FAQs

How many sessions will you need?

The answer depends on what you want to gain from our sessions.  If you are struggling with a particular topic (e.g. Probability), we could cover this in just a few sessions.  If this works for you, it works for me.

There is no minimum number of sessions.  Most students work with me once a week during term time and choose different patterns during school holidays and vacations.

How long is a session?

A session is 60 minutes. 

What does a session typically involve?

A typical session would begin with us spending a few minutes talking about what you have been up to and how you are doing.  With younger students, I always begin with parents in the session, too.  It’s important to me to know how you are doing, so we are ready to learn.

Then we move on to the Maths!  We will review what we covered in the previous session (Did it make sense? Have you used it in class? etc) and then set out the focus for the current session.

We might start with questions that you have found hard at school and then move into unpicking the links and the logic within these.  I will coach you through different steps and processes, making sure that you can see the picture and follow the logic.

We would then work through examples, with you doing more and more of the thinking.  I would then give you some topic questions to talk through with me, so we make sure we are taking the three-step approach - RTQ, UTQ, ATQ.

Once we have nailed the focus for the session, I might set a few more focus questions for you to look at after the session.  We then look at what is coming up and work on some pre-learning - pre-learning is just another way of saying we get you ahead in the game!

To wrap up the session, we will look at the focus together and update our Tracker (the Tracker is the document we both use to see what you have covered with your recall and your confidence), alongside your aims.

What times can we meet?

I can be flexible in my schedule, so we can find times to suit you and your family  - wherever you are in the world!

How much does it cost?

The charges vary depending on how many sessions are booked.  If blocks of sessions are booked, the cost per session reduces (10 sessions or more have a 10% saving).  Where sessions are block-booked, they can be split between siblings.

How many students can attend a session?

Usually one, but...

The most important benefit of my approach to coaching is that I get to know each student’s abilities at a forensic level.  However, I am happy to work with two students in the same meeting, as long as the students, their parents and I feel that it is working.

It is usually better for the students to be in the same place and to be sharing the same screen for the meeting, but we can work around this.

Why do you need to complete the GL survey form?

The GL survey form helps me to understand where we are starting from in terms of your thinking about Maths.  In many ways, how you feel about Maths is even more important than your knowledge of the subject.

Do I only tutor online?

Yes.  I work with students across the globe - being online enables this to happen.

What hardware and software do you need?

You need a laptop with a camera, microphone and speakers.  You also need good internet connectivity.  Ideally, you might also have a tablet that you can work on in our meetings as well.

I use Google as my main platform.  Each student has their own Google Classroom.  The student, their parents and myself have access to this for uploading activities, sending messages, etc.

Can you record our online sessions?

Yes.  I encourage my students to record the sessions so that they can review the content.  However, parental agreement needs to be in place for this to happen, and the sessions are not to be published elsewhere.

How do I support you in between sessions?

Our Google Classroom is ideal for this.  For example, if you have a Maths question that just does not make sense, if you are able to take a picture of it and upload it to our GC (Google Classroom) I will be able to have a look at it and help you out.

Do I set homework?

The students I work with are usually busy, busy, busy! And they often already have homework that has been set by their schools.  

If more work from me is helpful and wanted, then we can discuss this.  But sometimes more is not always better.

As your coach, I will not do your homework for you.  But I will ensure you become more confident and capable.

What age are the youngest students you work with?

The youngest students I work with online are seven-year-olds.  

The oldest ones are almost as old as me!

Do you coach for GCSE and IGCSE?

Yes and all stages from the start of Year 2/Grade 1.

How do we track your progress?

When we start working together, we agree on your aims and targets.  At the start and end of each session, we review the progress that we are making.  As we make progress, we mark off and celebrate your achievements and, if new targets arise, we add these to the tracker.  The tracker is in the Google Classroom.

Which curricula do I teach?

If the curriculum is taught in English, we can cover it!

What are your qualifications?

I graduated from the University of Southampton with a BSc in Economics.  I gained a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) from the University of Loughborough.  Some years later, I also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Mathematical Education from the  University of Cambridge.

You can read more about me on the About Me page.

What if you are not making progress?

This is a really important question.  Often, the biggest challenge for the students I work with is confidence.  But to feel confident in Maths depends on many other factors:  

These things require time, as well as coaching.

If we believe that we are not able to make progress, I undertake to refund 80% of the cost paid for sessions up to a maximum of ten sessions. 

How do I keep parents updated?

I encourage parents to be as involved as possible.  Therefore, parents have access to their child’s Google Classroom, as well as the student. 

For younger students, I ask that parents are on hand throughout the session, as well as being involved in the conversations at the start and the end of the session.

Older students are often keen to have more independence.  However, I encourage parents to join either the start or the end of a session, so they have a good insight into the work we are doing.

What Safeguarding and Child Protection measures are in place?

The safety, wellbeing and protection of children and young adults online is central to how I work.  You can find out more here.


Do you coach other subjects, as well as Maths?

Not at the moment.  While I am qualified to teach several subjects, the area where I believe I can make the most difference and add the greatest value is in my approach to coaching Maths. 

 Contact me: adam@gibsonlearning.com