Multiple choice style tests may have a reputation for being easy, but in reality, they can be quite difficult. While there are usually one or two options which can be ruled out quickly, there tend to be minute differences, misleading tricks, or small nuances that render one answer ‘more correct’ than another, even if both are technically true! With such mental gymnastics involved, it is important to develop effective strategies for explaining to a student where they have gone wrong. One method I like to use to make the feedback process more engaging and productive is to give the student a second chance to find the correct answer.

Indicating to the student that the answer they have selected is incorrect without revealing which option they should have chosen allows them to take another look at the question. This requires them to apply their problem solving skills to consider why their original answer may have been wrong and deduce which of the remaining options is the right one. By looking at the question in a new light and with closer attention, they may notice a detail they had previously missed. Additionally, this strategy ensures that the student’s attention remains focused during the marking by having them actively participate rather than simply listening. A chance to reattempt tricky exercises makes the experience more hands-on, giving them a better chance of avoiding similar errors in the future. Finally, a ‘second chance’ also helps to uphold a positive attitude in the learning environment. Working the answer out for themselves, rather than being told, allows students to take pride in their efforts and reinforces that mistakes are a learning opportunity. Once they have found the correct answer, they can be asked to describe their reasoning. A comprehensive explanation should be given to them by the tutor, enabling the student to draw connections between this and their own process.

Ultimately, having a second attempt at multiple choice questions is a great way to maintain student focus and positivity by practicing their critical thinking and granting a sense of accomplishment.

Olivia De Araujo

One of the most powerful and underrated learning strategies doesn’t involve highlighters, flashcards or even extra homework. It’s teaching. In tutoring, we often flip the script. Instead of always explaining content to students, we ask them to explain it to us. At first, this surprises them/ “But you’re the tutor!”, they say. Exactly, which is why it works. When a student teaches a concept aloud, something shifts. They can’t behind recognition; “I remember seeing this before”. They must organise their thoughts, identify gaps in understanding and communicate clearly. If they stumble, that’s not failure, it’s feedback. It shows exactly where the confusion lies.

This method, strengthens memory and deepens comprehension. Explaining how to solve an equation, analyse a quote or apply a legal principle forces the brain to move beyond memorisation into mastery. We see it all the time. A student who struggles to write structured essays suddenly gains clarity after explaining the paragraph structure step-by-step. A maths student who feels unsure becomes more confident after walking through a solution aloud. By the end, they often say, “Wait, that actually makes sense now”. Teaching also build confidence. When students realise they can clearly articulate a concept, their self-belief grows. They stop seeing themselves as passive recipients of information and start seeing themselves as capable thinkers. Parents can encourage this at home too. Ask your child to “teach” you a concept they learned that day. It doesn’t matter if you understand the subject, what matters is that they practice explaining it. At its core, tutoring isn’t about dependence. It’s about empowerment. When students can teach the material themselves, they’re no longer just preparing for the next test, they’re building skills that last well beyond the classroom.

Isabella Naumovski

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on another tutoring strategy that has significantly influenced the way I support students, which is the gradual release model, or “I do, we do, you do.” While it sounds straightforward, this structured approach creates a powerful pathway from confusion to independence.
The gradual release model begins with clear demonstration. In the “I do” phase, I model how to approach a question while verbalising my thinking. Instead of just showing steps, I explain why I’m choosing them, for example, why this formula applies, why this paragraph needs deeper analysis, or why this method is more efficient. Students aren’t just watching a solution unfold, but they are also learning the decision-making behind it.
Next comes the “we do” phase, which is where collaboration takes centre stage. Here, the student and I solve a similar problem together. I might prompt them with questions or invite them to suggest the next step, stepping in only when necessary. This shared responsibility builds a sense of safety. Mistakes become part of the process rather than something to avoid.
Finally, the “you do” phase shifts ownership fully to the student. They attempt a task independently while I observe and provide targeted feedback. By this stage, they’re not starting from scratch; they’ve seen the strategy in action and practised it with support. The gradual reduction of guidance ensures they feel prepared rather than overwhelmed.
What makes this method so effective is its balance. It prevents students from becoming overly reliant on constant help, while also ensuring they’re never left unsupported too soon. Over time, I’ve noticed students approach new challenges with greater confidence, knowing they have a framework to rely on.

