Jonathan

In my twenty-eight-year school teaching career, I had the privilege to work in and lead some amazing schools in the UK and overseas. My most enjoyable school moments were those when my students gained new insight into the way the world works. In my experience, inquiry-based learning gives students the best foundations for intellectual development but also firmly believe that education is not just about gaining knowledge and insight but about developing skills, potential and responsibility for self and others. Twenty-eight years of teaching science and physics in schools gave me an in-depth understanding of the best ways to encourage students with diverse learning styles to learn through lab work, rigorous problem-solving and asking questions in the right way. I have also developed an ability to explain things in a clear, illuminating and coherent way. The reward for me is that many of my students enjoyed the learning experience I provided for them and have experienced great success in formal examinations. Many, over the years, have been inspired to study physics or engineering at university and I have helped many students in the necessary preparation for elite university entrance. I have been tutoring students one-on-one and in groups for the last twelve years; I very much enjoy being able to give students the individual attention they need to accelerate their learning. I have an EAL qualification and have an interest in the way language development can be applied in a science lesson context. I make my lessons engaging by using a variety of activities including the use of simulated experiments and video, but I also encourage my students to be interactive and to contribute. I encourage my students to ask questions – in an inquiry-based learning environment, it is the questions that are asked rather than the answers that are often the most important. I have a detailed knowledge of many examination systems including GCSE, IGCSE, A level and the IB Diploma and use this knowledge to help my students with exam preparation and practice. I am an examiner for the IB in physics and this has given me a fantastic insight into how exam questions can best be answered.