Veteran Chemistry teacher, holds Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry with 14+ years of teaching experience.
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John C.
Country: Thailand, Koh Chang
Tutor Bio
I have over fourteen years of experience teaching mainly the IB Diploma Chemistry to students applying to top universities in the UK and the US, including Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College. Tutor Introduction
Teaching Experience
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2022-Present @ Full Time Online Tutoring
Chemistry Online Tutor
Teaching IGCSE Chemistry and IB Diploma Chemistry.
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2016-2022 @ HSANNU International School, China
Chemistry Teacher
Teaching IGCSE Chemistry and IB Diploma Chemistry.
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2015-2016 @ Chenghang International School, China
Chemistry Teacher
Taught IGCSE Chemistry to Chinese students and mentoring Chinese teachers.
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2013-2015 @ International Community School, Jordan
Teacher of Chemistry and Science
Taught Science to classes in Key Stage 3 following the English National Curriculum; Chemistry to students in years 10 and 11 (IGCSE); and AS and A2 chemistry to students in years 12 and 13.
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2012-2013 @ Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Kazakhstan
Teacher of Chemistry
Taught Chemistry to elite students and mentored Kazak and Russian teachers in an experimental integrated course equivalent to A level in collaboration with CIE.
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2008-2012 @ Shanghai Rego International School, China
Teacher of Chemistry and Science
Taught Science to classes in Key Stage 3 following the English National Curriculum; Chemistry to students in years 10 and 11 (IGCSE); and AS and A2 chemistry to students in years 12 and 13. I also taught IB in September 2009 and attended an IB course in Birmingham in August 2009.
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2007-2008 @ Kinsgley College, England
Teacher of Chemistry and Science (NQT year)
Taught twelve classes in science and chemistry from year 9 to year 13, including A2-chemistry.
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2005-2007 @ Irvine Analytical Laboratories, Canada
Director of Research and Development
Started the GMP R&D Department responsible for generating more than $2M in revenue in 2006 and established specialty teams in project management, technical writing, and quality assurance to support the department. Responsible for setting budgets, purchase approvals, forecasting, hiring/firing, quoting, and consulting services.
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2001-2005 @ Patheon Inc (Toronto, Canada)
Teacher of Stability Studies
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2001-2005 @ Mountain Institute of Technology, Canada
Lecturer
Taught a one-day course in Pharmaceutical Stability Studies to foreign graduates and pharmaceutical professionals pursuing a career in the North American pharmaceutical industry.
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1995-2000 @ J.K. Conner Consulting, Stirling, Scotland
Principal
Established and led an independent laboratory to execute research and development for chemicals, consumer packaged goods, and pharmaceuticals.
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1991-1995 @ Syntex, Edinburgh, Scotland
Section Head, Method development and Degradation Studies
Managed activities in the laboratory by leading a team of twelve graduate chemists in developing and validating methods.
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1987-1991 @ Glaxo, Montrose and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Fine Chemicals Section Head
Managed a small group of analysts in API's in-process and release testing. Worked with development chemists to discover new routes of synthesis and extraction of compounds from natural sources.
Education
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Strathclyde University, Scotland
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
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University of Stirling, Scotland
Ph. D. in Physical Organic Chemistry
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University of St. Andrews, Scotland
B.Sc. (Honors) in Chemistry
Teaching Skills
Chemistry HL
Chemistry SL
Internal Assessment (IA)
Chemistry
Diploma Programme
Middle Years Programme
Tutor Teaching Style
I use the Socratic method based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions. It can be utilized to bring out definitions implicit in the student's beliefs and to help them further their understanding. It sounds relatively high-brow, but in practice, it is a very powerful diagnostic tool and fun for the student and me. It's one of the main reasons I find teaching Chemistry rewarding.
After a brief introduction and checking that the screen sharing, audio, and camera are all operating, the first session satisfactorily may include but is not limited to outlining strategies, lesson outcomes, and order of topics to be covered depending on whether it is a single or ongoing session that is requested. The lesson itself will follow this.
Psychologists define two main types of motivation, namely Intrinsic, and Extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is where learners engage more deeply with their learning and want to understand new ideas fully. Extrinsic motivation is where learners are goal driven and study strategically with minimum effort to achieve desired grades. I would have the students intrinsically motivated by using the Socratic method. Additionally, I can give firsthand accounts from my 18 years of experience in Pharmaceutical R&D, leading in progressing new drugs through clinical trials where I have seen the abstract theories and concepts in textbooks utilized in the real world and how Chemistry can help improve the quality of our lives.
Try describing the text in different, more tangible ways with the help of diagrams, animations, or drawing on a whiteboard.
Regular formative assessment.
Regular formative assessment.
I use PowerPoint, diagrams, graphs, figures, animations, and whiteboard.
Tutor Quote
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle
