of the syllabus material and how to apply that to examination questions including the correct use of technical vocabulary. It is often in the application of knowledge to new situations in exam-style questions where many pupils need help because it is not always something that is taught at school or college.

Study Skills, learning techniques and exam technique.
A focus on developing the ability to learn (and for the pupil to learn how they learn) and thus be successful in all educational areas. Many teachers in schools are already overworked and often do not have the time to teach organisational, time, study and exam skills which are a key part of a successful education.
I can also provide some strategies and techniques for effective learning and the translation of what you learn into the answers for which examiners are looking in your papers.
These skills and habits are very different from mastering subject content and, in my experience, make a huge difference to both progress and confidence.

In summary my aim is to advance pupils in the following areas:
Overall comprehension of the sciences;
Improved confidence in learning;
Enhanced study skills and examination techniques;
Correct use of technical vocabulary and general English structure;
Development as an independent problem-solver;
Effective time-management, planning and organisation;
Improved understanding of strengths and weaknesses, skills, and abilities.

University :
- DeMontfort University (Leicester Polytechic) - Applied Chemistry [Upper second class Honours]
- DeMontfort University (Leicester Polytechic) - M.Phil. Mechanical Engineering [Not Applicable]

Prizes and Scholarships :
Scholarship granted for my M.Phil. studies.

See more

About the lesson

  • Secondary
  • GCSE
  • AS Level
  • +1
  • levels :

    Secondary

    GCSE

    AS Level

    A Level

  • English

All languages in which the lesson is available :

English

My science lessons are now held online over Skype.
A range of methods and techniques are used to ensure that pupils gain the level of knowledge that they require.
Amongst these methods and techniques are:
Presentations to impart factual knowledge (the pupil will receive a copy of these),
Questions and model answers/solution and past exam questions to practice, demonstrate and extend understanding.
Video to exemplify techniques, procedures and processes.
Tutorials to resolve a pupil's current problems with understanding.

See more

Rates

Hourly rate

  • £32

Pack prices

  • 5h: £160
  • 10h: £320

online

  • £32/h

Find out more about Jon

Find out more about Jon

  • When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

    My desire to teach actually goes back to childhood. I said very early on that I wanted to be a teacher (along with being a pilot, a policeman, a fireman etc.) As you can see one of those ambitions was fulfilled.
    A second call to teaching came in my post-graduate studies when I was asked to teach under-graduates practical Physical chemistry and found that I enjoyed it immensely.
    It was at that time that my desire to teach really crystallised and once I had finished an MPhil, instead of converting that to a PhD I choose to undertake a PGCE course, become a qualified teacher and enter secondary education.
    I chose to become a tutor when (sadly) I decided that I had had enough of the pressures on teachers today. So a reduction of income, but an increase in "job satisfaction" and less stress.
  • Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

    I teach several as my profile shows. The main ones are Biology, Chemistry and Physics (along with combined sciences of course) to A'level and international equivalents.
    One thing that always fascinates me is that, despite these being taught as "separate sciences" there is a lot of cross-over between them (something some of my pupils can find a little disconcerting when I apparently "change science" mid lesson).
    I suppose that in terms of favourite topics, it must be Astrophysics / space science; basically because of the pupil 'Wow!' factor. Also, energy, if only because conservation of energy underpins ALL science (along with some other conservation laws of course).
    In Biology I find plants fascinating, they are truly amazing in how they manufacture everything they need from nothing more than carbon dioxide, water, minerals and sunlight.
    In chemistry, I enjoy teaching industrial aspects of the chemistry because it is important for pupils to realise that the chemical industry in vital to our modern lifestyles, producing the vast array of products, materials and other "stuff" that we need.
    What do I like less? The aspects of the subjects that require rote learning - and there are some, so you just have to knuckle down to it, but it is not much fun to teach and less to learn.
  • Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

