Building strong study habits isn’t about cramming or quick fixes, it’s about creating routines that become second nature. Consistency is the secret ingredient, and with a few simple steps, students can transform their approach to learning.

1. Set Clear Goals
Start by defining what success looks like. This could be mastering a maths topic or preparing for an exam, clear goals give direction and motivation. Break big objectives into smaller, achievable milestones to avoid overwhelm.

2. Create a Dedicated Study Space
Environment matters, a quiet, organized space signals to the brain that it’s time to focus. Keep distractions such as phones out of reach, and stock the area with essentials such as pens, notebooks, and water.

3. Establish a Routine
Consistency thrives on routine. Choose regular study times each day, even if they’re short. For example, 30 minutes after dinner can be more effective than sporadic long sessions. Over time, the body and mind adapt to this rhythm.

4. Use Active Learning Techniques
Passive reading rarely sticks. Instead, try summarizing notes aloud, teaching concepts to a friend, or practicing with flashcards. Active engagement strengthens memory and deepens understanding.

5. Balance Work and Rest
Breaks are not wasted time, they’re essential for productive studying. The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of study followed by a 5‑minute break) keeps energy levels high. Adequate sleep and exercise also play a huge role in retention and focus.

6. Reflect and Adjust
At the end of each week, review what worked and what didn’t. Small tweak, like shifting study times or trying new methods help refine habits until they truly stick.

By following these steps, students build routines that feel natural, reduce stress, and lead to lasting academic success. The key is patience: habits form gradually, but once established, they become powerful tools for lifelong learning.

Sophia McLean

Teaching Year 8 maths as a tutor is a constant exercise in balance: meeting students where they are, while gently showing them where they can go next. At this stage, maths is often a turning point. Concepts become more abstract, confidence can waver, and many students begin to decide whether maths is “for them.” As a tutor, my role is to slow things down, rebuild foundations, and create a space where questions are not just allowed but encouraged.

What I find most rewarding is extending capable Year 8 students into Year 9 content. Introducing ideas like algebraic manipulation, linear relationships, or early trigonometric thinking can feel daunting at first, but when framed correctly, it becomes empowering. Rather than rushing ahead, I focus on showing how new concepts grow naturally from what they already know. This helps students see maths as a connected system, not a set of random rules.

Extending students isn’t about pressure or acceleration for its own sake. It’s about building confidence, curiosity, and resilience. When a student realises they can tackle work “meant for older students,” their mindset shifts. They stop asking, “Am I good at maths?” and start asking, “What can I try next?” That shift is where real learning begins.

Avigal Holstein

In education, confusion is usually treated as a problem to eliminate as quickly as possible. Teachers re-explain, students ask for answers, and silence is often seen as failure. However, research in cognitive science suggests that productive confusion – a short, managed period of not understanding – is one of the strongest drivers of deep learning.

Productive confusion occurs when students struggle just enough to activate prior knowledge without becoming overwhelmed. During this phase, the brain is actively forming connections, testing assumptions, and identifying gaps in understanding. When clarification comes after this struggle, learning becomes more durable and transferable.

This is different from unproductive confusion, where students feel lost, anxious, or disengaged. The key difference is structure. Productive confusion is intentional and time-limited. For example, a teacher might present a challenging problem before teaching the formula, or ask students to predict an outcome before revealing the correct explanation. The discomfort is brief, but the payoff is significant.

One study in mathematics education found that students who attempted complex problems before receiving instruction performed better on later transfer tasks than students who received step-by-step guidance from the start. The initial struggle made the explanation more meaningful.

Despite this evidence, many classrooms avoid confusion entirely, often due to time pressure or fear of student frustration. As a result, students may appear to understand content in the moment but struggle to apply it independently later.

Teaching students that confusion is a normal and valuable part of learning changes this dynamic. When learners expect confusion, they are more likely to persist, ask better questions, and engage actively with material.

Productive confusion does not slow learning – it strengthens it. By allowing space for struggle before clarity, educators can help students move from memorisation to genuine understanding.

Oliver Fletcher

Homework can be one of the most debated parts of schooling. Some students race through it without thinking, others avoid it altogether and parents are often left unsure how much support to give. The truth is that homework can be incredibly valuable, but only when it is done with purpose. At First Education we often help students transform homework time from something stressful into something productive.

Effective homework is not about the amount of work but the quality of thinking it encourages. A worksheet completed quickly with little attention does not build understanding. What matters most is whether the task reinforces a skill, deepens thinking or helps students practise applying knowledge independently. When homework feels like busywork students disengage and rush just to finish. When it feels meaningful they are far more likely to take their time.

