Ferndale Mandarin Tutors and Ferndale Mandarin Tuition

Personal Description:
'Talented', 'inspiring', 'fun', 'a wealth of knowledge'...Majority of people enjoyed my lessons and fell in love with Chinese language. I am a smart Mandarin video creator and have composed 9 Mandarin learning books.

I have been teaching and training since 2009 and gained excellent testimonials. I have taught and trained over a thousand people from all backgrounds, including Defence Academy of UK, BP Technology Centre, Logicalis, The Said Business School, The European School at Culham and much more.

My specialisation in the teaching of Mandarin is designing structured and logical material and various activities in order to make learning enjoyable and achievable. I have developed inspiring and motivational teaching strategies. Some learners could be able to grasp Mandarin skills in 30 hours.

I enjoy teaching all levels, including GCSE, A Level, IB, university level and business Chinese.

I have good communication, organisation, planning and management skills with a sense of humour.

Thank you and enjoy learning Mandarin.

Teaching Experience:
Career Summary

June 2011 to present
Managing Director at MOLAES (Modern Oriental Language, Academic and Enterprise Services)
Clients including BP, Logicalis, P2i, Academy of Defence of UK, LPA Channel Electric, Said Business School, The
Taylor & Francis Group, European School at Culham, St. Hugh's Prep School and St Edward School in Oxford etc.

February 2012 to Present
Part-time Mandarin Teacher The Downe House

February 2011 to August 2011
Temporary Part-time Mandarin Teacher St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury

September 2009 to present
Permanent Part time Language Tutor Oxfordshire Adult Learning, Oxfordshire

February 2010 to Present
Contract Part-time Mandarin Tutor St. George International Foreign Languages
Directors Languages, Buckinghamshire
Professional Language Solutions
Simon & Simon Language School

I have been delivering Mandarin course to all levels and ages. My specialisation is designing
structured and logical material and wide ranges of activities to making learning enjoyable and achievable.

Each of my courses is tailored to needs of the students, beginning with developing their Individual Learning Plan and defining their Personal Learning Style. I also encourage my student to provide feedback and assessment of each lesson so that I can monitor my teaching style as I am always looking for ways to improve.

My goal is always to deliver teaching in a style which engages my students and makes learning interesting and fun.

Tutoring Approach:
Various approaches to meet the different learning styles.

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Personal Description:
I am a professional , competent qualified Chinese teacher who has 20 years of invaluable experience, And I am able to effectively communicate with students of all ages and abilities .

Teaching Experience:
I am currently a Mandarin teacher in a university , teaching university students and adult learners .I have experience teaching students in primary schools and secondary schools.

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons depend on the individual needs of the students whether it is for preparation for an exam , for tourists ,for business travellers or for those wanting to learn for their pleasure .
My tutoring covers pronunciation ,conversations,grammar, reading, culture and simplified Chinese character writing.
I can teach at my own house or that of the students.

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Personal Description:
Hello, I am Suzy. I was born in Shanghai and educated at Shanghai Teachers University. I have lived in the UK since 2001.

I specialise in Mandarin Chinese at GCSE and A level. Since 2012, I have taught both Edexcel and AQA exam boards pat private schools and Oxford Sixth Form College. All of my students have achieved Grade 9 at GCSE and Grade A at A level.

I have over 25 years of experience teaching Mandarin to both adults and children.

A few points you should know about me:

• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Flexible with time allocation for learners
• Able to put learners at ease and help them enjoy the learning process

I hold three enhanced DBS certificates and have completed child protection training, safeguarding adults awareness training, and a diversity in the workplace course.

Teaching Experience:
Over 25 years of experience teaching Mandarin Chinese to both children and adults.
• Teaching British diplomats
• Teaching Edexcel, AQA GCSE and A Level Chinese at private schools
• Teaching private students business Chinese from global companies on a one-to-one basis

Tutoring Approach:
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Flexible with time allocation for learners
• Able to put learners at ease and help them enjoy the learning process
• Skilled at challenging students to take responsibility, reach their potential, stay motivated, and develop knowledge, skills, and understanding
• Provides caring, dedicated, enthusiastic, and expert teaching
• Able to identify each individual's strengths, achievements, and current learning situation

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Personal Description:
I am Pearl and I love teaching Mandarin. My students enjoy my versatile teaching methods too.

