Annabelle Molloy

In any learning environment, students bring more than just their academic challenges, they bring their emotions, experiences, and personal struggles. As educators and tutors, it’s important to recognise when a student is upset or sad and respond with empathy and understanding.

Not all students openly express their emotions. Some may become withdrawn, less engaged, or struggle with tasks they’d usually complete with ease. Others might show frustration, impatience, or even resist participating. Noticing these subtle shifts is the first step in providing support. A student who feels emotionally safe is more likely to open up. Small gestures, like offering a quiet moment before starting the lesson or asking how their day is going, can make a big difference. If they do share, listen without interrupting or rushing to solve their problem. Sometimes, they just need to be heard.

If a student is struggling emotionally, pushing too hard academically may backfire. Adjusting the session’s pace or incorporating a more relaxed, low-pressure activity can help them regain focus. A short break, breathing exercises, or even discussing an unrelated topic can help reset their mindset. While it’s important to be compassionate, it’s equally crucial to help students develop coping skills. Encouraging self-reflection, problem-solving, or even discussing strategies for managing stress can equip them with tools for future challenges.

Ultimately, showing kindness and patience can make a lasting impact. Even if you can’t solve their problem, knowing they have support can help students feel valued and understood.

Allegra Pezzullo

Charlie, the tutor, and Max, the student, are working through trigonometry. They are covering a plethora of topics – including graphing sine, cosine, and tangent functions, tweaking them with dilations and shifts. There’s also differentiation, specifically the reverse chain rule, and also integration – working towards calculating the area between two trigonometric functions.

Charlie’s able to strike a balance between being confident, whilst avoiding condescension in his teaching. He has an ability to break down what initially seems like intimidating, complex problems into a manner that’s easy to follow. They work through the problems together, and if Max happens to make a mistake – Charlie quickly catches it, pointing it out with a polite correction. The enthusiasm is clear, it’s clear Charlie hasn’t simply just memorised the content and begrudgingly relays facts; he enjoys it.

Max is clearly a hardworking kind of student who puts in the effort. He listens carefully, asks questions when something isn’t clear, and applies himself to the problems they tackle. This is what makes tutoring sessions the most beneficial for the students. He has a few questions from his holiday homework, mostly about trig identities and integrating complex functions. Charlie walks him through the steps, making sure he understands not just the “how” but the “why.”

Despite the heavy amount of work that has to be gone through, they keep a steady pace, keeping it efficient but definitely not rushed to a point where information and understanding is lost. There’s an ease to the lesson. By the end of the session, Max seems more confident, his grasp on the material stronger. Math might be challenging, but the more you learn about it the more it seems like something worth figuring out.

Oliver Fletcher

HSC preparation is difficult… everyone knows that. With final marks directly impacting the university admissions, the pressure to perform well is immense. While schools provide structured lessons, many students turn to individualized tutoring to refine their skills, deepen their understanding, and develop the confidence needed to excel in their exams.

Each HSC subject presents unique difficulties, making a tailored tutoring approach extremely helpful. In English, students must master essay writing, textual analysis, and argument construction. Many struggle with structuring responses effectively or expressing ideas clearly, and a tutor can provide targeted feedback to improve these skills. Mathematics requires strong problem-solving abilities, and while school lessons cover the syllabus, additional tutoring allows students to work through complex problems at their own pace, reinforcing their understanding. Subjects like the sciences and humanities demand both conceptual knowledge and memorization, and tutoring can help students develop active recall strategies, create structured study plans, and engage in effective revision techniques.

Beyond content mastery, exam technique plays a crucial role in achieving strong HSC results, an aspect of the course which schools often neglect. Many students find themselves running out of time in their exams, struggling to complete extended responses or multiple-choice questions efficiently. Tutors help students refine their exam strategy by practicing timed responses, identifying areas of weakness, and teaching them how to approach different question types strategically. Learning to manage time effectively can significantly improve a student’s ability to maximize their marks under exam conditions.

The HSC is not just academically demanding but also mentally exhausting. Stress and burnout are common, particularly as exams approach. A tutor provides structure and support, helping students stay motivated and manage their workload effectively. Regular feedback, encouragement, and guidance can make a significant difference in reducing anxiety and building confidence. With the right preparation and support, students can approach their exams feeling in control, knowing they have done everything possible to achieve their best results.