Another ingredient of effective homework is clarity. Many students struggle not because the work is too difficult but because they are unsure what the question is asking. Encouraging students to read instructions carefully, highlight key words and plan their approach can make a noticeable difference. Tutors often model these habits so students can confidently apply them on their own.

Timing also plays a role. Short, focused sessions are far more effective than long, drawn out ones. Concentration drops quickly when students are tired or frustrated, so breaking homework into smaller blocks helps maintain quality. For younger students this might mean ten to fifteen minutes at a time. For older students it might be twenty five minute intervals with short breaks in between.

A positive homework routine is just as important as the academic task itself. A calm workspace, predictable schedule and reduced distractions help students enter “study mode” more easily. When the environment supports focus, students complete work more efficiently and with a clearer head.

Most importantly, effective homework gives students a chance to practise independence. It helps them build discipline, reinforce classroom learning and track their own progress. With the right structure and support, homework becomes less of a chore and more of an opportunity to grow.

Freddie Le Vay

Using AI in tutoring sessions can be beneficial to the student but also comes with limitations.

It’s important for students and tutors to understand the benefit of using AI to further a students knowledge and application of theory so they can apply it practically. However, it’s important for them to understand the risks associated so that they don’t just rely on using AI instead of using their brains.

AI can enhance tutoring by providing instant explanations, examples, and feedback. It can give students exam styles questions and ca mark their responses and grade their response, giving them one in one personalised feedback. If a student is stuck on a math problem, AI can break down the steps clearly and patiently and ca explain each step of the solution in detail. AI can also personalize instruction by adjusting explanations to a student’s level, learning style, or pace. AI can also provide summaries of topics and quizzes.

However, there are issues with students relying too heavily on AI. AI cannot understand a student’s emotions, frustrations, or persona learning challenges. Whereas, a tutor can offer a personalised teaching environment, where they can cater to the needs of each student. They can see their students body language and signs of confusion, distraction boredom, or anxiety and they can adjust their teaching approaches accordingly, which AI cannot do. AI also risks giving oversimplified explanations and can give incorrect answers. In writing and critical-thinking tasks, students may rely on AI to provide them answers to school homework questions rather than thinking for themselves. This takes away a key part of learning. This can mean students, excessively use AI which can create dependency. Students may turn to AI to answer all their problems and to create all the solutions rather than learning critical thinking skills and developing problem-solving skills.

Overall, AI can offer many benefits to tutoring, however it also has many limitations and risks that need to be considered to prevent students from relying on it.

Ashley Cohen

Studying is often seen as something we have to do, not something we want to do. But when we look a little closer, studying actually brings a surprising number of benefits – far beyond just getting good grades. It helps shape who we are, how we think, and what kind of future we can build for ourselves.

One of the biggest advantages of studying is that it opens doors. Every new concept you learn – whether it’s a maths strategy, a historical event, or a scientific idea – adds another tool to your personal toolkit. These tools help you understand the world better and give you more choices later on. Even if you don’t know what you want to do yet, learning widely gives you the freedom to explore.

Studying also strengthens important life skills. When you practise solving problems, planning tasks, or reading complex texts, you’re training your brain to think more clearly and logically. These skills don’t just help with schoolwork – they help with making decisions, managing responsibilities, and communicating with others. In many ways, studying is like exercise for the brain: the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

Another positive side of studying is the confidence it builds. There’s something incredibly satisfying about understanding a topic you once found difficult. That moment when everything “clicks” reminds you that you’re capable of growing, improving, and handling challenges. Over time, these little wins add up and help you believe in your own ability to succeed.

Studying can even be enjoyable when you find subjects that genuinely spark your interest. Whether it’s psychology, art, science, literature, or technology, discovering what excites you can be fun and motivating. It’s often through studying that people find their passions.

Most importantly, studying shapes your future. It prepares you for opportunities, teaches you discipline, and helps you develop a curious, open-minded approach to life. While it can feel tough at times, the long-term rewards are worth the effort.

Studying isn’t just about school. It’s about personal growth, confidence, and creating possibilities. And those benefits stay with you far beyond the classroom.

Amanda Susanto

English in the primary years isn’t just another subject, it’s the foundation that shapes how children learn everything else. At this stage, students are building the core skills that support all future literacy: vocabulary, phonics, sentence structure, and the confidence to express themselves. When these early building blocks aren’t fully understood, the difficulties show up quickly and often spill into other subjects.

