‘There’s nothing better than realising that you have contributed to a young person’s life,’ says Peter who is urging others to join him
After over 30 years teaching mathematics in secondary schools in the South East, Peter Rutherford returned home to Liverpool to enjoy his retirement. Missing the ‘buzz’ of the classroom, Peter signed up as a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring, an education charity whose vision is a world in which no child’s life chances are limited by their background. He hasn’t looked back and is urging other retired teachers and local residents to join him.
“I took the nostalgic option and chose Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College – my mum had worked at the Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory nearby, my brother-in-law went to the school in the 1950s, and I was confirmed in the 1970s when George Beck was Archbishop of Liverpool! I started face-to face tutoring with disadvantaged children in September 2019, pre-pandemic. It’s a great school, warm and welcoming, and I worked with some very committed Year 11 pupils who were really appreciative of Action Tutoring’s help. It was such a pleasure to see them engage in mathematics with good humour, a positive mindset and a “can do” attitude. I carried on when the programme moved online, during the pandemic, and the pupils were equally engaged and keen to learn.
“I think it’s really important to be enthusiastic about the subject – when I was at school, De La Salle in Croxteth, Liverpool, I had an inspirational teacher who sparked my curiosity and my life-long love of maths. Recently one of my Year 11 pupils said to me, ‘I don’t get pi.’ I acknowledged that it can be mysterious, but we just need to know how to use it! I told her a little about the world’s most famous number and we marvelled at how often it turns up in maths and science. We then used it to find the approximate circumference and area of a circle – it was such a pleasure to see her working confidently with the most mysterious number of all!
“But you don’t have to be a former teacher to be a tutor. I think the most important quality you need is a sense of humour – the ability to make your pupils smile, take risks and have fun with the subject. Also, to always be supportive so they develop the confidence to have a go and not worry about making mistakes, and you should be prepared to do some learning alongside them. This is the joy for me – learning together – giving them some focussed time, rather than being part of a class of 30.
“And, you’re not on your own, Action Tutoring is there every step of the way; they provide training with Vedamo, the interactive Virtual Classroom and Learning Management System I use for my online tutoring, and all the resources and guidance I need. There is also support available from the WhatsApp tutor group and Facebook group.
“For my part, it’s a win-win situation – I continue to do something I love and I get a real buzz from working with young people at this crucial stage of their lives.”
To sign up to volunteer with Action Tutoring or to learn more, please visit www.actiontutoring.org.uk, email hello@actiontutoring.org.uk or call 0203 872 5894.