Freddie Le Vay

One significant tutoring that I have been working on improving is using simple concepts to explain more complex ideas. For example, when explaining how to add fractions containing algebra, I ask the student to explain how they would add normal fractions (not containing any algebra) and write down the theory and the steps that they took. Using what they have explained, I simply add on the additional layer which helps them to problem solve and make connections about the reason behind the processes.

Similarly, I have been working on using analogies that my students would use in their everyday life. For example, when explaining how to subtract two negatives or how to move along the number line, I will say something like ‘It is currently negative 2 degrees and tomorrow it will be 3 degrees colder, what temperature will it be?” since sometimes this is an easier way for students to visualise the situation. Once they understand, I will explain it by going back to the number line and explain how to move along it.

Essentially, I have found it highly useful to lead the student to explain the step below what they wish to learn, and then help them to make the connections on how to get to the next step based on their previous knowledge. I find that this allows for a deeper understanding of the topic and allows it to stick in their mind more as they are not rote-learning.

Riva Burkett

Today I observed a session with Sophie’s Year 8 Maths/English student where they focused on revision for his upcoming assessments.

She firstly focused on his English assessment which was due the next day. This involved an oral presentation. Sophie advised her student on how to summarise his key points on his presentation slides so it looks more appealing and then have a longer speech written on his flashcards. She also helped her student with how to include an introduction to his presentation. I also liked how she helped him cut down big chunks of text into dot points so it is easier for the audience to read.

After that Sophie focused on preparation for his maths test at the end of the week. They firstly went through a topic test that his school provided him with as revision. I like how she made sure to focus on practice for both multiple choice and short answer questions. Another thing I liked that Sophie did was to not allow her student to look back at his maths book when they were doing practice exam questions as he wouldn’t have his book during his school test. Sophie also provided her student with enough time to express his thought process for each question and led him on the right track without giving the answer away. If her student was stuck when first answering a question, Sophie would help her student with what process he would have to use then once he understood what steps he would need to take she let him work through it by himself.

I thought Sophie did a great job during this lesson! Especially since she helped her student prepare for multiple upcoming assessments which helped to build his confidence in himself during his assessment. Welldone Sophie!!

Sophia McLean

When we think of tutoring, we often focus on the content of Maths, English, history etc. But one of the most powerful and overlooked elements in tutoring is building support. The truth is, a strong tutor student relationship can be the key to unlocking a student’s full potential, far beyond the confines of textbooks or lesson plans.

Rapport isn’t just about being friendly, but it’s about creating an environment where the student feels seen, understood and respected. For many students, the idea of tutoring can feel intimidating or even like a sign of weakness. But when a tutor takes the time to connect on a personal level, these barriers break down. When a student feels safe in their learning space, they’re far more likely to open up, ask questions and engage with the material more deeply.

For example, a student who struggles with Maths but is afraid to ask questions in class out of fear of being judged. In a one on one tutoring setting, a tutor who has built trust can make all the difference. By fostering a non judgmental and supportive environment, the student may feel comfortable enough to admit they’re having difficulty and start the journey toward understanding. In these moments, it’s not just the content being taught that matter but the emotional safety that allows the student to thrive.

Moreover, support isn’t just about soft skills but it has tangible academic benefits. When a tutor takes the time to understand a student’s learning style, interests, and even personal challenges, they can tailor their teaching methods more effectively. A lesson that resonates emotionally will stick, and when students feel personally connected to what they’re learning, they’re more likely to retain information and develop a deeper understanding.

In the end, the power of support in tutoring is often the invisible thread that ties everything together. It’s the foundation upon which trust is built and it can turn a simple tutoring session into an inspiring and transformative experience. By focusing not only on academic growth by on emotional connection, tutors can guide students to succeed, not just in school but in life.

Isabella Naumovski

Today I observed Petros’s session with his Year 9 maths student. They started by going through his school homework of going through standard deviation. I liked how Petros would ask leading questions to his student when going through a question so that he was not giving the answer away but rather allowing his student to reach it with some assistance. Petros also went through a few different ways of figuring out a question which is great as some people prefer using different methods to others.

