My observation of Julian Podgornik’s session with Georgina P, enabled me to learn a lot more about how he tutored and the ways he approached teaching foreign concepts. The standard maths session, and they worked through a past exam paper together.

Georgina was struggling with some of the concepts, in particular algebra and geometry. Julian was incredibly patient, never rushing her, and always encouraging her to take her time and work through the problems. When Georgina didn’t understand a certain concept, Julian didn’t just repeat the explanation. Instead, he adapted his approach, trying to explain the material in different ways until she started to grasp it. For example, when Georgina was having trouble understanding how to factorise quadratic equations, Julian broke it down into smaller steps, enabling her to better grasp the concept and ultimately solidify her understanding. He used different methods, in particular in probability where he used diagrams and real world examples to aid in making abstract ideas more tangible. He would also pause and ask if she was following along, ensuring that no step was skipped. On top of this, Julian would always complete the questions at the same time as Georgina to ensure that he understood the working of the questions and ultimately could explain the question and the answer well when Georgina was confused.

The session was a great reminder that effective teaching is not just about explaining concepts but about connecting with the student and adapting to their learning style. Watching Julian’s approach gave me valuable insights into how to teach complex ideas more effectively. It was clear that Georgina left the session with a much better understanding of the material and increased confidence in her abilities. Ultimately, His ability to reframe difficult topics and adjust his teaching style based on Georgina’s needs was extremely impressive.

Michael Fry