I have teaching experience from beginners to GCSE, A level and IB level. My students all got first round very excellent exam results most of them got A grade.

The students enjoy coming to my home to learn and I have lots of visual aids to assist them in learning. I love to teach Chinese culture and share my cooking, calligraphy and chess etc experience with learners too.

Also, I taught in international schools before and as Mandarin teacher and head of Department.

I also taught in Bolton school recently.
I have been an Edexcel examiner too and I am very familiar with the Chinese syllabus and exam contents.

I am capable to deliver Chinese A level exam contents.
I do online teaching only.

Teaching Experience:
I have over twenty years professional teaching experience in Mandarin. I am professionally qualified and I have a Master Degree in Education and PGDE too.

Tutoring Approach:
Interactive, versatile, professional and spiral approach.
Fun, creative, practical and enriching in cultural experience too.

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Personal Description:
I am a Malaysian who can speak English, Chinese, Cantonese and Malay Language. I have completed my undergraduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition before working as a home tutor for 1 year. Currently, I study Msc in Nutritional Science at University of Nottingham.

Teaching Experience:
1 year teaching experience starting from Sept 2015 to Sept 2016 where I used to teach Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Mandarin.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a friendly tutor and patient in teaching. I guide my student patiently and slowly if they find it hard to understand the topic.

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Personal Description:
Qualification:(ICA)International Certificate Of Accreditation In Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language.
I am kind and patient person. I love children and I have passion to teach people Chinese ( Mandarin). Native speak mandarin; excellent written and verbal; Always encourage and always find new way to help children or adults to quickly understand and grasp the Chinese meaning.

I live in UK for more than 13 years, I have family and 2 children.

Teaching Experience:
so far, I work at Milton Keynes Chinese School and private lesson. Also I have many years of experience at school in China, teaching students privately and in school classes ranging from beginner to upper-intermediate/advanced. Experience of working with young children of different cultural backgrounds and designing lessons to suit individual needs. I completed the International Mandarin Teaching qualifications.

Tutoring Approach:
For one on one lesson or online
Age :3 years old - adult
Level: Beginner-Senior

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Personal Description:
I am British, and living in Hampshire. I am a qualified secondary school teacher in the UK (QTS, PGCE), and have taught Mandarin Chinese full-time in both the state and private sectors in the UK, at two schools leading the country in their Mandarin provision. I have passed the highest level exams in Mandarin Chinese (HSK level 6, and Advanced Speaking HSKK), and have lived in China for six years. I have just completed a Master's degree in the field of applied linguistics.

My Education background is as follows.

2016-2017: University of Southampton
- MA English Language Teaching.
- Specialism in motivation in online learning.
- Distinction level pass anticipated. To receive certificate in November 2017.

2014-2015: CfBT; University of Hull
- QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), with PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education).

2002 - 2005: University of Durham
- First class honours degree: Politics BA.

1992 - 2002: Portsmouth Grammar School
- A levels: French A, Spanish A, Politics A, History A,
- GCSEs: 6 A*s. 3 As.

Teaching Experience:
2017 - 2020: LSI Portsmouth English Teacher
- Taught Exam preparation courses (IELTS, CPE) to foreign students.

2015 - 2016: Whitgift School Mandarin Teacher.
- Taught Mandarin and French to secondary school students aged 11 to 15 at one of the top schools in the UK.
- Offered a permanent contract at the school.

2014 - 2015: Bohunt School Trainee Mandarin Teacher (School Direct Salaried).
- Learned from Outstanding teacher at 2014 TES School Awards Overall
School of the Year.
- Taught Mandarin and French to secondary school students aged 11 to 13.

2010 - 2014: Guilin University of Electronic Technology (Guilin, China). TEFL English Teacher.
- Taught English to Undergraduate students majoring in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language.
- Prepared students for the IELTS examination.

2008 - 2010: Caterpillar Inc (UK). Purchasing Specialist (Graduate Trainee)

2007 - 2008: New Dynamic Institute (Chengdu, China). TEFL English teacher.
- Taught small groups of professionals in middle and senior management, both conversational and Business English, in an English training school.

2005 - 2007: Thames School of Languages (Huizhou, China). TEFL English Teacher.
- Taught primary and secondary school students aged 4 to 18 in an English training school.