I also liked how Petros asked his student for a definition or description of standard deviation so that he had an idea of what exactly it is that he was finding in his questions. When his student was struggling to put a definition in words, Petros provided him with one and asked him to summarise it in his own words which I thought was a good idea.

When his student was making a mistake or getting off the right track when answering a question, I liked how Petros would allow him to figure out where he went wrong by himself and then fix that error. Petros ensured that his student understood each question they were working through by asking follow up questions. When it was time for Petros to give his student homework to complete for the next lesson, I liked how he briefly went over the questions and advised him on how to answer them. This was good as it ensures that his student will be able to complete the questions by himself when he doesn’t have Petros’ assistance at home.

It was a really great session to observe. Well done Petros!!

Sophia McLean

As parents, it is only natural to be worried about their engagement both inside and outside of tutoring lessons. Many students will be very engaged and enthusiastic in their sessions until it is time to go home and listen to their parents to do their tutoring work or school homework and they are resistant.

One effective strategy to overcome this is to establish a consistent weekly routine that is easy for both students and parents to follow. I recommend a visible weekly schedule where both tutoring work and regular work can have allocated time slots; such as having a weekly chart on the fridge. By doing this, children can track their responsibilities while simultaneously developing a sense of structure and accountability. The key here is to make the routine clear, predictable and a natural part of the household environment, but also including any other regular events such as sporting games and family events that are intertwined with the child’s academic commitments.

This approach helps to maintain the flow of enthusiasm inside the sessions to the follow-through required for doing the work set at home, as the child will understand when it is time to focus on each task. In doing so, it makes it easier for both parents and children to stay on the same page and erases any possible mix-ups of when work is to be done.

Having a dedicated routine helps children to develop a sense of independence and maturity by not having to be told when to do their homework. When they can visibly see their tasks clearly labelled in front of them, it provides a structure and routine to follow. It also helps parents to stay involved in the process and to keep track of the work their child is doing so they can highlight to their tutor where they may need extra help without appearing as overbearing to their children.

At the end of the day, a clear and consistent weekly routine can help to create a sense of accountability and independence that ensures students stay engaged and on track with their academic responsibilities without feeling frustrated or less-inclined to disagree with parent’s constant homework reminders.

Sarah Constantinidis

I remember when I was doing my HSC and what it was like before entering an exam. Sometimes it was exciting!! An opportunity to show off your knowledge and preparation on a subject you’re passionate about, and get that good mark. A lot of the time though it’s stressful. Like all of your worth is determined on that one test. Like the whole weight of the world rests on your shoulders. This was especially so for subjects I struggled with, like English for instance.

It’s easy to let this feeling overwhelm you. Overcome you, even. It’s easy to let this feeling mess you up. That’s why it’s important to know how to manage stress, especially right before an exam. There’s many things you can do (that I know have helped me) to ensure you can battle this stress head on and come out of the exam feeling like you’ve done well – or, at least, the best you could have done. Here are my top three:

1. Ensuring a good nights sleep and decent breakfast on the morning of.

Your brain is like a muscle – this is a pretty common analogy, but this doesn’t make it any less true. Your brain is constantly in use, and NEEDS rest from all the things that happened the day before. A good nights sleep and a decent breakfast the day before/day of ensures that your brain is feeling fresh and calm. A good breakfast will only help this further. Your brain needs nutrients and energy and will perform better with a decent breakfast.

It’s said that prevention is the best cure, and this is very much a preventative measure for stress relief – it is something that you can only do as a step to prepare for the stress of exams. Making this a habit is vital.

2. Go for a walk

This method is so good because you can do it basically anywhere, anytime. All it requires is putting down your phone (maybe having some calm music on if that helps), going for a short stroll, and taking some deep breaths. It pays off to clear the mind, and deep breathing is an amazing strategy for this. Doing this in nature is doubly as beneficial (majority of HSC exams are early in the morning – take advantage of this and go for a walk, take in the fresh air and morning sun, admire the jacarandas and chirping birds etc).

3. Talk to a mate

Sometimes it gets really hard to calm down. Maybe it’s 15 minutes before your exam and you’re cramming notes last second. One thing you could do, is you could take some deep breaths, and ask a good mate for help. They’ll always be there for you, and words of encouragement can go a long way.

Zac Markovina