Very experienced all ages Maths Tutor with degree in Maths and Computer Science teaches Maths at all levels from KS3 to University.

Find out more about Benito

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

  I chose to pursue a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science because I had a skill for maths and a passion for computer science. Furthermore, I saw the prevalence of Computer Science degrees and I wanted to use my mathematical background to differentiate myself from the competition.
  
  It was during the first year of University that I became a Maths Tutor, I figured that it would be a great way to make some money, I could work from home whilst working in a subject that I was deeply passionate about and help students that were struggling in it to see the beauty of the father of all sciences.

• 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 maths across all ages, specifically, KS3, GCSE, A-Level and University. There aren't any particular topics that I like to teach, I'm a very algorithmic thinker and I enjoy the process of each topic of maths. I find it really satisfying to look at a problem that I would have no idea how to solve and then begin to solve it step by step until I've solved the problem!

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  There were never any particular role models that inspired me to become a maths tutor, I did it because I enjoy the subject and feel as if it is really important and as such, became a maths tutor.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  Tutoring is all about communication. It doesn't matter how well you know your subject if you can't properly communicate to someone. Knowing your subject goes a very long way in being able to communicate with your student but your communication skills are important none the less. Finally, be able to listen and adapt to your student is very important. Each student is different and you need to be able to adapt your style according to their needs. To summarise the qualities, you need to/be able to: know your subject, explain that subject, listen to the student's response, adapt accordingly.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  One of the great things that I've taken from tutoring is how easy it is to make a silly mistake that costs you marks. As a student, I was always gifted when it came to maths and I had a habit of jumping straight into the question, which often times worked out for me but I would often loose very easy marks due to this recklessness. It was only when I became a maths tutoring and I started seeing students make those same mistakes that I did, and I had coursework that counted towards my degree that I finally started to apricate taking my time with the question and using all the available information that was available to me.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  My main issue with Maths is the theory side of things and from that statistics. I did a degree in Maths and Computer Science because I was good with numbers, not because I was good at writing long wordy answers to theory based questions. If I was good with words, I would do a degree in English! However, as my exams approach (at the time of writing this) I have come to remedy this issue by taking some of my own time to understand the meaning behind the theory. This struggle of wordy questions is why I don't like statistics, as I often find myself struggling with interpreting the results of a question which is what a lot of statistics is about.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  My passion is with Computer Science, specifically programming. My plan has always been to use my understanding of maths to help me become a Software Engineer.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  I am an experienced maths tutor who has worked with a wide variety of students from all ages and backgrounds. I've had GCSE students who were at a 1 and struggling to get a 4, A-Level students who were at an A and wanted an A* and University students who haven't done maths in ages and need some help in improving their understanding for their degree.