Christina was taking a primary school tutoring session on general Maths and English.

They began the session with counting by 10’s, which the student did well, and Christina made sure to praise the student as he was going.

After the fact, Christina asked the student how their weekend was and prompted them to engage in a little casual conversation to give the student a break of the tutoring session, but also to give them practice with structuring a narrative.

This is a great way to built a young students confidence and practice in past tense chronological sentence structures that I haven’t have much experience with, so it was great to observe this used as both a break from the tutoring session while also giving the student valuable practice communicating.

Afterwards, Christina set the student on a timed times tables worksheet on 7,8 and 9 times tables. Throughout, she encouraged the student to vocalise their thoughts and take their time.

I often instruct my high school students to sit timed exercises, and now I also see that the exercise can also be adjusted to accommodate a younger student.

Throughout the session, Christina was very effective at keeping the session collaborative, where she asked the student what topic they would like to work on and when they would like a break. This seems to be a very effective way of both making sure the student enjoys the tutoring sessions and teaching the student the skills of initiative they will need for their later years of school.

As a tutor of high school students, observing Christina’s tutoring session has introduced me to a number of skills that both differ and are similar when teaching young students. I will definitely work some of these techniques into my future sessions.

Sebastian Zois

The use of educational games in tutoring offers an engaging approach to learning, which can improve a student’s understanding and knowledge. Educational games, whether they are physical or online, provide students with an interactive experience that encourages them to enjoy learning and tutoring.
One of the benefits of the use of educational games is that they promote thinking critically about what they’re doing as opposed to just receiving information. This is because students actively participate in the game which requires them to solve problems and apply their knowledge. This helps students to enjoy their learning while also understanding content more effectively. For example, math games can encourage student’s mental maths as they have to solve arithmetic problems quickly.
Educational games can assist with meeting different student’s learning styles, such as kinaesthetic and auditory. These games can be designed to address various learning preferences, offering a useful tool for tutors to meet the needs of different students. For example, some students may find it difficult to learn about science content with a verbal description and may need a game such as matching concepts, or ordering steps to assist with learning.
Furthermore, educational games create an environment where students have to take risks and make mistakes. This allows students to become more confident with getting questions wrong, and encourages giving this a go. This is critical for education, as some students may second guess themselves as they lack confidence, which can cause them to not attempt certain questions or difficult subjects.
Although educational games offer many advantages, they can also become a distraction for students as opposed to a learning tool. This is because students can become more focused on the competitive aspects of the game, thus resorting to other tactics such as guessing instead of critically thinking.
Overall, educational games can be an effective alternative learning tool for tutors to use, however they can become ineffective if not used correctly.

Chloe Cooke

Tutoring from a young age has a significant positive impact on a child’s cognitive ability and overall brain development. During early childhood, the brain is highly malleable, forming new neural connections rapidly. Introducing structured learning through tutoring at this stage enhances brain plasticity and supports the development of core skills such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and language.

Early tutoring stimulates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Activities involving reading, math, and language help strengthen logical reasoning, comprehension, and verbal skills, while creative tasks foster imagination and emotional intelligence. Personalized tutoring also helps children develop metacognitive skills—the ability to think about their own thinking—which is crucial for long-term academic and life success.

Additionally, one-on-one tutoring often provides a nurturing and supportive environment where children feel more comfortable asking questions and exploring ideas. This confidence-building interaction promotes curiosity and a love of learning. As children engage in consistent practice and feedback, their working memory and executive functions such as planning, strategically organising, and focusing have seen to improve significantly.

Scientific studies using brain imaging have shown that early educational interventions can lead to changes in brain structure and function. For instance, children who receive early cognitive support show increased activity in areas of the brain related to language and decision-making.

Ultimaltey , tutoring at a young age plays a vital role in boosting cognitive development by enhancing neural connectivity, building key learning skills, and fostering a growth mindset. These benefits often lead to better academic outcomes and greater adaptability in future learning environments.

Jordan Udler

One of the most common misconceptions about tutoring is that it’s primarily about fixing or solving a student’s weaknesses. This can perpetuate ideas that the student is behind or lacking which can be highly discouraging to students. But effective tutoring is far more empowering than that. At its heart, tutoring is a partnership and a safe collaboration to further existing knowledge. Tutoring provides an opportunity to collaborate with the individual student, meeting them at their specific needs.

