One-to-one maths tutoring
Maths tutoring that starts with
"where did it stop making sense?"
School lessons, regular tests, word problems, or going back over an earlier unit. We look at the materials and marked work you use now, sort out what is needed, and propose a tutor and an approach that fit your goal.
- Free trial
- No enrolment fee
- Online lessons
In-person lessons can be discussed depending on area and tutor availability.
"Weak at maths" can look the same
but mean different things.
The phrase "weak at maths" covers several different situations. The first job is to narrow that vague worry down to a specific place.
Fine with calculations, but stuck on word problems
Whether it is reading the problem or setting up the equation changes what to do first.
Keeping up with the school pace is getting hard
It may not only be the current unit; something from a little earlier may be missing.
Solves it at home, but marks do not follow in tests
Looking at marked papers can show patterns in the kind of slips or in how time is used.
Struggling with maths terms and explanations in English
Is it the maths or the English? Separating the two first shows what kind of tutor you need.
What we look at is how study is going. We do not judge medical or developmental causes behind understanding.
First, we sort out the current problem
and where to go back to.
Before looking for a tutor, we work out together what you want to solve. If you do not know something, that is fine.
Look at materials, tests and the problems you find hard
A textbook, a problem book or a returned test is enough.
Find where you get stuck in the current unit
We check where in which problem you stop.
Check earlier content if needed
Only when the cause seems to be an earlier unit do we decide how far to go back.
Work out what kind of tutor is needed
From year, materials, goal, language of instruction and format, we set out what the tutor needs.
Check and adjust in a trial lesson
In a real lesson we check the approach and the fit with the tutor, and adjust.
The overall flow
- Materials and papers
- Sorting out difficulties
- Tutor matching
- Lessons
- Report and next points
An example of sorting out difficulties
- The concern
- A junior high student who cannot set up an equation in word problems.
- What we check
- Where in the problem they stop, and how letters and quantities are handled before the equation.
- Where we might go back to
- The basics of expressions with letters in an earlier unit.
- What the tutor needs
- Able to teach junior high maths, explain in Japanese, and teach online.
This is one example. How things actually proceed depends on the year, materials and goal.
This is not a diagnostic test and gives no score. It is a way for you and a tutor to sort out the situation from materials and conversation.
What to look at in maths
depends on your goal.
Even when the request is "please help with maths", the way lessons run depends on the goal.
School lessons and homework
We follow what the school is doing now and work through the parts you could not solve alone.
Regular tests
Not a generic course, but the actual test scope, your school's materials and your past mistakes.
Relearning a weak unit
When needed, we go back to earlier content connected to the current problem and check it.
Maths taught in English or an international curriculum
We confirm the terms, curriculum and course, check whether we have a tutor who can help, and then propose.
For entrance exam preparation, we confirm the target school, exam scope, timing and whether we have a suitable tutor before advising.
For qualification and exam-specific preparation, see these pages too.
Not only whether a tutor can teach maths,
but whether they fit your goal now.
Even in maths, the right tutor differs by year and school. We confirm the points below before suggesting candidates.
- Year and current content
- School / curriculum
- Goal
- Language of instruction
- Online / in person
- Preferred times
- Fit with teaching style
Tutors' subjects and availability change over time. Whether we have a tutor who fits your wishes is confirmed when you get in touch.
See our tutors →After each lesson,
you can see what was done.
We share what was covered, what was understood and what to check next, in a form parents can follow too.
An example report
- Covered
- From a word problem to setting up the equation
- Understood
- Writing out the known quantities from the problem text
- Next to check
- How to choose letters when writing the equation
This only shows the format. It is not a real student's report.
Who Petra suits
- Weak at maths and unsure where to start sorting it out
- Want to ask questions one-to-one rather than in a group class
- Want help matched to the school's materials and tests
- Care about the fit with the tutor too
- Want parents to know how things went after each lesson
- Want a tutor who also understands English-speaking and international study settings
When another option may suit better
In cases like these, please consider other options as well.
- You need highly specialised coaching, such as for maths olympiads
- You need a dedicated professional tutor guaranteed at once for a specific highly selective exam
- You want to compare many tutors from a very large specialist pool
Pricing, lesson format and how to start
We confirm maths pricing in advance, once we know the year, content, tutor and lesson format. There is no enrolment fee, and materials are normally free.
See the pricing page →- Online
- Lessons can be held online.
- In person
- Depends on the tutor and area. If you would like it, tell us your nearest station.
- Free trial
- Before continuing, a trial lesson lets you check the approach and the fit with the tutor.
How to start
- Get in touch
- Confirm tutor options and approach
- Trial lesson
- If you continue, arrange the schedule
You are welcome to just ask. This does not confirm a sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we are often asked about maths.
Can I ask for maths only?
Yes, maths-only requests are fine. We ask about the year and content, check whether we have a tutor who can help, and then reply.
My child does not know where they are stuck. Can we still ask?
Yes. Sorting things out from "I don't know" is the first aim. If you have current materials or a returned test, we look at them together to find where things stop.
Can you use my school's textbook and problem books?
Yes. Our basic approach is to follow the school's materials. How to share them is decided with you.
Can maths be taught online?
Yes, online lessons are available. The way lessons run can be adjusted with the tutor.
Are in-person lessons possible?
It depends on the tutor and area. We ask for your nearest station and times and let you know if it is possible. We cannot promise it, so please get in touch first.
Can you help with regular tests in junior and senior high school?
You can ask us. We work from the test scope, your school's materials and past mistakes. Which tutors can help depends on the year and content, so we check first.
Can I ask about maths taught in English, such as IB or IGCSE?
You can ask us. We check the course, materials and language of instruction, then tell you whether we have a tutor who can help. If we do not currently have one who fits, we will say so honestly.
Can you help with entrance exam maths?
It depends on the target school, exam scope and timing. We reply after checking whether we have a tutor who can help, and we may not be able to cover every exam.
Can I talk to you if the tutor is not the right fit?
Yes. After a trial or during lessons, you can talk to us about the approach or the fit with the tutor. We adjust to the situation.
Let's start by sorting out
the maths you are struggling with now.
Tell us the year and what is difficult. We check and propose a tutor and approach that fit.
No enrolment fee · materials normally free · you can just ask