Meet a member of the White Rose Maths tutoring team
Posted 8th July 2022
We are so proud of our team at White Rose Maths!
The brilliant work they produce to help millions of teachers, pupils and parents to embrace maths is no mean feat. It takes all kinds of people across multiple departments to make the White Rose Maths magic happen, and we think it's time to celebrate the many different individuals who are all making a difference.
Let's meet another member of the White Rose Maths team...
Introducing John Needham-Pearmain!
What is your job role at White Rose Maths?
I joined White Rose Maths as a Maths Tutor in March this year. Their tutoring team was expanding to support more schools and students, and being a tutor appealed to me as a great way to apply my three years of secondary teaching experience.
What does a typical day at work look like?
I’m not sure there is one! Tutoring is varied depending on the age groups and curriculum I’m teaching. Currently, I split my week into two days working in a primary school in Leeds and the other three tutoring maths remotely to all ages through our amazing online platform. I am also called on to cover for my team – I recently did some work at a secondary school in Bradford, which allowed me to apply my skills as a trained secondary maths teacher.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
The thing I find the most rewarding about tutoring is that I can dedicate such a large amount of attention to small groups of pupils. I often felt on the back foot with classroom teaching as I could only dedicate a small amount of time to each student, whereas I can really support students to progress as individuals in my role at White Rose Maths.
Also, I can honestly say the team at White Rose Maths is the most incredible group of people with whom I've had the pleasure to work. I feel supported in my role and can speak openly about concerns or when I have questions. The regular check-ins are very much appreciated!
Tell us what you love the most about the 1-Minute Maths App.
I think 1-Minute Maths is excellent because it helps to teach essential maths skills in short bursts. I was diagnosed as an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder, and having an app which I could dip into for a minute at a time would have helped me no end as a youngster! I also think how it frames each task as a challenge really encourages young people to engage in maths.
If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
As it happens, I’m currently learning to solve a Rubik’s Cube without using a guide – which is no easy task! I would love to be able to draw or paint better than I can, too. My partner is a freelance illustrator and constantly amazes me with her talent.
Finally (just for fun!), where would we find you if money was no object?
I'd probably be in New York or New Orleans listening to and playing live Jazz (I'm a saxophonist too!), or somewhere in East Asia. My partner and I went to Japan on our first holiday together, and we've longed to go back ever since! I would also grow my collection of Rubik's Cubes to way more than just one!
