Blog
Should a Child Really Need a Tutor?
If I’m honest, my politics have always leaned towards socialism. There are some things in life that I firmly believe that everyone should be able to access. I also believe that there are times in...
When the Immune System has a Meltdown
Tutoring A level biology allows me to indulge in one of my passions of biochemistry. The immune system. To me, immunology is one of the most fascinating topics of the biology curriculum....
A Water Flame – How does it work?
The problem with being a scientist is that very little is taken on face value. We went on a family holiday to Norfolk this year and visited the lovely Houghton Hall. The Hall is home to a large...
Results Day – It’s always good to have a Plan B
For A Level students, there is only one more milestone between school and university – and that is results day. A Level results are released on the third Thursday in August, and GCSE results...
Anastasia, The Romanovs and DNA Profiling
The afternoon began with a trip to the theatre and ended in an internet search for the DNA profiling of Tsar Nicholas and his family. The Theatre Royal Windsor showed a straight play this afternoon...
Inspiration for Budding Scientists
The long summer holiday is almost upon us. Six weeks of lazy mornings. I don’t have to drag the children out of bed and push them off to school. Routine is out of the window. It’s great for a few...
Grade Boundaries – Why Do They Move?
Grade boundaries are always the cause of much speculation. Are they high? Low? Does it mean anything? The bottom line is that students think that low grade boundaries are wonderful – but are they?...
Organoids – what on earth are they?
Organoids are new to me. I knew of them as a theoretical concept but didn’t know that they had been given a name of their own. With thanks to the Edexcel Examination Board and the publication of the...
A Scientist and a Suffragette – what’s not to like?
It’s quite difficult to name more than a handful of female scientists, and I’m always on the lookout for some names that I’ve not come across before. A short while ago I was given a book, “Women in...
Learning for the Sake of Learning
The question I most dread from a student is “how do I revise?” In today’s qualification driven society, the need to learn and regurgitate information has never been more important – and more...
Private Tutors – Professional Educators or a Means to Earn Pin Money?
I’ve been a private tutor for twelve years. I’ve had dealings in a professional capacity with a variety of tutors, from on-line forums to professional recommendations, from offering advice to tutors...
Genetic Engineering – Not Necessarily for Profit
Genetically modifying animals has never sat very comfortably on my conscience. I’ve just come across an article that has done much to change my mind. A professor with family roots in the Cameroon,...