– Using worksheets and colouring to keep students’ attention
– Relating work to sutdents’ interests, i.e world cup
– Using a game of uno/spot it halfway to reward the student
– Keep conversation flowing to understand the student better, their personal interests
– Use game + different subject activities to keep things interesting
– Help student wth words by sounding them out
– Focused on sounding out new words and learning grammar by putting these newly learnt words into sentences
– Did some readings to see these new words in context, as well as images of the words
– Practiced maths by doing addition problems
– Use spot it game to check homework and organise work for the next part of the session
– Read alternating sentences with the student to keep them engaged as they get more tired, and then confirm by rereading the text as a whole
– Ask comprehension qs about the text to ensure the student has understood
– Practiced counting in 2s on the whiteboard, getting the student to write himself, then addition and subtraction with single digits
– Give subtraction h/w at the end to make sure the students’ understanding is sound

James Pinto

Often, students assume that academic performance is directly correlated with the amount of time spent studying. This dangerous assumption commonly ends in early burnout and an overwhelmed brain. Whilst persistent effort is undeniably important and a large contributing factor to a good result, sacrificing sleep, social life and exercise can often do more harm than good.

When a student makes time for regular exercise such as the gym or weekly jogs they regulate stress and improve their concentration and of course, their physical health. Similar, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule of around 7-8 hours plays a vital role in focus and memory retention. It has been shown that the average focus time is only around 50 minutes at a time meaning that a students who takes advantage of short consistent breaks will benefit more than a student who attempts to maintain focus for prolonged periods of time. The school system supports this by making the average class about 50 – 55 minutes so that students are able to absorb information throughout the entire duration of teaching.

Socialising is another factor that plays a prominent role in mental health. When a student distances themselves from their peers in order to dedicate more time to studying they actively prolong their stress through isolation and don’t allow for a proper mental recharge. It’s important that students actively engage in frequent social activities in order to maintain perspective. Talking to peers reminds students that they aren’t alone in their struggles and that setbacks are a normal part of the learning process. Having a positive support network can be extremely beneficial during stressful study periods.

Conclusively, academic success is more than just putting in hours upon hours of study. A student will often find themselves performing to a higher standard when they are ensuring they maintain a balance between rest, study, exercise and social life. Sometimes the best way to study is to rest.

Deuchar Dezarnaulds

Tutoring isn’t just about explaining maths problems or helping with study notes it’s also about learning. While I’ve helped many students grow in confidence and skill, I’ve learned just as much from the experience myself.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that every student learns differently. Some need visual explanations, others need to talk things through, and many need time to make mistakes and work it out for themselves. As a tutor, I’ve learned to adapt, listen carefully, and meet students where they are not where the textbook says they should be.

I’ve also come to appreciate the power of small, consistent effort. The students who make the most progress aren’t always the fastest or most naturally gifted, they’re the ones who show up regularly, ask questions, and try even when it’s tough. That’s a lesson I think we can all learn from: progress comes from persistence.

Another insight is how important confidence is in learning. Many students don’t struggle because they can’t do the work — they struggle because they’ve convinced themselves they can’t. Part of my job is helping them shift that mindset. When students start believing in their ability to improve, the results quickly follow.

And finally, tutoring has reminded me that learning should feel human. It’s not just about ticking boxes or memorising facts. It’s about growth, curiosity, connection — and sometimes, just needing someone to believe in you.

So whether you’re a student or a tutor, remember this: learning is a two-way street. We all have something to teach and something to learn.

Julian Podgornik

Determining the “hardest” sport depends on how you define difficulty, physical demands, mental toughness, technical skill, or a combination of all three. However, many athletes, scientists, and sports analysts consistently point to a few contenders, with boxing and gymnastics frequently topping the list. Boxing is often cited as the hardest sport for good reason. It demands an extraordinary combination of cardiovascular endurance, strength, speed, agility, and mental resilience. A boxer must simultaneously attack and defend while absorbing punishment, all while managing fatigue across multiple rounds. The mental fortitude required to continue fighting when exhausted and in pain is almost unparalleled. ESPN’s sports science rankings placed boxing at the top of their difficulty index when factoring in multiple athletic attributes.

Gymnastics rivals boxing in overall difficulty. Gymnasts spend years, often beginning in early childhood, mastering skills that push the human body to its absolute limits. The sport demands elite flexibility, explosive power, balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, all performed under intense competitive pressure. The margin for error is razor thin; a fraction of a second’s mistiming can mean the difference between a gold medal and a fall.
Other strong contenders include swimming, which tests near every muscle group with relentless cardio demands, water polo, which combines swimming endurance with physical contact and tactical thinking, and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), which requires mastery across multiple fighting disciplines simultaneously.

