# About Us & Our Pedagogy > [!abstract] Qualified Teaching Excellence Meets Real-World Tech Experience > Founded by **Bill Owers** (Head Educator) and **Lucy Owers** (Operations) in Brighton [7]. --- ### Bill's Qualifications & Background - **Qualifications:** QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), PGCE Secondary Maths (Sussex University), B.Sc. (Hons) Mathematics (King's College London) [1]. - **Teaching Experience:** 12+ years tutoring and teaching Maths at top local schools including **Lancing College** and **Cardinal Newman** [1]. - **Industry Experience:** 5+ years as a video games developer (custom game engines & shaders) and 4+ years as a finance data scientist (statistical & AI models) [4]. - **Safeguarding:** Enhanced DBS check, QTS, and degree certificates available to all clients upon request [7]. --- ### Our 4 Pedagogy Pillars 1. **Mathematical Oracy:** Encouraging students to talk through their reasoning out loud to uncover hidden gaps that standard classroom marking misses [2, 5]. 2. **Depth Over Breadth:** Prioritising deep conceptual connections (e.g., linking primary fractions to algebraic fractions and infinite sequences) over rushing through topics [13–15]. 3. **Metacognition & Independence:** Teaching students how to self-mark to exam standards, critique their own work, and solve unfamiliar problems independently [19, 20]. 4. **Exam Stress Regulation:** Coaching practical techniques to manage anxiety, stay calm, and make smart tactical decisions in isolated exam conditions [8, 21]. --- 📩 **Contact:** `[email protected]` [10] | [[Book Tutoring]] | [[Game-Making Club]] # Meet Daruma Education ## Qualified Teaching Excellence Meets Real-World Tech Industry Experience > **We help secondary and A-Level students in Brighton build lasting mathematical confidence, overcome exam anxiety, and master STEM through applied coding.** #### *At a Glance: Credentials and Trust* | Key Credential | Details | | :------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Teaching Qualifications** | **QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)** & **PGCE in Secondary Maths** (Sussex University) | | **Academic Background** | **B.Sc. (Hons) Mathematics** (King’s College London) | | **School Teaching Track Record** | **12+ Years Tutoring & Teaching Experience**, including top local institutions **Lancing College** and **Cardinal Newman** | | **Safeguarding & Safety** | **Enhanced DBS Checked** (Certificates & references available upon request) | | **Industry Tech Experience** | **5+ Years Video Game Developer** (custom engines & graphics) & **4+ Years Finance Data Scientist** (statistical & AI models) | --- ## Who We Are: Bill & Lucy Owers ![[Bill_and_Lucy.webp|512]] Daruma Education is a family-run education practice based in Brighton, led by husband-and-wife team **Bill and Lucy Owers**. - **Bill Owers (Head Educator & Founder):** Bill leads all 1-on-1 Maths tutoring, group sessions, and the Game-Making Club. His dual background as a qualified secondary teacher and industry software engineer gives him a rare ability to translate abstract academic formulas into engaging, real-world tools. - **Lucy Owers (Operations & Student Support):** Lucy is a qualified primary teacher, with over 10 years experience in the tech sector. She oversees administration, parent communications, and operational growth behind the scenes, ensuring smooth scheduling and a welcoming experience for every family. --- ## Our Teaching Philosophy ### The 4 Pillars of Our Pedagogy In a standard school classroom, a teacher must balance 30 students at different ability levels, often forcing a focus on "memorising methods" to cover a broad curriculum. Our tutoring flips this dynamic by focusing on **four core pillars of deep learning**: > [!note] 1. Mathematical Oracy (Speaking Maths) > We encourage students to verbally explain their reasoning. By discussing concepts out loud, we uncover hidden gaps and build true conceptual understanding rather than rote memorisation. > [!note] 2. Depth Over Breadth > School curriculums move quickly from topic to topic. We take the time to break apart assumptions, connecting algebra, geometry, and calculus so skills shift from conscious effort into subconscious intuition. > [!note] 3. Metacognition & Independent Problem-Solving > We teach students **how to learn**. Through guided chains of increasingly complex problems, students learn to self-mark, identify their own errors, and critique their work independently. > [!note] 4. Exam Stress Regulation & Resilience > Exams are isolated, high-pressure environments. We coach practical strategies to regulate stress, manage time, and make smart tactical decisions under exam conditions. --- ## Bridging Classroom Maths to Real-World Tech ### Why Real-World Context Matters > *"Maths is affectionately called the language of the universe. It becomes easiest to learn when students use it to unlock other fields, whether physics, computer graphics, or artificial intelligence."* > - Bill Owers, Tutor at Daruma Education Many teenagers struggle with motivation because they do not see how classroom maths connects to life outside school. Drawing on Bill’s 5+ years in game development and 4+ years in data science, we integrate real-world examples directly into our sessions: - **Game Development:** Trigonometry, vectors, and Newtonian physics become character movement, collisions, and 3D graphics. - **Data Science & AI:** Probability, statistics, and matrices become the building blocks of predictive algorithms and modern tech models. By bringing mathematics into these exciting contexts, we replace *"what's the point?"* with genuine curiosity and intrinsic drive. --- ## Transparency & Safeguarding ### For Parent Peace of Mind We hold ourselves to the highest professional standards: - **Safeguarding:** Enhanced DBS documentation and degree certificates are happily shared with all parents prior to enrolment. - **Transparent Communication:** Parents receive regular updates on student progress, key milestones, and areas for focus. - **Flexible Learning:** We provide clear guidance and technical support to ensure smooth online sessions via Google Meet. --- ## Get in Touch Whether your child needs focused 1-on-1 GCSE/A-Level Maths support, or wants to join like-minded peers in our Game-Making Club, we would love to hear from you. - 📩 **Enquiries & Collaborations:** `[email protected]` - 🗓️ **Explore Tutoring Options & Pricing:** [[Services/AI/Book Tutoring & Sessions]] - 🎮 **Discover the Club:** [[Game-Making Club]]