    My goodness, many! In that respect I was very, very lucky. From a wonderful female music teacher (who was an absolutely terrifying martinet) but who inspired a love of singing (I've lost my voice now and sound like a frog but I was a lead tenor in choir and also Cantored Church services), to several superb teachers in both sciences and humanities I was inspired to both learn in general and in the sciences in particular.
    I hope that in my efforts I can at least begin to repay that debt by inspiring members of another generation.
  • What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

    Subject knowledge is essential - and never be afraid to learn from your pupils either.
    Humour! If you can't laugh when things go wrong - and they will - you are going to be in trouble. And having your pupils cheerful is better than having them unhappy.
    The ability to impart knowledge clearly and concisely - fewer words, more content is better than a lot of words that say little.
    Adaptability. All teachers / tutors have those moments when we realise we've done a "fly-by" and the pupil(s) has/have not understood what we are trying to impart. So an ability to come at problems, concepts, etc. From a variety of angles is key. This is one reason why I always ask A'level (and similar) pupils what other subjects they are taking so I can determine how to "cross-fertilise" what I am tutoring (or teaching) from their other subjects, but I'm not saying it's always possible to make such links.
    Patience is also important, especially when the pupil is struggling to follow.
    Honesty. Both in terms of admitting when you make an error (and we all do!) and in all dealings with both pupils and parents.
    So: Honesty, subject knowledge, humour, adaptability and patience would be some of the key qualities in my opinion. Also I fully subscribe to the Tutors association code of conduct.
  • Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

    A very early one from my school career was when an O-level (yes this goes back to pre-GCSE days!) Physics class of mine was set the problem of measuring the wavelength of a particular colour of light. A couple of pupils got the answer absolutely spot-on. I did not believe them, but on checking through their empirical workings I was forced to concede that they had simply worked with remarkable care and accuracy. That taught me not to ever underestimate the ability of quite young pupils to do really high-quality work.
  • What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

    At my age, there aren't many difficulties left in the subjects I teach in and of themselves, but there is always more to learn. One thing that I do have to check up on from time to time is the differences between A-level syllabi in the same subjects. I teach across a range of UK and international syllabi, which makes keeping all their little wrinkles and peculiarities straight "challenging" at times.
  • Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

    Basically, it is to teach and tutor. I still get a great deal of pleasure out of tutoring.
    Education really is an elite and unique profession (if anyone tells you it is a job, I sincerely hope they are not a teacher) in that we are responsible for imparting a "corpus" of knowledge to the next generation. That knowledge should not merely "fit" them for society but also enable them to develop rational thinking skills for themselves.
  • What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

    Another hard one. "Super" in relation to what or in comparison to whom?
    Frankly, I do not think that is my judgement to make. Instead, I will let the reviews I have received from clients answer that one for me.
--
--

Similar Physics teachers in Leicester

  • Muhammad Noman

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £35/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Akhtar

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £20/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Kelvir

    Leicester & Online

    5 (4 reviews)
    • £45/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Abdullah

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £24/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Guyhana

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £20/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Himesh

    & Online

    New
    • £20/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Saleh

    Leicester & Online

    5 (4 reviews)
    • £28/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Mahnoor

    & Online

    New
    • £20/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Umair

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £6/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Connor

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £40/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • James

    Leicester & Online

    5 (2 reviews)
    • £10/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Jinesh

    Leicester & Online

    5 (4 reviews)
    • £25/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Saira

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £10/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Chancha

    Leicester & Online

    5 (2 reviews)
    • £23/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Vikz

    Leicester & Online

    5 (1 reviews)
    • £35/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Louis

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £10/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Alan

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £13/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Fathima Sajira

    Leicester & Online

    5 (2 reviews)
    • £10/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Jaspreet

    Leicester & Online

    5 (2 reviews)
    • £10/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • Erandika

    Leicester & Online

    New
    • £50/hr
    • 1st lesson free
  • See Physics tutors