What makes a sport truly “hard” is ultimately subjective. A decathlete would argue that competing across ten disciplines is unmatched. A cyclist grinding through the Tour de France would disagree entirely. What’s clear is that elite athletes in every sport push human capability to extraordinary levels. The hardest sport may simply be whichever one you dedicate your life to mastering.

Evan Mihail

I’d like to consider myself as someone who does not get bored easily, if at all. My dad told me when I was younger that only boring people get bored, and since then I’ve strove to always occupy my mind in some way, whether it be making up some sort of game in my head or striking up a new conversation with someone or following an engaging train of thought. But recently I have been realising that maybe being bored isn’t always a bad thing. I was attempting to write a short answer essay question, and I would find a really strong flow, but after only a couple minutes I would be distracted, picking at my nails or remembering something I meant to look up yesterday and googling it.

This was a frustrating realisation because I don’t want to admit short-form media and the uptick in instant gratification has had that large of an effect on me, because normally I love sitting down and writing something dedicatedly for a good amount of time. But that made me think that I haven’t read more than 15 pages of a book in one sitting and haven’t felt restless, like I could or even should be doing something else with my time. And maybe that’s because my reading time has been reduced to snatches before bed and on busses to uni, but reading in these recent moments is mainly a source of distraction on my way to somewhere else. I could just be in a transitional moment where my mind feels like it’s sending tendrils of thought down so many avenues which is resulting in a reduced attention span as there are so many things to occupy it, and it could also be that I am simply out of practice of writing critical analysis. Regardless of the root cause, it’s a good reminder to take some time and intentionally sit down with a book, and only a book, no tea or music, and sit in the moment to retrain my attention span and experiment with being bored.

Adelaide McGlothlin

This evening I had the pleasure of watching Annabelle tutor little Taylor!! Taylor is in Kindergarten and together, they worked on Maths and English.Annabelle did a wonderful job of keeping Taylor on task while using her iPad. We all know how easy it can be to get sidetracked while trying to focus on work – now imagine as a 6 year old!! Bright colours and infinite buttons to click on… Annabelle did a great job to make sure she was always looking at the screen while Taylor was clicking away at her activities, ensuring she always remained on task and got the absolute most out of her time at tutoring.

While going through addition and subtraction, Annabelle made great use of her surroundings – grabbing different coloured pencils to help Taylor fully understand how “adding” and “taking away” works. Annabelle also constantly checked in with Taylor, especially when she was giving her final answers, asking her questions like “are you sure?” and “why don’t we try that again?” whenever she was slightly missing the mark.

Her tone was also very encouraging and praising – it was clear to me that Taylor felt encouraged on enthusiastic the whole time, and was always keen to have another go whenever she got an answer wrong. Little Taylor also loved going through her thinking process out loud!! This was also really encouraging to watch, as it allowed Annabelle to stay on track with her student’s thinking train and intervene whenever necessary to ensure that she didn’t get too far off track and derail herself completely.Annabelle also did amazing to sense whenever Taylor was becoming restless, and encouraged her to take water breaks whenever she felt like she needed to. (Many times, we link time spent on a task with quality of work done, but rarely is this the case – especially with little kids. Much better to take shorter, more frequent breaks to allow for higher efficiency bursts of learning, instead of a long and dragged out session full of restlessness and day dreaming!!)

Really great stuff!! Thanks Annabelle 😀

Thomas Koutavas

This evening I had the pleasure of watching Annabelle tutor Year 4 Maths!! Tonight, Olivia wanted to work through converting units of measurement. Annabelle immediately began printing worksheets for them to work on together, asking Olivia about how she’s approached the topic so far in class in order to gauge where exactly they should begin from.

Annabelle began by making sure that Olivia knew how to read scales correctly, using the increments shown in the images on the worksheets to guide Olivia into reading differently displayed mesurements of weight correctly. They moved slowly, and Annabelle did great to affirm Olivia as she moved through each example, especially when she answered correctly.

Following this, they began actually converting units of mass – without a calculator! Annabelle showed Olivia some really nice mental shortcuts to make the process a lot smoother and easier – when multiplying a whole number by a magnitude of 10, for example, simply adding the amount of zeros in the multiplier to the number being multiplied in order to get the final answer. Olivia caught on super quick!

They then moved on to multiplying decimals by large numbers, where Annabelle showed Olivia yet another really neat way to get to the answer – creating a rainbow for every zero in the multiplier and moving the decimal from its original place to the point where the final rainbow ends.

After converting larger units to smaller ones for a little while longer, Annabelle switched their focus to converting smaller units into bigger ones. This ensured that Olivia was comfortable converting units both ways and understood why we multiply when converting to a smaller unit, and divide when we’re converting to a bigger one.