Tutoring Approach:
My approach to tutoring is based on my own experience and academic research in the field of second language learning.

- I aim to foster and maintain motivation, through relating all topics directly to my students' everyday lives, experiences and opinions; and through providing instruction which is tailored to students' requirements.
- I aim to make my students feel comfortable through helping them to feel relaxed and providing as much linguistic support as is needed.
- I aim to increase my students' linguistic knowledge through using resources which are at a level just slightly beyond the student's current level, so that they are comfortable, but challenged.
- I am to promote skills development through developing comprehension skills (reading and listening), but also productive skills (speaking and writing).

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Personal Description:
Graduated in Trinity College LTCL in Violin (Masters). Currently active member of The University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Manchester String Orchestra. Joined the Aberystwyth Philomusica and Aberystwyth Wind Band for more than 3 years. Over 10 years of music experiences. Have been learning, practising and expertising in music all my life. More like an exchange in music between music lovers rather than boring lessons. Provide violin, pop vocal, piano, basic saxophone and recorder tuition.

Teaching Experience:
Orchestra & Wind Band, Violin Music Tutor

Organization: The University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra ,Manchester String Orchestra, Aberystwyth Philomusica,
Nature of Work: First Violinist

Organization: Aberystwyth University Wind Band
Nature of work: Saxophonist

Nature of work: Private Music Tutor
Employment type: Self-employed
Dates: Ongoing

Tutoring Approach:
Introducing the easiest way to grasp the basic music skills in just a few lessons, in focus of performance-level, advanced pop and classical violin, pop singing, classical piano, basic saxophone and recorder.

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Personal Description:
I currently work in a school in Shropshire. I have full DBS checks and work with children regularly

Teaching Experience:
I have recently started to teach Mandarin to children. I have also taught EAL for many years.

Tutoring Approach:
The key to Mandarin is mastering the tones at an early stage and this has always been my approach to learning.

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Personal Description:
I graduated from university in China with a major in Journalism. I worked for more than five years at provincial and municipal television stations in China as a presenter, and I obtained certification in the National Putonghua Proficiency Test. In order to further enhance my skills, I pursued a Master's degree in International Business at a university in the UK, which I successfully completed. From the above, it can be seen that my proficiency in Chinese comes from my background in Journalism, while my international perspective is derived from studying International Business at the Master's level.

I am a loving, patient teacher with a strong sense of responsibility and I truly love Chinese language teaching.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching Chinese for nearly 10 years, and during this time I also founded my own Chinese school, offering courses from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels. The main exams I prepare students for include YCT1-4, HSK1-6, GCSE Chinese, A-LEVEL Chinese, Business Chinese (from beginner to advanced), and more. My students have achieved outstanding results: a 100% pass rate for YCT1-4 with average scores above 90, GCSE Chinese students scoring 8 A+ or above, National 5 Mandarin students receiving A grades, A-LEVEL Chinese students achieving 8 A+ or above, and a recent student scored 260 out of 300 on the HSK4 Exam.

I can help students of any Chinese proficiency level reach their desired goals. I am a very kind and patient teacher with a high sense of responsibility. With the rapid development of internet technology and to save time and convenience, many students prefer to learn online. Would you like to learn Chinese online? Would you like me to teach you Chinese?

Tutoring Approach:
My Chinese teaching method primarily involves using both English and Chinese simultaneously. For beginner students, English is used more frequently than Chinese. However, as teaching progresses and students' proficiency in Chinese improves, Chinese gradually becomes the dominant language. Of course, the use of both languages varies randomly and is never fixed.

In classroom, I practice different teaching methods e.g. entertaining and interactive lectures and follow through induction, these effectively stimulate students' interest and enthusiasm in learning Chinese.

Furthermore, individualized instruction is the primary teaching method I employ in Chinese language teaching. Different students have different comprehension abilities, which requires teachers to continuously adapt to their students. I am a caring and patient teacher, but I also maintain a certain level of strictness. In my teaching, I promptly provide assistance and corrections tailored to students' specific challenges, allowing them to progress more effectively.

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Personal Description:
I have studied Mandarin Chinese for past four years at university, including one year spent living in Hangzhou, China, and have continued studying in my freetime over the past year since graduating. I have recently decided to continue my education, and have been accepted at SOAS University in London.

Teaching Experience:
During my undergraduate degree I would help classmates to grasp a better understanding of Chinese grammar after class, particularly with features such as BA and BEI structures.

During my year abroad in Hangzhou, China, I briefly tutored children at a school called English Alive, which focused on children from 2-11 years old.

As well as tutoring children, I would often tutor other students who were learning English and Chinese at the same time, and help them with proof reading and spell checking.

At the beginning of 2019 I began tutoring outside of university. One student was a Chinese lady learning English, and the other was an English lady undertaking a Chinese course on the Open University. I can proudly say that both have improved, and on the official course my student earned a 1st.

Tutoring Approach:
My classes will be entirely focused on the needs, goals and capabilities of the student. Before lessons start, I like to correspond with my students to know exactly what they want without using the paid-for lesson time. The main factors I would want to determine would be the number of classes per week, the skillset priorities (speaking and listening, reading and writing, or all equally), and to what level my students would hope to study.

I would provide the textbooks and have plenty of resources to recommend to my students for further study.

My classes are usually an hour long. We tend to start with reviewing the previous lesson's key points and homework, before moving onto vocabulary development, often with flashcards. We then move onto grammar, where two-three grammar points are introduced depending on the level of difficulty. We then review a passage written in Chinese characters, pinyin, and English; any unfamiliar words are highlighted and noted, and the learned grammar points are explained thoroughly in the context of the story/passage. We then practice reading and pronounciation by reading out the passage.
At the end of the lesson we have listening practice in the form of funny, relevant videos spoken in slow, clearly spoken Chinese.

The unfamiliar characters are listed, and given to the student for homework, which is usually something along the lines of "create a sentence using each word. One unfamiliar word per sentence."

Games are included, as are movies, tv shows, cartoons, etc.

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Personal Description:
I am very passionate about languages and cultures. I am fluent in both Mandarin and English and have been teaching Mandarin for the last 10 years. My other big passions are travelling and learning all sorts of things new. I am looking forward to sharing my love of the Chinese language with you.

Teaching Experience:
I cover all four elements of language teaching syllabus, including listening, speaking, reading and writing.

I am keen to figure out why students learn Mandarin and how they learn as a person. Based on their individual goals and their learning styles, I will come up with customized study plans for them to follow in order to achieve their goals.

Tutoring Approach:
I am very passionate about helping students discover their own ways of learning and developing their own techniques. I believe in consistency in learning. A little bit everyday is proven effective in the long term for both academic and language learnings.

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Personal Description:
I am a native Chinese speaker who grew up in a Traditional Chinese environment in Taiwan. I've also studied art, lived and worked in the UK for the last 4 years. Therefore, I have a sufficient understanding of both languages and I've been teaching Chinese to adults and kids for more than 3 years. 

I enjoy helping people express themselves through Chinese, and making the learning process delightful and practical. I also have multiple interests including drawing, yoga, planting, swimming, reading, dancing, going to exhibitions and going camping. I am happy to share things I know with you and learn from your interests. 

Teaching Experience:
In the last three years, I've helped students with different needs, backgrounds,  ages, and different Chinese levels. For example, helping a total beginner to build up a basic knowledge of Chinese, helping intermediates to have daily conversations, and helping the advanced learners to speak precisely in daily and business contexts. 

I can teach in the pin yin or Zhuyin system according to students' needs, and both traditional and simplified Chinese. My previous experiences include preparing a family(aged 6 and aged 35) to move to Chinese speaking country, introducing Chinese to teenagers who are interested in Chinese culture and history, and helping people who want to work bilingually in English and Chinese, as well as support people who had learned Chinese long time ago to pick it up again. 

I am passionate about teaching the Chinese language and culture, and I enjoy seeing my students' joy in achieving and improving.

Tutoring Approach:
We will design the course content together based on your interests, needs, and abilities, and develop it according to your goals. The course can be in full Chinese or half Chinese and half English. 


For beginners, I usually start with building up vocabularies, recognising characters, and speaking, then move on to sentence structures and grammar. I encourage my students to speak and communicate confidently even if it's not perfect, and we will correct the word order and grammar from the conversations. 


I enrich the courses with props, books, games, and videos for students of different ages. My approach is to create an enjoyable and relaxed space for you to speak Chinese and learn from mistakes. I will help you cultivate your confidence with my patient and friendly guidance.

