I conduct one-to-one tutoring for maths and science for school students. I put all my tutoring study materials here.
Here are some testimonials:
"David began tutoring my son in 2017 in for Year 8 math and science, David is still my son's tutor.
I find David to be courteous, attentive to my sons academic needs, is always punctual.
David has also produced a study plan for my son to challenge him further in maths and science."
-SG, Caroline Springs
"very, very helpful! He explains the difficult concepts well"
-OB, St Albans
If you're interested in obtaining personalised tutoring, please contact me via the "Contact Me" menu link above.
This is just a quick update. I haven’t been active online due to focusing on getting treatment for some minor health issues (an unusual throat condition, and poor balance caused partly by my left ear abnormality), as well as doing work around the house. Also, I’ve got more engineering work coming up so I still can’t take more students. The work should be finished by June which will allow me to take on more students in the second part of the year.
I’ll leave you with a link to an article on how universities are trending toward using means other than ATAR for selecting students:
https://www.smh.com.au/education/australian-universities-admitting-56-per-cent-of-students-without-atar-20170613-gwq0yr.html
Happy New Year! It’s exciting to be starting 2018. Lots of things have changed. I’ve moved house and I now, with my wife, own the house I’m in. (which is part of the reason I’ve been so quiet lately) I’ve also picked up some engineering work, so my availability for tutoring will be limited for the next few months. I hope this year is starting with as much promise for you as it is for me.
Try these questions. Feel free to leave a comment if something isn’t clear. Just skip the question and go onto the next one if you can’t figure it out, but keep in mind that the questions tend to get harder.
Question 1
Calculate
Question 2
Calculate
Question 3
Cancel out the common factors to find the answer
a)
b)
Question 4
Rewrite
in the form
,
where x, y, a, b and c are integers, and 0< a < b < c < 30.
(I have a feeling this question and the next will be hard to understand. Let me know if this is the case. I could add an example to explain how to answer them.)
Question 5
Rewrite 
in the form
,
where x, y, z, a, b and n are all integers.
Question 6
Simplify
Question 7
Simplify
Question 8
Simplify
Question 9
for 
find x
Question 10
Simplify
I was just going to put the answers up, but I thought about it and decided it’s better if I show you my working out. For a couple of the answers, I showed two methods. This is because I like to convert improper fractions to mixed numbers before doing addition or subtraction. It just makes it a bit easier to work out in my head.
Question 1
Question 2
This method follows the standard process
OR
This method converts the improper fractions to mixed numbers/integer + fraction. I feel that it is more intuitive and less error prone.
Question 3
Question 4
If following the standard process:
If converting the fractions to mixed numbers/integer + fraction:
Question 5
I convert the improper fraction to a mixed number first. It’s just easier!
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8
Question 9
Question 10
Here are some fractions questions. Test yourself! If the answer is more than one, find the answer as both an improper fraction or mixed number.
I’ll post the answers later!
1) 
2) 
3) 
4) 
5) 
6) 
7) 
8) 
9) 
10) 
Example
Rewrite the equation
to find y
Method
1. Subtract 4 from both sides of the equation.
2. Multiply both sides by 2
Answer
Questions
Rewrite the following equations to find y
1. 
2. 
Rewrite the following equations to find x
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
Healesville and Werribee are on opposite sides of Melbourne. Let’s assume you have to travel through Melbourne to get from Healesville to Werribee.
The distance from Melbourne to Healesville is approximately 60Km,
so we say H=60Km
The distance from Healesville to Werribee is approximately 90Km,
so we say L=90Km
The distance from Werribee to Melbourne is called W
Only one of the statements below is true. Which one is it?
(all units are Km)
a) W = H + L, so W = 60 + 90
b) W + L = H, so W + 90 = 60
c) W + H = L, so W + 60 = 90
d) W + H = L -H, so W + 60 = 90 – 60
At someone’s suggestion, I’ve just done an internet search on teachers leaving the profession. It seems to be an ongoing problem. Here is the most recent article I found on the subject:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/08/almost-a-quarter-of-teachers-who-have-qualified-since-2011-have-left-profession
These kind of articles have been appearing continuously for over a year.
Meanwhile more and more parents are turning to tutors:
https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/36623550/aussie-parents-turning-to-tutors/#page1
There was a comment that remedial tutoring only works if done intensively. My approach to remedial tutoring is to focus on one thing at a time and help the student learn that fundamental step even if it means going back to things they were meant to learn two or three years ago and make sure they learn it properly once and for all. This won’t have the effect of improving their grade immediately, but it will have the lasting benefit of providing them with a solid foundation on which they can build further learning.
I’ve been doing a bit of a touch-up to the website and also set up a twitter feed! You might also notice that I managed to put the social media links at the top-right of the website page. (This caused me much more trouble than it should have.)
Mid Year Study!
It’s about time I put out another newsletter!
I hope everyone’s studies are going really well!
Now is the time when many students are preparing for mid year tests and exams if they haven’t already started! Tutoring makes me remember my student days and how hard it was to study effectively and come up with good study approaches that work. Back then we didn’t even have Google to help us find tips on study technique. Here are a few links I found today:
http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/studying-training/studying-tips-resources/top-10-study-tips
http://www.csc.edu/learningcenter/study/studymethods.csc
https://www.goconqr.com/en/examtime/blog/study-hacks/
https://www.seeklearning.com.au/study-and-career-advice/about-study/study-tips/study-techniques-that-work
I would add to these articles that it is important to know what you need to study! It may sound obvious but it can be hard to be sure which topics are going to be assessed. This can be because previous years had similar material and it isn’t clear how this year adds to what you learned last year. Perhaps something was covered in a way that didn’t make it obvious it is part of the subject material. Maybe you were sick and missed something in class.
My suggestion is that if your teacher hasn’t given it to you, make a list of topics you have been taught so far. It will be even better if you can link it to some kind of study material you have like notes, handouts, or even assignments.
And finally, and maybe this won’t be popular advice for some kids, aim to get an A! Why? Because and A grade means you have learned and understand all the topics and concepts you are supposed to have been taught. Even if you don’t usually get anywhere near an A, I think it’s important to study all the material and aim to learn basically all of it. You might be surprised how that knowledge could come in handy later on.
Of course not all kids learn and study the same way and at the same rate, but the more you learn and the more of those gaps you fill in, the better off you will be in the long run. That’s where a bit of help from a parent or tutor like me can help you improve your knowledge, understanding and confidence.
So, all the best in your studies, and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
