Richard Feynman has a gift for explaining intricate concepts. Click through to see a video of him explaining the difference between naming and understanding, and to read my thoughts.
When I come across a particularly interesting and/or tricky maths problem, I add it to this bank. The collection spans across 11+, 13+ and 16+ / GCSE questions.
Learning only happens when brains are kept active. Passively reading through your notes or copying out of a textbook is a very inefficient way of absorbing information. Active notes is a style of note-making which is designed to keep your mind as awake as possible, with excellent results. Read on to see how it works.
Prime numbers lie at the heart of many of the most interesting questions that crop up during 10+, 11+ and 13+ maths entrance exams. And they'll continue to be at least somewhat relevant right the way up to A-level. Read on for a fun lesson plan to get children aged 8 - 11 thinking about primes.
Exams getting close? Check that you know these key facts for 11+ maths - it's not intended to be an exhaustive list, but it's a great start.
Expanding vocabulary can be challenging, and some students find it hard to sit down and write a whole story on command. This blog post explains a fun way to get students interested in writing, and gets them working hard on their vocabulary too.
A solid vocabulary is essential for English success. Learn how to build a vocabulary bank which is useable, effective and succinct.
This is a quick checklist of things which students should include in their stories if they want to gain top marks in their 11+ stories.
As a parent or a new tutor, it can be hard to know what mark to award the stories that you are presented with. Schools don't typically release mark schemes, and as a parent you usually don't have many other stories to compare to. The blog post explains what to take into account when marking stories, and gives a simple methodology to follow.
A guide to planning your stories - works for both 11+ and 13+ English.
A detailed explanation of how exactly to use the colon. Be warned, after reading this you'll begin to notice its misuse everywhere.
As I've said before, it is very difficult to absorb information passively. Many people try and read philosophy in the same relaxed, switched-off way they would approach a piece of fiction, and it doesn't get them very far. In this blog I explain how get the most out of your reading, and how it can help you craft better essays and exam answers.