Take lessons with a biology tutor in Edinburgh

Finding the Perfect Biology Tutor in Edinburgh

Biology is a fascinating science that covers the living world, the creatures in it, how they exist, and how they and their processes interact with the world we live in. It's an important part of the curriculum taught in schools in Edinburgh and across Scotland and a firm understanding of it comes with many benefits.

However, there's a lot to cover and some complicated concepts that not every student will immediately understand so let's see the pros and cons of studying biology, what students in Edinburgh are taught about biology, and how private tutoring can help students of any level.

The Benefits of Studying Biology

There is a large number of topics covered in biology lessons so you can learn a lot while studying it. It can also help to contextualise ourselves and our existence alongside the other forms of life present on our planet.

Biology is also a good jumping-off point for those interested in studying medicine, physiotherapy, pharmacy, or even sports science. Then there are the things you'll learn about science in general which will help you when it comes to physics, chemistry, maths, or any of the other hard sciences.

Biology can also teach you a lot of transferrable skills and improve your reasoning skills, analytical skills, and problem-solving for biology and other subjects.

For the pragmatic among you, one of the biggest benefits of studying biology is that you have to. Much like chemistry, physics, and maths, biology is studied for several years during primary and secondary school so you should have a working knowledge of these subjects because you'll need them to do well at school.

The Challenges of Studying Biology

As mentioned, biology covers a lot from massive animals to tiny cellular structures and it can be a lot to study and take on board. It's hardly surprising that it's not every student's favourite subject.

Some ethical concerns come up when it comes to doing experiments on animals or animal tissue. Dissections can be very useful for learning concepts and missing them isn't ideal as you could fall behind but in some cases (especially if you have ethical or religious concerns) you may have to. That said, tutoring can always help in these cases.

Biology is a fascinating subject but sometimes the most interesting concepts can seem a bit dry if you don't have the right teacher teaching them or you're just learning them so you can provide the right answer in an exam. This isn't necessarily the teacher's fault but it doesn't make learning biology any easier.

Finally, some concepts are either so big or so small it's hard to visualise them or get a clear grip on how they work. Some students struggle to understand how cellular structures work when you can't look at them with the naked eye. Biology can involve a lot of abstract thought and it's not for everyone!

Biology in Schools

Biology is taught during compulsory schooling in Edinburgh and across Scotland and those interested in taking their studies further can opt to take a National 4/5 and then a Higher in biology.

At the National 4 level, pupils will look at life on Earth and how it adapts, the ecosystems present on our planet, and how fertilisers and nitrogen work. They'll also look at multicellular organisms, genetics, growth and development, homeostasis, plants and their uses, and reproduction.

When they finish their National 4 in biology, they can move onto the National 5 where they'll cover a lot of these concepts in more depth as well as cellular structure, membranes, DNA and protein production, and genetic engineering. They'll see more on life on Earth, too, with food production, evolution, and photosynthesis all on the curriculum.

As Scottish secondary school students don't study the English GCSE (some are given the option but it's rare), you need to make sure that you're using the right resources when you revise. Fortunately, there are plenty of free resources online that cover both GCSE and National exams.

Private Biology Tuition

It can be a nightmare for any student that starts to struggle in any subject, especially biology. Fortunately, private tutorials can help students of any level go back over topics they didn't quite grasp in class, revise for exams, and learn in the way that best suits their learning style.

A lot of biology tutors for school pupils will also cover physics, chemistry, and maths. You can opt for a general science tutor or a tutor that specialises in biology. At primary and secondary school, a lot of the science content overlaps and isn't always taught as individual subjects so academic tuition can be useful for several subjects.

You also get to choose which topics to cover and how you want to study them. While you have to go through the curriculum at school and study whatever the teacher has planned for the class, a private tutor can go over the topics you're struggling with or the concepts you need to know for an upcoming exam, for example.

Whether you need some extra tutoring to improve your level in biology to do better at primary or secondary school, revise for exams, get onto a university course, or further your career, face-to-face or online tuition is probably the most cost-effective way learn.

Finding Biology Tutors in Edinburgh

If you've decided you're going to get help from a private biology tutor in Edinburgh, just search for one on Superprof. You can check out their profiles, what they specialise in, the levels they teach, how much they charge, and then get in touch to arrange your lessons.

Make sure that you make the most of the tutors offering the first lesson for free. Use this time to discuss your learning objectives, how you like to learn, why you need a private biology tutor, your budget, your schedule, and see whether or not you get along. You'll have a lot to get through during this hour.

You'll also want to learn from someone you get along with. You'll learn much more effectively if you're enjoying yourself and are engaged in their lesson and what they're teaching you.

None of the tutors in Edinburgh meets your criteria?

Don't forget that there are online tutors who can teach you via webcam. As long as you have a stable internet connection and a webcam, you can learn almost anything remotely from a tutor anywhere in the world. While you probably want a tutor from Scotland for Scottish exams like the National 4/5 and the Higher in biology, you can find great private biology and science tutors all over the world.

To save some money, there are also group tutorials available so get a few classmates together and share the cost of the tutor's time. Make sure that you have somewhere you can all study or that the tutor offers a classroom otherwise this won't be possible. Of course, group tutorials won't get you as much one-on-one time with your tutor and the lessons won't be specifically tailored to you, but they are a good economic option for students who need complementary tuition but can't afford private face-to-face tutorials.

Take your time to choose the perfect tutor and you won't regret it!