Co-dux of Melbourne Grammar, Mathematics and Chemistry Tutor

My name is Eric, and I was the 2020 joint dux of Melbourne Grammar School with an ATAR of 99.95, one of 38 students across the state to achieve the maximum possible score. I will be offering my assistance in Maths Methods and Chemistry, both subjects for which I scored a raw 48. Although not offering a dedicated curriculum in the four other subjects I studied, I would be more than willing to provide advice, strategies, and resources to improve my student’s understanding (see all study scores below). I am currently studying a Bachelor of Biomedicine in my second year.

What can I offer you as a tutor?

As a recent year 12 student who had to balance UCAT, VCE, as well as many extracurricular commitments, I have had my fair share of tutors, both good and bad. I believe that I can avoid the common pitfalls that negatively affect the tutoring experience while maximising the aspects of learning to really explore and develop a student’s potential. From my own experience and discussion with other students and more experienced tutors, I have arrived at certain conclusions about the need to find an extracurricular tutor:

1. While I had great teachers at school, it is inevitable that the pace and manner in which content is conveyed cannot be suitable for every student in the class, each of whom has different needs and abilities. A regular school teacher often needs to divide their attention between 10-20 people. While some students might be learning well, others will struggle to keep up, while still others will find class time too simplistic and unproductive. The best way to get past this is, of course, to find a private tutor who can focus and design the curriculum around the ability of one student.

2. Learning ahead is by far the best strategy to gain mastery over a particular subject matter. Doing so allows you to come into class with some kind of conceptual framework and understanding rather than being completely unfamiliar, which allows you to explore complexities and intricacies in greater depth. However, learning ahead of your class without an experienced guide is difficult and potentially counterproductive. Ideally, the person who guides you through can explain things differently from the textbook while also recognising and patching up holes in your understanding; this allows you to approach assessments with a clearer view of your abilities and what you need to work on.

3. The textbook set by VCAA is an essential resource required for an understanding of the course, but isn’t enough to really understand the high level questions that separate the top performing students. Often the end of year exam will expect a student to make advanced conceptual leaps from the basics they have learnt which unless you have a lucky moment of inspiration you’re unlikely to get, no matter how well you know the textbook. The best way to prepare for such questions is through consultation with someone who has had a great deal of experience with these kinds of problems and can take you through the thought process that goes into solving them rather than the mechanics of one particular question.

As a past VCE student who has put in the work, made mistakes, and ultimately gained success, I believe I can bring out the best in my students in the limited time we have together.

Experience

I have experience teaching primary school children from disadvantaged areas in the Smith Family tutoring program for a year. I have also regularly provided study assistance and conducted video lessons for my fellow students during year 12.

In 2021, I tutored 7 students weekly and have accumulated over 250 hours of lesson time. I also spent 4 months writing questions for a tutoring company.
In 2022, I started teaching a group class for writing and philosophy in addition to my private students.

Qualifications

ATAR: 99.95
Specialist Maths: 48
Maths Methods: 48
Chemistry: 48
Literature: 44
Latin: 39
Philosophy: 46

I also received subject prizes for both Maths Methods and Specialist Maths, which are only awarded to SAC rank 1.

Rates

$60 per hour