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Amir Saei
DBSOnline lessonsInspiring and engaging mathematics specialist, 5+ to STEP
I am an award-winning qualified maths teacher and a maths specialist with 10 years’ teaching experience and 8 years’ experience as an examiner. I have had the pleasure of helping hundreds of students with varying initial attainment grow in confidence, achieve top grades and fall in love with maths.
I have a Masters in Mathematics (MMath) from the University of Warwick and a PGCE in maths from the UCL Institute of Education. Prior to becoming a full time tutor I taught at several outstanding schools with my main employment being the Head of A-Levels and the Head of Further Maths at CATS College London, part of Cambridge Education Group (CEG). My research and experience have shown me that anyone can become an outstanding mathematician and enjoy the subject, they just need the right guidance.
I bring an exceptionally high standard of teaching to my lessons. I have officially received an “outstanding” rating, the highest possible, every year I worked as a classroom teacher. My key strength is the breadth and depth of my mathematical knowledge alongside my ability to communicate complex ideas simply and in an intellectually stimulating manner. I have also earned numerous awards in recognition of my teaching and maths ability including the prestigious title of scholar at the “Institute of Mathematics and its Applications”.
I have an outstanding track record. I have consistently achieved one of the best set of results in all the schools I have worked at. All of my tutees have attained or surpassed their expected grades with some achieving as much as a 5-grade improvement over the course of their tuition. 100% success rate with the 5+, 10+, common pre-test, 11+, 13+ and 16+, all secondary students have achieved grades 8 - 9 in their GCSE and all A Level tutee’s have attained grades B - A*. My students regularly secure places at the best schools and universities in the world with several winning awards in recognition of their exceptional achievements.
Outside of maths tuition I volunteer at inner London schools and I mentor a growing community of maths teachers on a pro bono basis. My long-term objective is to leverage my understanding of maths, technology and pedagogy to create tools and institutions that raise the standard of maths education globally and help make maths education more equitable.
Tutoring Experience
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Current and former students range from year 1 to university level. I have taught; KS1, KS2, KS3, GCSE, iGCSE, MYP, Pre-U, A Level, IB, AP and University Foundation (Bellerbys College, CATS College, Chelsea Independent College, DLD College, ONCAMPUS and MPW) maths and further maths across nearly all exam boards (Edexcel, OCR, MEI, AQA and CIE). I also have extensive experience helping students prepare for entrance exams such as 5+, 7+, Common Pre-Tests, ISEE, 10+, 11+, 13+, 16+, STEP, AEA, MAT, CSAT, the maths section of BMAT, SAT and ACT, the quantitative reasoning section of UKCAT, GRE and GMAT, competition maths such as UKMT and BMO and various school scholarship exams including but not limited to, Kings Scholarship for Eton College.
The bespoke service that I offer to each of my students is tailored to their needs, from tutoring students throughout the entirety of their formal education, to providing a 2-week crash course for upcoming exams. I offer in person tuition in London and would consider international travel given the right role. I also offer what I believe to be the most comprehensive online tuition in the industry.
Here is a list of universities which my students are attending or have secured a place/scholarship at: University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Hong Kong, NYU, Imperial College London, LSE, UCL, Durham University, University of Warwick, King's College London, University of Southampton, University of Melbourne, City and Bocconi University.
Here is a list of schools which my students are attending or have secured a place/scholarship at: Eton College, Harrow School, Dulwich College, St Paul’s School, King’s College School, City of London School for Boys, Highgate School, Winchester College, Mill Hill School, Portland Place School, Radley College, Forest School, The King’s School, St Christopher’s School, Wetherby School, North Bridge House School, Godolphin and Latymer, Jags, The American School in London, Tonbridge School, Merchant Taylors’ School, Queen’s School, Francis Holland School, South Hampstead School, King Fahad Academy, Misk School, Bellerbys College, Westminster Cathedral Choir School, Abercorn School, St Anthony’s School For Boys, EGA School, CATS College, Eaton Square School, MPW, Kensington Park School, The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, Chepstow House School, Wycombe Abbey School, Queen Ethelburga’s, Headington School and Wellington College.
Tutoring Approach
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My tutoring approach is based on the belief that most students’ difficulties in maths arise from insufficient understanding of fundamental concepts, which are often glossed over in school. Unfortunately, students do not seek guidance as these topics are wrongly considered as easy or teachers are not sufficiently qualified to explain them. I see this issue across all age groups and levels of attainment.
Maths is a subject where one thing follows on from another, so at some stage this lack of understanding catches up with students and forms a barrier to their learning. One of the first things I do with my students is invest time to see their understanding of fundamental concepts and if necessary, revisit them. I believe this is one of the reasons for my student’s success and fast progress. Then I build on this foundation by working through more complex topics and concepts, looking at them in a more thorough and enriching way. I always emphasise the importance of being able to explain why, a sign of true understanding and a prerequisite for enjoying the subject. Finally, I make sure students can transmit their knowledge during examination, this is where my experience as an examiner has proven to be invaluable.
For most of the lesson students will be solving problems, each problem presenting a different piece of the puzzle, until they reach that “aha” moment where they have mastered the concept. By asking a series of well thought out questions, rather than lecturing the students, I can help students discover for themselves underlying misunderstandings that they may have and address them.
Having taught for nearly 10 years, I know how to structure lessons such that each lesson is flexible enough to cater to the students’ needs and interests whilst making sure that sequences of lessons can follow a meaningful structure. As someone who is actively involved in a wide variety of maths research, I build a narrative around maths that caters to the student’s interests, inspiring them to learn more. I place a real emphasis on helping my students to take control of their own learning and discover what works for them, so they can become independent learners.
By working collaboratively with the parents/guardians/governesses and the student, I create a bespoke tutoring plan for their tuition. Each student will have an online workbook which will contain all class notes, homework, tests as well as anything else related to our sessions. I continually monitor students’ progress and adapt the scheme of work and tuition according to their needs.
A final note from me. A good understanding of maths has impact far beyond one’s maths education. Not only does maths permeate every field of scientific endeavour, from helping explain the colours of the sunset to the architecture of our brains, it now plays a pivotal role in all aspects of modern society including finance, economics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, to name a few. I believe that prioritising one’s maths education is vital to the future prospect of an individual and the position they will play in society. But aside from utility, mathematics when understood is inspiring and fun. As Bertrand Russell wrote in Mysticism and Logic (1918) “Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty”.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. CV, references and research papers are available upon request.
