Online Tutoring and Training

Tutoring

I am a qualified and experienced primary school teacher, having worked in primary education for over 20 years, as both class teacher and support assistant. I also hold a Level 5 Dyscalculia qualification, a Level 2 certificate in Understanding Autism and an enhanced DBS check. I now solely provide maths tuition for primary school/lower high school level of maths (up to Year 7).

You can learn more about my teaching experience here .

Tutoring sessions can be provided either face to face or online via zoom. Before the first session, we will discuss any particular concerns, needs and expectations. The first session will then focus on assessing the pupil's ability, to identify specific difficulties, gaps in knowledge, misconceptions and level of understanding. This will allow me to plan an appropriate program of learning, based on a Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract approach, incorporating a range of activities and games. Sessions are always tailored to the specific needs of each individual pupil and aim to improve enjoyment and confidence as well as ability!

Training

I can also offer training sessions for parents or educators who would like to develop their ability to support children with maths. Sessions will be tailored to your specific requirements as discussed beforehand.

To discuss your needs and book a session email me at:

karen@fixitmaths.com

or message me at Fixit Maths on Facebook or Instagram

Reviews

Karen's gentle, calm and patient approach has broken down so many of the barriers our daughter had towards maths. Our daughter was fearful of all maths and had no confidence at all but Karen's engaging approach of using games, allowing her all the processing time she needs and providing reassurance that it is okay to make mistakes, has completely transformed her. She is now a child who smiles during and after lessons and is rightfully so proud and has a belief in herself that she can do maths!

C.K. March 2024

Karen has been teaching both my children for a number of years now. My daughter as a continuation of covid schooling and my son since year 2. In particular my son needed to find his confidence with maths. Karen has worked so hard with him over the years, she really made him feel comfortable with maths, but more importantly confident within himself that he can do it. His SATs scores today reflect exactly all that hard work Karen and he have put into the lessons, and they made a great team. My daughters maths Karen equally navigated to an exceptional level, again reflected in her SATs scores last year, and her school reports at high school over the last school year.
Both my children enjoyed their lessons with Karen, she made them fun, easy to understand and she was gentle in her approach to complicated questions. To see my children come out of school smiling at the end of their year 6, has made lessons with Karen completely worth it. Can’t recommended her enough, it’s just a shame she doesn’t continue teaching after primary school level. We will miss your lessons Karen, you have been an integral part of this primary school journey with our children, and we can’t thank you enough.

July 2023

I thought we might be the ultimate challenge for Karen- our 12 year old is autistic, with dyscalculia and dysgraphia (amongst other difficulties) and so much anxiety that's he's been off school for over a year. He's been opting out of maths lessons since year 3, and working with numbers in any way, shape or form had become something he strongly avoided. He needed a low demand, friendly, 1:1 teacher to help him think about numbers again at his own pace, with activities centred around his special interest of trains! I'm so grateful that Karen was willing to give it a go. In the last 6 months she has managed nothing short of a miracle, with her gentle humour, imaginative resources, sensitive and adaptable style of teaching. I am amazed on a weekly basis at the progress that's being made, and the growing confidence that follows. Maths sessions (we avoid the word lessons) are always fun and interesting with plenty of opportunities for our boy to impress us with some of his specialist knowledge along the way. This is no small feat, I assure you! Thank you so much, Karen.

N. H. December 2022

My son, who has a diagnosis of autism spectrum condition, has been seeing Karen for maths tuition since March 2022. He had switched off from learning and had lost confidence in his abilities. With gentle patience, skillful practice, and positive encouragement, Karen is coaxing him back to enjoying maths and building self confidence. Karen is focusing on helping him to build a solid foundation and experience success, lifting barriers to areas of maths he never thought he could fathom such as algebra. We are delighted with the progress he is making and very grateful to Karen for her kind and diligent work. We would recommend Karen's tuition to any parent or child but particularly where difficulties with learning and confidence have arisen.

M.W. May 2022

Karen was recommended to us by a friend when we were looking for a tutor to help our daughter with maths as she has always struggled with confidence which impacted her learning. Karen is just so good at instilling confidence in maths as she really took the time to get to know our daughter, has such a calm and reassuring manner, and explains things very well as they go along. Lots of the teaching and practice is done through games which we can do more of at home which has really helped take the anxiety out of 'doing' maths. The progress made in the time we've been seeing Karen has been amazing.