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Personal Description:
I'm passionate about teaching languages and admittedly spend far too much time preparing lessons or so I'm told at home! My greatest motivation comes from the sense of achievement when my students are able to express themselves more in their target language.

I'm a qualified teacher from Hong Kong with 15 years of experience in teaching Mandarin and English, and I have met the professional requirements for language teachers in both subjects.

I studied Linguistics in university, and achieved a score of 90.7 in the Putonghua Proficiency Test. I understanding challenges my students may face when learning a second language, and I am confident in teaching Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) using English as medium of instruction.

Tell me your expectations and let me tailor lesson plans and teaching materials just for you.

Teaching Experience:
- 3 year experience in online teaching (Mandarin, Cantonese and English), and
- invigilating GCSE Chinese (Speaking)
- 15 year full time teaching (Mandarin and English) in secondary schools in Hong Kong, confident in online teaching, thanks to covid!

Tutoring Approach:
Congratulations to my student who is able to give a short presentation in Cantonese and write a paragraph of over 70 characters! I'm so proud of her:)

My 11 year old student also learnt to tell her favourite story, Finding Nemo, in Mandarin while preparing for the musical at school. We both enjoyed talking about the characters and writing the story together. It was so much of fun!

Tell me your learning goals, and I'll tailor lesson plans and teaching materials just for you.

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Personal Description:
I specialise in helping students achieve Grades 8-9 in GCSE Chinese through structured, exam-focused training.

TCSOL-qualified Mandarin teacher with over 20 years of experience, specialising in GCSE, IGCSE and A-Level exam preparation. I am also a certified HSK examiner and GCSE Speaking Examiner, with a clear understanding of exam requirements and marking criteria.

Teaching Experience:
Many of my students have achieved strong GCSE results, including those who initially struggled or lacked confidence.

I have developed a structured GCSE Chinese programme, supported by my own teaching materials, to help students improve efficiently and master key exam skills.

I focus on delivering targeted, high-impact teaching, while maintaining a supportive and engaging learning environment where students are challenged but not overwhelmed.

Alongside 1:1 tuition, I run multiple local GCSE Chinese group classes, allowing me to identify patterns in student performance and deliver highly targeted, exam-focused teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are fully personalised and focused on achieving measurable results.

For exam preparation (GCSE / IGCSE / A-Level, including AQA, Edexcel and Cambridge IGCSE), lessons focus on:
- Speaking fluency and exam performance
- Writing structure and accuracy based on mark schemes
- Listening skills and exam techniques
- Targeted improvement on weak areas

Lessons are designed to be effective and focused, using proven teaching methods to maximise progress.

After each lesson, students receive targeted homework and lesson notes to reinforce learning and support independent revision.

️️ Limited availability - most students stay long-term.

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Personal Description:
Hello! I'm Dongni. UK Global Talent Visa holder for children's book authorship and illustration. Award- winning, four-time monograph published, children's picture book author and illustrator.

Teaching Experience:
I taught Chinese for both children and adults in an aritist way.
In the past 5 years:
I ran art workshops in both China and UK.
I designed art course for both adults and children.

Tutoring Approach:
I love helping students to achieve what they want in an relaxing way. So let me know what is your purpose to learn Chinese. I will make a personalized plan for you!
INTO: Art, live music, sport (swimming, Pilates, Yoga, hiking, playing basketball), museum, gallery, cooking, etc
These can be our topics in class.
Bonus:
If you choose me, you will get opportunities to read my books.
If you are into art, after language class, we can sketch together and you will get an extra art tutorial.
If you like cooking, I can share my secret Chinese recipes.

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Personal Description:
I am graduated from the University of Stirling with a Master's degree in Finance. With over a decade of experience, I have been dedicated to teaching A-Level and GCSE Chinese at a private school. My approach to tutoring is highly effective。

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching A-Level and GCSE Chinese at a private school for over 10 years. I I have successfully guided numerous students through A-Level and GCSE Chinese courses. Many of my students have achieved outstanding results under my guidance, including a remarkable 90% of students who attained an A grade in A-Level Chinese in 2023.

Tutoring Approach:
During the initial session, I work closely with the student to set clear objectives based on their individual needs. My teaching methodology involves designing tailored assignments that draw from a range of subjects and past papers. This approach not only enhances comprehension but also equips students with the skills to apply their knowledge effectively.

