When I'm not studiously avoiding renovations at all costs or drinking coffee you might find me on the bike, writing a novel or spending time with Angela and our three kids.

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I've been a teacher for 17 years and a tutor for 10 years. I've worked with students from Kinder to Grade 12 and must have worked with just about every type of young person imaginable. I love supporting students who need to catch up, those who've had a bad experience with education and everything in between.

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Come and talk to me about creative solutions to your educational needs.

Simon has held executive roles and owned businesses for more than 35 years. He is motivated by building organisations that help people grow, allow them to thrive, and encourage them to fulfil their potential - whether that is the adults in the workplaces who engage Simon to work with them, or the students who attend Synergy Tutoring sessions.

 

As the father of four children, two with dyslexia, Simon is passionate about ensuring every child has access to teaching that is appropriate to their learning style and needs.

 

Away from work, and to help him recover from being a parent to four children with a 24 year age span, Simon has represented Australia in triathlon at the World Age Group Championships 12 times, and unwinds by writing crime novels with a psychological edge.

I have worked across a variety of education roles since completing my Master of Teaching (Primary Specialisation) in 2018. 

 

I love the excitement of learning, both as a teacher and facilitator and also as a life-long learner myself. The joy of the 'Aha' moment, when new knowledge or skill clicks into place, drives my evidence-based, creative and responsive teaching approach. 

 

I've also been a learner across different contexts - including homeschooling for 2 years mid-primary school (I had a fantastic time!), learning violin/fiddle in folk and classical contexts, learning fine arts at art school for electives within my undergraduate psychology major arts degree. 

 

As well as continuing to refine my teaching practice, I have recently taken up social dancing classes, starting with Salsa in 2021, and I've tried other styles since. I never identified as someone who could dance, so the fact that I am learning this skill is testament to the fact that we can surprise ourselves with what we can do in the right situation with the right guidance!

 

One of my favourite teaching areas is mathematics. I had some ideas about teaching mathematics before completing my Master of Teaching, such as approaches to mental computation that made sense to me that I felt like I had invented. I was surprised and excited to find that these ways of doing maths were reflected and built upon within the contemporary math pedagogies I learnt in my master degree, led by Di Siemon. I find her sequential structured approach to conceptual learning a fantastic foundation from which to teach. I love introducing these strategies to learners, and to see their confidence in mathematics blossom. 

Trained as an early childhood teacher, but with experience in teaching all primary school levels, I believe children learn in hundreds of different ways, therefore teachers adapt to every child's individual needs. 

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Play based and hands on learning is my specialty - the mind is engaged when the body is moving!

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I have taught for 11 years in Queensland, Singapore and now Tasmania and my philosophy remains the same; each child has the ability to learn. It is my job to work with students to unlock the very best way to achieve their goals and potential. 

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I love Lego, crafting, candy-crush and listening to Podcasts.