As students move through primary school, reading shifts from sounding out words to understanding increasingly complex ideas. A child who struggles with comprehension will feel it not only in English class but also in math word problems, science explanations, and all types of readings. Strong literacy is the pathway to accessing the whole curriculum and doing well in all subjects, both in primary and carried on into high school.

Tutoring adds value by giving children the focused attention they rarely get in a busy classroom. A tutor can slow down, target a specific skill gap, and offer immediate and tailored feedback something that is proven to speed up progress far more efficiently than general classroom instruction. This targeted support also builds confidence. When students feel capable and confident, they participate more, take academic risks, and stop avoiding reading, spelling or comphrension activities.

Mmost importantly, early support prevents long-term learning struggles. Entering secondary school or even just the grade above with weaker English skills makes every subject harder and increases stress. Addressing issues in the primary years ensures that students step into later schooling prepared rather than overwhelmed, securing academic success from a young age!

Daniella Antoun

Active learning is a great study tool which improves memory and builds deeper and longer understanding of the content. Passive learning includes reading, listening to, or writing out notes. Active learning includes making flow charts and mind maps, self-testing, and explaining concepts in your own words.

Flow charts and mind-maps are a form of active learning because it invites you to draw connections between different topics, break down a concept, and have it all in a visual format. If will also help you to identify gaps in knowledge when you struggle to see connections easily or what steps come next.

Self-testing is another effective form of active learning. Make quizzes by writing your own questions for the topics you have learnt. This makes you think critically about what is important information that could be asked and to test your knowledge of the topic. This also specifically caters to improved exam performance as you will be able to understand questions more quickly, the larger variety that you have seen and even created yourself. Furthermore, it trains your memory faster because you have to apply the knowledge rather than just repeating it to yourself.

Finally, beneficial active learning for study can come in the form of explaining a concept to someone else or yourself in simple language. This helps you to break down the concept into its most basic form, utilising logic to comprehend. Being able to explain the topic without the use of jargon means that you have built the connections that allow you to understand the topic.

Riva Burkett

I genuinely never expected the skills I’ve developed from tutoring to trickle so gracefully into the rest of my everyday life, but they have and continue to do so in ways that I am honestly really grateful for.

Patience; the first one that comes to mind. When working with someone who’s trying their best to understand something and it’s just not clicking for them, you learn to slow down, listen and try a different angle without letting emotions take over. That same patience has carried over into the rest of my life; when plans switch up at the last minute, when technology decides to stop cooperating or when a friend needs some extra time to process something. I also find myself taking things in stride far more effortlessly than I used to.

Another awesome one’s been the ability to articulate things, way more clearly. Tutoring requires us to break down complex ideas into simple, understandable pieces and to pay close attention to what someone actually needs (rather than what we assume they need)!! That habit of speaking clearly and thoughtfully has helped me heaps in conversations with loved ones, and even in quick, everyday interactions. It’s been pleasantly surprising to me just how much smoother life can become when you have the ability to express yourself in a way that makes sense (the first time)!!

Last but not least, time management (might be the most practical skill I’ve gained). Balancing different students, preparing lessons and keeping track of daily, changing schedules has taught me how to stay organized, without stressing myself out. Now, when I look at a busy day, I can prioritize and easily map out what needs to get done and actually follow through without feeling bombarded. It’s made my days feel a lot more intentional and much less scattered.

Overall, I’m very grateful. ❤️

Thomas Koutavas

Hey everyone, today I had the amazing opportunity to observe Jemima’s session.

It was great to see how friendly her student was and how well they got along. Her student was very comfortable her student felt with her!. They had a great relationship and they got along really well.

They started by going through her students homework.

They went through different types of questions to work out what the difficulty of the questions. They did some easy questions a when her student felt more confident they then moved on to do some harder questions.

They went through some practice linear regression questions. They went through the structure of each question and the key terms of the question. They went through an appropriate solution she can follow.

They looked at the online textbook and worked through the theory and then applying the theory to different types of questions. They started by doing easy questions and then they moved to some harder questions when the student felt comfortable applying the theory.

When her student got stuck, Jemima would give her student some hints to help her. If her student made an error Jemima would then explain what error she made and would then go through the correct steps her student would need to follow.

Jemima gave her student some homework, based on what they went through in the session.

Overall, Jemima did a great job helping her student. It was a great session and such a pleasure to observe. Keep it up!

Ashley Cohen