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Personal Description:
I am a former teacher at a GCSE and Sixth Form college in west London. I currently work in the E-learning industry. I also have my own podcast about education, Education Bookcast. I cover a book a week about education research, for the benefit of teachers, parents, and anybody who takes an interest.

I am a Chemical Engineering graduate from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Teaching Experience:
I have worked as a tutor for 7 years in total. My students vary from 11+ to Key stage 3 to GCSE to A-level as well as university level students. I have taught over 70 students one-on-one so far, as well as many more in school and in private courses for examinations such as STEP, usually for several months at a time.

Here are some of the things that my students have said about me:

"Stas is an excellent tutor, I am studying Mechanical Engineering and his knowledge of Maths, Mechanics and Thermo Dynamics is extensive. He explained things in a clear and precise way and was always well prepared for the sessions. He was also punctual and reliable; it was a pleasure to learn from him."
Jack, Liverpool University

"I am currently studying Chemical Engineering, and Stas tutored me for Process Engineering, his teaching was nothing but the best, i understood the course in no time. He explains everything from the basics, something i wanted. Honestly, I will recommend him any day! He is a brilliant tutor."
Zahra, Manchester University

"Stas is an enthusiastic and patient Maths tutor. He has provided me with some very good examples, and has been a great help."
Jim, Manchester Metropolitan University, MA Bioinformatics

"Stas is a great tutor. I feel much more confident with Maths now then I did when we first started. It is evident in my grades that Stas has helped me improve in Maths. He is very good at explaining the material that I don't understand; he uses different scenarios to help explain them which enables me to apply Maths to real life situations. I enjoyed our tuition sessions, as Stas made Maths fun!"
Sehr, Manchester, AS Maths

"My son, Alex was having problem with Biology, so far he had only few lessons with Stas but there's been a huge improvement in his grade already. We have been so impressed with Stas's teaching techniques, that we are taking on extra lessons in Maths and Physics with Stas. Stas is the most genuine teacher I've come across, there is no nonsense with him. I can see that Stas truly enjoys teaching and more importantly my son finds learning from Stas is so enjoyable."
Mel, Cheshire

"Stas has tutored me in Maths, Chemistry and Physics at GCSE level. He is very clear and explains things well. He is also very patient, will listen and when I don't understand will try to explain things in a different way. He has been very supportive throughout my exams and has helped me to feel more confident about them. We went through all of the difficult things I struggled with, so that I had a better understanding of them.
I got A*'s in all the subjects he tutored me. He is helping me with A levels now."
Kaija, London

"This has been our first experience of using a tutor and it has been very good, thanks to Stas. Not only is he very reliable, but my son has enjoyed the sessions and learnt a great deal in terms of problem solving with his maths, Further Maths and Physics. Stas has also been able to help with some more complex Chemistry work. So far, they have worked through the more challenging sections of the Further Maths syllabus and past papers. Most importantly, my son finds their sessions extremely useful and Stas inspirational to work with."
Tamlyn, London

"Stas is extremely easy to get on with, always polite and extremely patient with me.
He maintains a constant positive approach and encourages me dutifully regardless of how badly I perform.
He helps me keep track of how I am improving so that I can watch my progress based on timely reviews of what we have achieved.
Stas is a fantastic guy and a terrific teacher. Based on my experiences I would certainly be able to recommend him to anyone.
Overall Rating (10/10)"
Joe, London

Tutoring Approach:
It is easy to overcomplicate things.

- Anyone can learn anything. It's a matter of method, support, application, and belief.
- Students learn new material at first by seeing a need to learn the new thing (e.g. because they don't know how to solve a new problem), and connecting new information to things they already know.
- They then need to strengthen this understanding by engaging in problems themselves and trying to remember what they have learned.
- Many students need to gain confidence. This partly comes from encouragement, but true confidence comes from progress and success, which comes from following the above.
- Students need guidance. It's challenging enough to try to focus on the material. Teachers need to make sure that all of students' focus is placed on thinking about the content, rather than on sideline issues like trying to figure out what comes next.
- Efficiency is important. Most people have specific targets (e.g. passing an exam). Things need to happen quickly.
- At the same time, early stages sometimes need to take longer in order to build a foundation for what follows. Taking a step back can be important in order to be clear on what's really going on, and avoiding rote memorisation or "going through the motions".

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