Katreen Diab

Not often do we engage in discourse surrounding rest when learning or studying, even though it is such an important part of the learning process. In a culture that celebrates hustle and productivity, rest is often framed as a reward. It is often framed as something we “earn” after hours of hard work. We glorify all-nighters, marathon study sessions, and jam packed schedules, yet rarely do we talk about one of the most powerful learning tools available to us…. and that is rest.

Learning is not just about input. Real learning happens when the brain processes and consolidates information, which mostly occurs during periods of rest.
Sleep, in particular, plays a critical role in memory consolidation. While you sleep, the brain organises and strengthens neural connections formed throughout the day. But rest isn’t limited to sleep. Short breaks during study sessions improve focus, creativity, and retention. The brain thrives on cycles of effort and recovery. Stepping away allows the mind to reset, preventing burnout and mental fatigue. It’s highly beneficial in the long run!

Rest also reduces stress. When we’re overwhelmed, our ability to absorb and recall information diminishes. Intentional downtime, whether that’s a walk, light stretching, or simply sitting quietly helps regulate stress hormones and restore clarity.

But most importantly, rest fosters long-term sustainability. Learning is not a sprint; it’s a lifelong journey. Without rest, can motivation erode. Therefore, rest is an integral part of effective learning!

Jessica Ciappara

Starting a new tutoring year requires structure, not just motivation. Clear systems and boundaries prevent overload and ensure both students and tutors perform consistently.

1. Organise all commitments in one calendar.
Map out university classes, assessment due dates, work shifts, and tutoring sessions in a single planner. Identify peak assessment weeks early and avoid overbooking. Treat tutoring hours as fixed commitments.

2. Set expectations in the first session.
Establish session structure, homework routines, communication guidelines, and academic goals immediately. Clarity at the beginning reduces confusion, inconsistency, and unnecessary follow-up later.

3. Standardise resources.
Develop reusable templates: essay scaffolds, feedback sheets, marking rubrics, and study planners. Structured resources improve efficiency and maintain quality while reducing preparation time during busy academic periods.

4. Schedule protected study time.
Block out non-negotiable personal study hours before accepting additional tutoring sessions. Long-term academic performance should not be compromised by short-term workload increases.

5. Maintain professional boundaries.
Respond to parent and student communication within set hours. Avoid over-editing or rewriting student work. It’s important to always recognise that our role is to develop skills and independence, not to produce outcomes on a student’s behalf.

Toby Bower

Homework is a universally hated part of learning for many students. The thought of additional work is almost always dreaded but homework is one of the most effective ways to solidify a students learning into memory.

Homework allows students to revisit something they have recently learnt and practice it. This forces the brain to recall the memory of learning it and reinforces the neurological pathway between the memory and the application of it allowing the student to remember it more efficiently next time. The strengthening of the neural pathway is what makes the task seem easier after they have practiced. Spaced out studying and homework is the most efficient way to strengthen the pathway as it allows the memory to temporarily be ‘shelved’ before being retrieved again and homework is a task that allows this to process to occur.

Homework also allows students to identify their own personal learning gaps and understand what information they know very well and what they need to work on. This independent identification may be frustrating at the time but it helps build resilience within the student and strengthens their ability to learn and solve problems independently. These problem solving skills are often required for the student to build confidence in their knowledge as it allows them to work through challenging tasks without much assistance. When a student struggles with homework learning strategies to help themselves work the question out can be the most beneficial type of learning. These strategies and skills can range from working backwards from the answer to revisiting past questions and can all help significantly in allowing learning independence to form. Learning how to learn can be one of the most challenging things a student needs to learn but it is the most beneficial.

Homework is often the most effective tool for reinforcing recently learned skills and content as well as checking the student understanding. Although it may feel like a burden on the student the few extra hours spent throughout a week revisiting similar types of questions can significantly improve the students overall understanding and their ability to apply content effectively.

