Many people believe that the best maths tutors are those who have always excelled at the subject. In reality, I think the tutors who were never ‘maths people’ at school, but ultimately succeeded in the end, are perhaps even more suited to tutoring maths.

Throughout high school, I never considered myself to be a ‘maths person.’ Why does this make me more confident tutoring maths over humanities, which has always come naturally? I think it’s because I understand what it feels like to be confused, frustrated, and intimidated by numbers. Empathy and patience are important qualities of a tutor, and my own lived experiences allow me to be more understanding.

Moreover, struggling with maths when I was in high school forced me to develop problem-solving resilience and an incredibly deep comprehension of each maths topic I tackled. I can help clarify any misconceptions because I, too, had the very same misconceptions. Being able to explain WHY a method works rather than blindly wielding memorised formulas is an incredibly useful tool for tutoring.

Another advantage of having struggled with maths is that I can break down concepts in ways that make sense to students who don’t immediately grasp them. Because I had to work hard to understand different topics, I’m familiar with multiple approaches to solving problems. This flexibility allows me to adapt my explanations to suit each student’s individual learning style.

Finally, tutors are real-life examples of the way that mistakes are not equivalent to complete failure. I can help show that students struggling with a topic aren’t incapable of doing it entirely—it just means they haven’t found the right approach yet. I make sure my students know that struggling with maths doesn’t mean they’re bad at it; it just means they’re learning. With persistence and the right guidance, anyone can develop their mathematical ability, just like I did.

Sophie McGrath