L.D. March 2022

My daughter hated maths and really struggled with it at school, a friend recommended Karen. I was initially unsure as due to COVID it meant the lessons would be via zoom on an iPad. Although my daughter loves using the iPad I wasn’t sure how it would go but it’s has been such a great success!! Karen’s approach has been amazing, she provides great praise and encouragement and makes the class fun, and I actually think the zoom and iPad works great. She now loves maths, talks about her special tutor at school and looks forward to the lessons - usually sat 10mins before it starts. I honestly thought I would be dragging her each week. I can’t believe the change in her confidence, willingness to give it try and succeed. We carried on over the summer and will be starting again in the Autumn term. Can’t recommend Karen enough !!

L.M. August 2021

Since my son started his maths lessons with Karen he has grown in confidence. The lessons are fun and Karen is always encouraging when he hits a bump in the maths road. For the first time we are confident that he may be able to grasp some concepts that felt firmly were out of his reach. Times tables are finally sinking in! Feedback is coherent and consistent and I have no hesitation at all in recommending Karen for maths tutorage.

M.J. April 2021

During the lockdown our children were unable to attend school we started having maths lessons twice a week. Their maths has improved so much and so has their understanding of maths problems . Karen has made maths enjoyable and my son is now using what he has learnt out on the farm. Karen understands how they learn and teaches them in there individual way. They both love their lessons and always finish with a smile on their faces. Karen has been very adaptable with my daughter who is on chemotherapy and sometimes feels tired so she changes her lessons to suit my daughter.

A.H. April 2021

Karen helped my year eight son who was hoping to improve his maths and consolidate his KS3 learning. I was sceptical about the possibilities of online tutoring, but after discussing the learning method with Karen and understanding the simplicity of the Zoom tech I could see that it offered a real opportunity, especially so through Covid lockdown. After ten weekly lessons, my son’s confidence has improved enormously and maths has become one of his favourite lessons, moreover, he recently received unsolicited written feedback from school for his engagement in maths.

The engagement with Karen has been great, she takes time to explain her approach and discuss the areas we would like to work on while identifying where she thinks she should concentrate too. The lessons, conducted through Zoom video conferencing with the use of the Zoom whiteboard offered an effective yet simple medium when using an iPad. My son got on with the tech from the outset and needed no help from me.

Of course there is always the concern when one’s child is communicating online with an adult. But Karen’s lengthy experience in the teaching profession and her engagement before the tutoring set me at ease. I would highly recommend both this medium of learning and especially Karen as a tutor.

S.F. July 2020

Just so pleased and grateful that we found Karen!

Such a huge amount of patience and Karen has the loveliest of teaching manners, coupled with masses of experience and professionalism.

My daughter is even finding Maths fun now (her words when she was recently asked by a neighbour how it was going!) and that’s a huge accomplishment and down to the way in which Karen teaches and reinforces the subject.

My daughter’s level of confidence is growing by the session, which is invaluable.

Thank you so much for all your input to date, Karen and can’t wait to see how much further we can go.

E.S. July 2020

Karen’s patient and positive support and tutoring for my 8 year old over the lockdown period has meant the difference between having an anxious child, fearful and resistant to learning, to having one who is able to manage their anxiety much better and has learned a significant amount. Karen has significantly reduced my concern over my child’s abilities and development and I am confident they are well placed to return to school. I can’t recommend Karen highly enough and will be continuing to access tutoring support for my child when they return to school.

G.R. July 2020

My daughter’s confidence in dealing with maths problems has really grown. Most importantly she enjoyed the lessons too!! Thank you Karen

J.G. June 2020

Thank you Karen! In a short space of time our daughter’s confidence with maths has increased dramatically. Our daughter requires a different approach to learning and Karen has accommodated these requirements into her lessons.

Lessons online - makes a huge difference. Our daughter is in a familiar setting and is always at ease working with Karen. They achieve so much each week.

I can’t recommend Karen enough, her calm manner and holistic approach has transformed our daughters opinion of maths! Thank you again Karen.

A.T. Jan 2020

I would highly recommend Karen as a maths tutor. She explains everything so well and has given my child the extra confidence they needed.

L.J. Sept 2019

My daughter looks forward to her tuition sessions and her confidence and understanding of maths continues to grow thanks to Karen - a very friendly and dedicated tutor. I would not hesitate to recommend Karen and her website FixitMaths to any parent looking for an experienced, friendly and professional tutor.

S.B. July 2019

We were looking for a tutor for my son, who was kind, sympathetic, friendly and most importantly patient. This was because we wanted someone, who would boost our sons self confidence when it came to maths. Karen was recommended to me through a friend. My son was hesitant at first, but Karen has totally put him at ease, boosted his confidence and he comes out of her sessions with a big smile on his face. He says 'she explains maths really well mummy'. I totally recommend Karen for anyone wanting that extra confidence and knowledge when it comes to learning maths. Thank you Karen!

J.P. July 2019