Rather than focusing on correction, tutoring is about collaboration and alignment. Alignment to each student’s needs. It’s about meeting students exactly where they are, not dragging them toward a predefined goal, but working alongside them with support and encouragement whilst helping them build confidence in their own process. Each student is unique. Their learning styles, pace, interests, and even the way they express understanding vary greatly. That’s why tutoring doesn’t just reteach content. Instead, we adapt, listen, and guide, molded specially to the student. This allows students to see their own thinking more clearly. Tutoring should empower students to reveal their strengths, not only just their weaknesses. This is highly effective as students commonly respond better to positive reinforcement whilst learning, encouraging them to utilize their strengths to work on their weaknesses. For students, tutoring can often be quite vulnerable, thus highlighting the importance of collaborating with students and meeting their needs to create a safe environment to learn without judgment.

This approach respects the student’s intelligence and values what’s already working. Often, this leads to better outcomes because the student feels less pressure to “get it right” and more freedom to explore what’s possible.

Jessica Ciappara

There’s a common misconception that English doesn’t require formulas as it’s often seen as a purely creative subject. But this is untrue! My experience has taught me that success in English, especially at high school levels, absolutely benefits from clear, structured approaches.

In my first lesson with any new student, particularly in the senior years, it can be tricky not knowing what their prescribed text is yet. So, I start with a Paper 1 past paper. It gives me a window into their ability to work with unseen texts and extract meaning on the spot. We focus on annotating short answer sections, which helps me quickly assess two key skills:

1. Can they identify literary devices on the spot?

2. Can they unpack the deeper meaning behind them?

With students in Years 7–10, I often use the hard-copy textbooks in Room T, or I use ChatGPT to create unseen questions tailored to their level. These are great for giving them consistent practice in annotation and comprehension.

When teaching literary devices, I go through each one in a memorable, student-friendly way. For instance, metaphors can be tricky to spot so I say, “If the sentence has a hidden meaning beyond what’s literally there, meaning starts with ‘M’, so does metaphor.” It’s a small trick, but it sticks.

I then introduce my PIE method for annotation:
P – Purpose (what is the device doing in this context?)
I – Impact (how does it make the audience feel?)
E – Effect (what does the audience learn?)

Students often mistake a device’s definition for its purpose. For example, personification isn’t just “giving human traits to something non-human” but rather, what specific trait is being given here, and why?

To help them remember audience response, I use the car crash analogy: If you crash without a seatbelt, the impact might be a broken arm, and the effect is learning to always wear a seatbelt. It’s about linking techniques to meaning, emotion and takeaway which is a kind of formula in itself.

The point is that english doesn’t have to be a subject where you wait for a student to have an assessment. Formulas and structured lessons are needed to develop core skills needed to tackle the assignment once it approaches.

Briana Vaz

One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed as a tutor is moving from explaining information at students to helping them discover it themselves. At first, I thought good tutoring meant being the source of all the answers. Over time, I’ve realized it’s often about asking the right questions.

When students struggle with a concept — whether it’s analyzing a poem or solving an equation — their first instinct is usually to ask, “Can you just tell me the answer?” And it’s tempting to do that. But when I pause and instead ask a guiding question, something changes.

Questions like, “What do you notice here?” or “What’s the first step you would take?” shift the session from passive to active. Students are forced to engage, even if they’re unsure. It’s often in those messy moments of trying, guessing, and correcting that real understanding is built.

I’ve also noticed that asking questions builds confidence. Students who are used to seeing school as a test of right and wrong start to see it more like a conversation they can participate in. Over time, they need less and less from me to get unstuck — because they’ve learned how to think, not just what to think.

In the world of tutoring, where every student’s needs are different, questions are the bridge. They personalize the learning, reveal misconceptions, and encourage growth. As tutors, we’re not just teaching content; we’re teaching curiosity. And sometimes, the best lessons start not with an answer, but with a question.

Daniel Aghmesheh

Organisation is a key element of effective tutoring, and its importance cannot be overstated. Whether working with primary or high school students, an organised session helps create a productive environment where learning can happen efficiently and with clarity. Being well-prepared demonstrates professionalism, builds trust, and ensures that the session runs smoothly from start to finish.

An organised tutor begins each session with a clear plan. This might involve reviewing the student’s goals, revisiting previous content, and outlining the day’s focus. When students know what to expect, they are more likely to stay engaged and feel a sense of progression in their learning. A well-structured session also makes it easier to manage time effectively, ensuring that each topic receives the attention it needs without the lesson feeling rushed or disjointed.

Having materials ready in advance, such as worksheets, questions, or past paper prompts, also helps maintain flow. It minimises downtime and allows the tutor to move confidently between activities. This level of preparation communicates to the student that their time and learning matter, which can be highly motivating.

Organisation also supports flexibility. When a tutor knows their content and structure well, they can more easily adapt to the student’s needs in the moment—whether that means spending longer on a tricky concept or switching to a different strategy. Being organised does not mean being inflexible; rather, it provides a solid base from which to respond to the student effectively.

