From Struggling to 9 & A* in Maths & FM. I figured it out—now I'll show you

Find out more about Aidan

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

  I got interested in tutoring during Year 11 when I finally figured out how to actually learn maths instead of just memorizing formulas and hoping for the best. The frustration I felt when I was struggling stuck with me, so when I got to sixth form and younger students were asking for help, I started tutoring properly. I wanted to save them the months I spent confused and stressed, thinking I was just bad at maths when really I'd never been taught to think through problems.

• 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 GCSE Maths across all topics. I particularly enjoy algebra and problem-solving questions because that's where the "why" really matters - you can't just memorize your way through. I'm less keen on pure arithmetic practice since it's a bit repetitive, but it's satisfying when a student suddenly gets why they're doing it rather than just following steps.

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

  My Year 10 teacher completely changed how I saw maths. Instead of just showing me formulas, she'd ask "why does this work?" and "what are we actually trying to find?" It sounds simple, but no one had taught me to think like that before. Once I started asking those questions myself, everything became manageable. That's the approach I try to bring to my own tutoring.

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

  Patience is obvious, but I think the most important quality is remembering what it actually feels like to be confused. It's easy to forget how overwhelming maths can be when you understand it. A good tutor needs to identify exactly where understanding breaks down, adapt their explanations when something isn't clicking, and never make a student feel stupid for asking questions. Building confidence is just as important as teaching content.

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

  I remember sitting in a Year 11 mock exam completely frozen on a quadratics question. I knew all the formulas but couldn't figure out which one to use or how to start. I just stared at it for 10 minutes and moved on. That feeling of helplessness stayed with me. Later, when I learned to approach problems systematically—figuring out what I actually know, what I'm trying to find, and what links them—that same question type became straightforward. Now I teach that approach from day one so students never feel that same panic.

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

  My biggest challenge used to be applying what I'd learned to unfamiliar problems. I could do practice questions fine but then freeze when exam questions looked different. Learning to recognize patterns and question types rather than memorizing specific solutions made a massive difference. I still have to think carefully about new A-Level Further Maths topics, but having those problem-solving frameworks means I can work through confusion rather than just giving up.

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

  Honestly, my favourite part of tutoring is the moment when a student who's been struggling suddenly gets it. That shift from "I can't do this" to "wait, that actually makes sense" is brilliant to watch. It's not just about the maths - it's seeing someone realize they're capable of more than they thought. That's what keeps me tutoring.

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

  I think what sets me apart is that my goal isn't to make students dependent on me. I teach them how to think through problems independently so they can handle whatever comes up, even when I'm not there. I also genuinely remember what it's like to struggle, so I never assume something is "obvious" or "easy." I break things down properly and build from wherever the student actually is, not where they're supposed to be.