Jana Carpinato

BEng, PGCE

After graduating in Engineering from university in Bratislava, I did not want to settle down. So I decided to go to Siena to study the Italian language and culture. I had a wonderful time, not only learning the language, but also about Art, History, Music and above all food! The course opened my eyes and gave me a taste of living abroad and the experience of different cultures. Returning from Italy, I had the opportunity to translate a contemplative book from Italian which has been my biggest achievement so far.

Teaching was not a career I had considered when finishing high school. But as the mother of three children, I became involved in school life and realised how much I enjoyed it!

I started tutoring about ten years ago, working with people of different ages and abilities. I also work as a maths teacher at a local Secondary school. The two roles give me a real sense of achievement and satisfaction and I have come to see how different “learning” is from “schooling”.

It’s through my work experience that I see the value of a good education in Maths. Maths is not just numbers. It is a way of thinking and problem solving. Although I spent a great deal of time searching for those exciting Maths questions and fascinating facts (by the way, do you know when we started using negative numbers?), I have many other interests. One of them is Art: I love drawing and I draw all my 3D shapes for the classroom. History is my other pursuit together with travelling, hiking and spending money on books!

I am not new to studying at home as I completed my GCSE English online! Having come to this country with no English I readily understand learners’ needs, struggles and aspirations. And I can assure you that studying at home does not equal being alone. The positive aspect is that you can decide when and what you want to study. I look forward to helping you on your Maths journey.