Ultimately, an organised session fosters confidence, both for the tutor and the student. It allows for greater clarity, maximises learning time, and creates a calm, purposeful environment. When students experience consistent, well-structured lessons, they are more likely to develop strong learning habits, make progress, and enjoy the journey of learning.

Demetria Koutavas

Hey everyone, today I had the opportunity to observe Hugo’s session. He did a great job explaining different concepts to his student. He did a great job working through different tutorial questions and any homework questions her student had. They went through each question step by step, detailing each part of the working out.

He used textbooks to get different questions so his student can see how different questions are worded and what different aspects of the questions are asking for. This also means that his student is able to understand how to apply the theory to different practical questions.

By Hugo teaching his student the theory concept makes it easier for his student to understand the content in class. So when she goes to class she is able to have a better understanding of the content so it can be a bit of revision.

Hugo did a great job allowing his students to work through each maths problem independently. When his student got stuck he helped her to work through each step in chronological order. It was great to see how he would let her student try to work out each problem rather than giving her the answer straight away.

He did a great job explaining different ways to approach the question. By giving his student numerous ways to solve the problem, it allowed her to pick the way that made the most sense to her.

Jemima was great at answering all of her students questions and she always gave very clear responses. Her student was very appreciative of Jemima’s response.

It was great to see how friendly they were and how comfortable she was with him. They had a great relationship and they got along really well.

Hugo did such a great job helping his student to build her confidence in maths.

Overall, Hugo did such a great job helping her student to understand, interpret and practically apply mathematical theory to his students homework questions. It was a great session and such a pleasure to observe. Keep it up Hugo!

Ashley Cohen

Today I had the opportunity to observe Freddie’s Yr 12 Math Ext session.

I was impressed by Freddie’s effective initial rapport with the student. He maximised the use of the whiteboard, methodically working through complex problems while maintaining the student’s engagement. Rather than simply presenting solutions, he demonstrated each step visually, allowing his student to follow the mathematical reasoning process in real-time. This approach proved particularly effective when tackling challenging calculus problems that required multiple steps.

I particularly noted Freddie’s commitment to critical engagement. He consistently prompted his student with thoughtful questions that encouraged deeper analytical thinking. When the student proposed a solution approach, the tutor would ask “Why does this method work?” or “How could we verify this answer?” This teaching style fostered active participation rather than passive reception of the information.

During the session, they worked through a recent test his student completed. They carefully analysed each question, identifying patterns in the student’s approach and highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement. When discussing a question where the student had made calculation errors, Freddie demonstrated an alternative solution that didn’t diminish the student’s initial attempt but extended it to help them avoid similar mistakes in future.

A significant portion of the session addressed the student’s recent exam performance, which had fallen short of their expectations. Freddie handled this sensitively yet constructively, emphasizing specific concepts that needed reinforcement while maintaining an encouraging tone. His supportive attitude clearly helped rebuild the student’s confidence. Before concluding, he offered practical advice about study intensity, emphasizing that math requires more practice than one would typically anticipate, recommending them to “study more than they think they should”. This realistic guidance about the effort required for mastery was delivered with sincerity that resonated with the student.

Great job Freddie!

Thea Macarthur-Lassen

It is without a doubt that active student participation in tutoring sessions is crucial for effective learning. There is no fighting that! When students take on a role, they become more engaged and invested in their own educational journey. This ownership fosters a sense of responsibility, encouraging them to reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement. As tutors, we don’t just want students to passively receive the information we teach, but rather be comfortable enough to ask questions, seek clarification and collaborate with us to set achievable goals.

Students who are involved in discussions and activities are more motivated and find the learning experience more relevant, and enjoyable. This increased enthusiasm can lead to improved academic outcomes, as students are more likely to persist through obstacles and stay committed to their learning. Here, confidence and independence can also grow, as they begin to trust their own thinking, become more willing to take risks and develop the skills needed to learn independently. We want to increase their sense of empowerment in supporting their long-term educational development. To support this idea, students are more able to build a growth mindset because when students engage with challenges and view mistakes as learning opportunities, they can build resilience! This mindset promotes continuous improvement and a positive attitude toward learning, which is vital for overcoming obstacles.

From a tutor perspective, a student’s active participation in their session will also help to inform us on their unique needs and preferred learning style. This will allow us to provide a more personalised, tailored support that is in the best interests of our students. For instance, if a child lacks confidence and finds it difficult to voice their opinion or answer questions, utilising a whiteboard throughout the session could greatly benefit. Ultimately, by encouraging our students to be active participants, we are working to transform tutoring from a one-sided interaction into a dynamic and collaborative process that supports long-term academic growth.

Kaelyn Tan