About Learn to Rise
A small, thoughtful practice built on twenty years of experience, academic research, and a genuine understanding of what it means to find learning difficult.
Hema Soni
A small, thoughtful practice built on twenty years of experience, academic research, and a genuine understanding of what it means to find learning difficult.
MPhil (Cambridge), Educational Leadership • BSc (Hons) Mathematics • PGCE (Further Education) • Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) • Advanced Skills Teacher (AST)
Over Twenty Years in Mathematics Education
I began my career as a college mathematics lecturer and spent over twenty years working in schools, teaching students across the full ability range and consistently supporting learners in reaching their target grades.
This experience built deep subject knowledge, a clear understanding of curriculum demands, and an ability to explain mathematical ideas in ways that genuinely make sense to students at every level.
Alongside classroom teaching, I completed an MPhil in Educational Leadership and School Improvement at the University of Cambridge. This research deepened my understanding of how learning environments, systems, and relationships influence student outcomes, particularly for those who find learning more challenging.
Looking Beyond Grades
Success measured only by grades could feel incomplete.
Over time, I noticed something important: students who were achieving on paper were sometimes still carrying anxiety, low confidence, or a fragile relationship with learning.
This observation, combined with academic research and years of working with struggling learners, shaped the Learn to Rise approach: support that addresses how a student thinks and feels about maths, not just what they can produce on an exam paper.
I bring lived experience to this work. With a diagnosed mild developmental language difference (DLD), I succeeded academically not because learning always came easily, but through persistence, practice, and adaptation.
This personal experience gives me insight into the hidden effort many students expend, and informs my sensitivity to confidence, processing differences, and the emotional demands of learning mathematics. It also shaped a period as a full-time carer for a parent, during which the qualities of patience, adaptability, and care became central to my professional identity.
A Small Practice, by Design
Today, Learn to Rise is an intentionally small, online practice focused on 1:1 support. Working with a limited number of students allows me to give each learner the time, attention, and careful planning they deserve, something that isn't possible at scale or in a classroom setting.
This approach continues to evolve through ongoing reflection and professional learning. It's honest about what it can and cannot offer, and it's built on a commitment to working within my strengths.