Olivia Moustakis

Recently, I’ve been thinking about a tutoring strategy that has reshaped the way I work with students, which is retrieval practice. Unlike methods that focus heavily on re-reading notes or reviewing worked examples, retrieval practice centres on actively pulling information out of memory. Although it sounds simple, it completely changes how students engage with what they’ve learned. Retrieval practice is built on the idea that memory is strengthened when it is used consistently. Instead of asking students to look back over their notes, I’ll close the book and ask them to explain a concept in their own words, list key steps in a process, or answer a few low-stakes questions from memory. At first, this can feel uncomfortable. Students often say, “I know this, I just can’t remember it right now.” But that slight struggle is actually where the learning happens.

During sessions, I incorporate short, regular retrieval moments. For example, we might begin by recalling what we covered last week before moving forward. Sometimes I ask students to write down everything they remember about a topic in two minutes. Other times, I’ll mix old and new questions together so they have to distinguish between similar ideas. This prevents learning from becoming too narrow or short-lived.
What makes retrieval practice so powerful is that it builds durable understanding. Students begin to realise that remembering isn’t about recognising information on a page, but about being able to produce it independently. Over time, their confidence grows because they can see clear evidence of progress. They’re not just following steps in the moment; they’re developing knowledge they can access when it truly counts, whether in exams or in future learning.

Katreen Diab

Today I observed Thomas’ lesson with his stage 6 student Kosta. This was an excellent lesson to observe as Thomas was highly attentive to Kosta’s needs in order to maximise his understanding of the topic. To start, Thomas set a relaxed environment by engaging in some casual conversation whilst setting up for the session. He then began by gauging Kosta’s current position in maths and what he needed help with for the session. They decided on financial maths, where Thomas made sure to first figure out exactly where he stood with this topic. He explained the key terms extensively in a catered way that made sense to this specific student. The impact of this part of the session was powerful and had a clearly immediate impact that pushed Kosta in the right direction straight away. Thomas continued working through example questions on the board where he successfully broke down the key information as much as necessary, starting with a demonstration and explanation of the formulae needed for the questions. Kosta followed along swiftly as the questions were explained and worked out smoothly with precise technique. Something notable about Thomas’ teaching style is the unique way he sets out his working on the board where he employs various marker colours and draws different shapes to emphasise the different components of each question and answer. This is a fantastic way to help students separate key information and is something I will definitely adopt within my own teaching style as it proves to be a very effective strategy. As the lesson continued, Thomas also made sure to show Kosta how to properly enter complex working out into the scientific calculator in order to produce the correct answer as this is prevalent issue in stage 6 maths. Overall, this was a really great lesson to observe, and I learned a lot from Thomas’ teaching.

Jenna Freed

There’s a beautiful irony I’ve watched play out with almost every student I’ve ever worked with. They come to me wanting to feel more confident — in exams, in class, when someone puts them on the spot. And almost universally, their instinct is to cover more ground, faster. Get through more practice questions. Move on. Keep moving.

What they don’t realise is that the very thing they’re rushing past is the thing that would give them what they’re looking for.

When I slow a student down and ask them to really sit with a concept — not just recognise it, but explain it back to me in their own words, pull it apart, question why it works — there’s almost always a moment of resistance. It feels inefficient to them. Indulgent, even. Like we’re spending time on something they already “kind of get” when there are harder things waiting.

But that discomfort is the work. That friction of genuinely not being sure you understand something, and then pushing through until you do — that’s where confidence is actually made. Not in the performance of knowing, but in the experience of having truly figured something out.

The rush to move forward usually comes from anxiety. And anxiety, I’ve found, is almost always a signal that the foundations are shakier than the student wants to admit. Covering new material feels like progress, but it’s often just building higher on ground that hasn’t been settled. Eventually, something wobbles.

When a student finally lets themselves go deep on the basics — really deep — something shifts. They start answering questions before I finish asking them. They stop second-guessing. The confidence they were chasing by moving fast turns out to have been waiting for them all along, just underneath the surface of the thing they were so eager to skip.

Thea Macarthur-Lassen

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