About

About the lessons

In my tutoring, I aim to ensure students strong grasp of fundamental mathematical concepts behind the maths so they have a deep, lasting and flexible understanding they can build on.

All too often teachers teach students to copy methods and memorize facts without teaching them what the maths actually means. On the surface, they may appear to understand because they get a lot of questions right in the lesson, but in the long run the learning does not stick. They end up forgetting or getting things confused. Then teachers have to go back and teach the same thing again, hoping that somehow this time it will stick. Teaching for conceptual understanding avoids this problem.

When students are taught with a conceptual approach they connect new ideas to what they already know and develop a deeper understanding. This means they are less likely to make mistakes or forget, because they genuinely understand what the maths means. This may seem slower at first, but in the long run it saves time because the learning actually sticks. My job is to help students make connections, and show them how all the ideas come together so build learning that lasts.

Qualifications and experience

I trained with Teach First which is rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Education in Mathematics from UCL. I have 5 years of experience in a UK secondary school teaching maths to students aged 11-16. For some of that time I was KS3 Mathematics lead and improved department resources for KS3.

About Mr Dillon

A bit about me. I am a follower of Jesus, husband, father.

I have always found the process of learning fascinating. Whether reading the bible or other books, learning the piano, or learning a language, I am always building mental models to try understand things and explain them in simple ways. I think this is the way God has wired me to think, which is why I was drawn to teaching. So in my teaching I hope to use what God has given me to benefit others.

Why I left the classroom?

I left my job at school because as much as enjoyable and worthwhile as teaching was, I began to feel called to even more important work.

A brief story for context. I reached a point in my life where I realised my heart and life were not right, and I was in serious trouble with God. I had broken the life He had given me, and the consequence for that was death, and there was nothing I could do to fix it. It was at that point that a life-changing message made sense to me: There was One Who was able to rescue me. There was One Who came to stand in my place and take the punishment for my wrongs so I wouldn't have to: Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus came and died on a cross to pay for my wrongs, and then rose again to show that the payment was accepted. That means my sin is dealt with so I am right with God and look forward to eternal life instead of eternal judgement.

Then after Jesus rose, He told his followers to make disciples (followers) of all nations. This is what we feel called to Japan to do. Japan has a population of about 124 million and is about 1% Christian. Most of the 122 million people who aren't Christian have not heard about Jesus and the hope that He brings, and we want to be among those that go to tell them. We want to tell them the good news, that Jesus has conquered death on our behalf, and if we believe in Him and follow Him, we will have eternal life with Him.