I wanted to emphasise Annabelle’s encouraging tone and demeanour for the entirety of the session!! It was clear that it made Olivia feel really comfortable in attempting every question – even if it meant making a mistake, because she could feel that she was in the prescence of someone who cared more about her understanding the material than in getting every question right, every single time.

Thomas Koutavas

A successful learning journey is built on more than just academic knowledge, it thrives on trust. Establishing a strong, trusting relationship between the student, tutor, and parent creates a supportive environment where everyone works together towards the same goal: the student’s success.
For students, trust is essential. When they feel comfortable with their tutor, they are more likely to ask questions, admit when they don’t understand something, and take on new challenges without fear of judgement. This confidence helps them become more engaged in their learning and encourages a positive attitude towards education.

Tutors also benefit from building trusting relationships with parents. Open and honest communication allows tutors to provide regular updates on progress, celebrate achievements, and discuss any areas where additional support may be needed. Parents gain confidence knowing their child is receiving personalised guidance from someone who genuinely cares about their development.

When parents, tutors, and students work together, they create a team focused on helping the student reach their full potential. Parents can reinforce learning at home, tutors can tailor lessons to meet individual needs, and students feel supported by the adults around them. This collaborative approach often leads to improved academic performance, greater motivation, and increased self-esteem.

Trust is built over time through consistency, reliability, and mutual respect. By listening carefully, setting clear expectations, and maintaining open communication, tutors can create lasting relationships that extend beyond academic success.

Ultimately, education is about more than grades. It’s about helping young people develop confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. A trusting partnership between students, tutors, and parents lays the foundation for these qualities, ensuring every learner has the support they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Lewin Fairbairn

English tutoring is one of the most rewarding experiences because it allows you to make a real difference in a student’s confidence, skills, and academic success. While improving grades is always a positive outcome, the benefits of English tutoring often extend far beyond the classroom.

One of the most satisfying aspects of tutoring English is watching students grow in confidence. Many students approach English feeling nervous about essay writing, text analysis, or speaking in class. They often believe they are “bad at English” simply because they struggle to organise their ideas or express themselves clearly. Through regular tutoring sessions, students begin to develop the skills and strategies they need to succeed. Seeing a student go from doubting their abilities to confidently discussing a text or writing a strong essay is incredibly rewarding.

English tutoring is also enjoyable because every student is different. Some students love reading but struggle with writing, while others have excellent ideas but need help structuring them effectively. This variety means that no two tutoring sessions are ever the same. Tutors have the opportunity to tailor lessons to individual learning styles, interests, and goals, making the teaching process both creative and engaging.

Another reason English tutoring is so fulfilling is that the skills being taught are valuable for life. Strong communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills are important not only in school but also in university, the workplace, and everyday situations. When tutors help students learn how to express their ideas clearly and think more deeply about the world around them, they are providing skills that will benefit them for years to come.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of all is building positive relationships with students. As trust develops, students become more willing to ask questions, take risks, and challenge themselves. Being able to support them through their academic journey and celebrate their achievements alongside them creates a genuine sense of accomplishment. For these reasons, English tutoring is not only a valuable educational service but also an incredibly rewarding and meaningful experience.

Lara Venn Jones

Teaching my students to use AI properly to assist their studies can be very beneficial, especially when working on their depth studies / reports and for marking/solving past exam answers.

Regarding depth studies, this usually involves constructing a practical investigation which involves a lot of steps including choosing a topic / planning the whole method/equipment/quantities, doing calculations, analysing results, etc etc. AI can be very useful in this process by bouncing off ideas of what exactly is feasible to perform in classroom setup and time frame.

In addition, using these LLMs as a grader once the student is already finsihed a draft of the report (when LLM is given the Marking guidelines as well as context that the task is for Year 12 NSW HSC) can help significantly at finding calculation errors in their work, as well as sections that are maybe missing information or not explained very well which the students should use to then improve their own work.

Also for depth studies/reports I notice students usually lose marks in their discussion especially when talking about validity, reliability and accuracy, as their answers are too general. AI can help students check whether they have discussed all the main key points and students can ask, “Have I explained how this improves accuracy?” or “What else should I mention for reliability?”

AI also is a great help with referencing, both finding sources as well as formatting references, and most students dont get taught at school how to reference so this can save them a lot of time, as long as they are cautious to check the final references themselves to make sure they were not fabricated.
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Finally for exams they are especially useful as graders of students answers to short answer and long response questions, where students a lot of time are not sure if theyve covered everything / answered well enough, even after looking at marking guidelines

Emanuel Kapodistrias