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

Being a tutor is one of the most empowering experiences I’ve ever had. There’s something uniquely fulfilling about helping someone understand a concept that once seemed out of reach. It’s not just about explaining information—it’s about making that information click and helping students see their own potential.

The process of teaching requires a deep understanding of the material, which has made me appreciate my own knowledge on a new level. When you’re responsible for explaining a topic, whether it’s math, economics, legal studies, or business studies, you have to break things down in a way that’s clear and accessible. This challenges me to think creatively about how to communicate complex ideas in simple terms. It’s an intellectually rewarding process that sharpens my own understanding while I help others build theirs.

What makes tutoring so empowering is watching students transform before your eyes. The shift from confusion to clarity, from uncertainty to confidence, is incredibly rewarding. When a student finally grasps a difficult concept, their pride and excitement are contagious, and that moment of understanding is a shared victory. Knowing that I played a part in that growth is incredibly fulfilling.

It’s also empowering to see the long-term impact that tutoring can have. Beyond just helping with immediate assignments or exams, I’m helping students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving strategies, and a deeper understanding of the world around them. I’m giving them tools they can use long after they leave my sessions.

Ultimately, tutoring is not just about imparting knowledge—it’s about empowering students to believe in themselves, to take ownership of their learning, and to feel capable of tackling challenges head-on. There’s nothing more fulfilling than watching that transformation happen.

Nabil Harrar

Sophie’s tutoring session went exceptionally well, with a strong focus on ensuring the student gained a clear and confident understanding of the topic of surds in mathematics. From the beginning of the session, Sophie demonstrated a well-structured and thoughtful approach. She began by clearly outlining all the fundamental rules of surds, including how to simplify them, rationalise denominators, and operate with both like and unlike surds. Her explanations were clear, concise, and tailored to the student’s current level of understanding, which helped create a supportive learning environment.

Throughout the session, Sophie consistently checked in with the student to make sure they were keeping up with the content. Rather than simply presenting information, she encouraged active engagement by asking purposeful questions that tested comprehension. This allowed her to identify any areas of confusion early and clarify them in real time, ensuring the student remained on the front foot and did not fall behind.

What stood out was Sophie’s ability to encourage the student to think independently and apply the rules in a variety of contexts. By using a range of examples and providing opportunities for the student to attempt questions on their own, she built their confidence and understanding. Sophie patiently guided the student through each step when needed, reinforcing key concepts and celebrating their progress.

The session concluded with a short recap to consolidate learning and ensure the student felt confident moving forward. Sophie also offered strategies for approaching similar problems in the future. Overall, the session was highly productive and showed Sophie’s strong ability to communicate complex ideas in a student-friendly way, foster engagement, and support academic growth.

Jordan Udler

When tutoring primary students, one of the most effective tools is establishing a consistent and reliable routine. At this developmental stage, students thrive on predictability. Routine helps them feel safe, focused, and ready to engage with learning. It also sets clear expectations, which can reduce distractions and anxiety during sessions.

A structured tutoring session does not need to be rigid, but having a familiar format provides a strong foundation. For example, beginning each lesson with a short warm-up question or activity helps settle the student and shift their mindset into learning mode. It signals that the session has started and gently transitions them from the day’s distractions.

Following this, tutors can move into the main content, whether that is reviewing previous work, tackling a new concept, or practising a skill. Having a consistent flow such as revisiting past material, introducing something new, then applying it helps students understand the purpose behind each part of the lesson.

Closing the session with a quick recap or reflection helps reinforce what has been learned and gives the student a sense of accomplishment. It also allows the tutor to praise effort and progress, which is incredibly motivating for younger learners.

Routine also supports the development of study habits. By modelling a consistent and organised approach to learning, tutors teach students how to manage their time and approach tasks in a logical order. These habits, when formed early, become tools that students carry into later schooling.

In primary tutoring, learning is about more than mastering content. It is about creating an environment where students feel secure and supported. A simple and predictable routine can provide that structure, helping young learners to build confidence, stay engaged, and develop a positive relationship with learning.

Demetria Koutavas

Today I was able to observe the second half of Kate’s 2 hour session with her student Will. They were going over his maths exam and fixing any of the questions that he’d struggled with. They were discussing how important it is to check your answers before moving on, to try and eliminate any silly mistakes that might have been made- for example, doing calculations in your head regularly and not checking them on a calculator, which might cause some avoidable errors. Kate was also offering advice on how to bounce back after a test when you do badly and might be scared to confront your mistakes. She suggested that sometimes doing badly can be the best motivator for fixing all your gaps in knowledge and working harder to do better in the next test. I think Kate’s advice was very valuable and a good lesson to learn- that only hard work can correct mistakes and gaps in knowledge. I learnt a lot from observing her that I can apply when I’m helping my students after they struggle in an exam. Thanks Kate! Sienna

Sienna Apted

To make things more fun in my session with my year 2 student today, I tried to incorporate more games whilst still making sure they were learning. In today’s session, I wanted to work on sentence writing so after our mid-session uno game, I utilised the card and asked him to pick one. Whatever number was on the card would be the number of words in the sentence, and wild cards were 12. I believe this was a highly beneficial game as it encouraged the student to work with sentences of different lengths and learn how to incorporate different kinds of words into his language. For example, one of the sentences needed 11 words and he initially wrote “The beach is a fun place to visit on holidays” which is 10 words. He was struggling to add in another word, so I suggested he use a ‘describing’ adjective word. So, he added in ‘special’ before beach. Thus, this developed his ability and understanding of the importance of different types of words in the sentence.

I have also incorporated spelling into a game of tic tac toe. This works by specifying a specific category such as ‘colours’ and instead of putting an ‘x’ or an ‘o’ into the box, you must spell a word. This helps to make learning new words and spelling more enjoyable which is especially important for younger primary school children as they often find it harder to concentrate for long periods of time. It makes the session more engaging.

Riva Burkett

Studying Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a typical, and fundamental high school text for all students throughout high school. This famous tragedy follows the doomed love of two youth from feuding families—whose secret romance leads to devastating consequences. When approaching the play, it helps for students to first break down the key themes and language techniques, so students are able to comprehend its value. Major themes include love versus hate, as Romeo and Juliet’s deep affection is constantly challenged by the violent feud; fate and destiny, with the “star-cross’d lovers” line suggesting their lives are already mapped out; and youth and impulsiveness, shown in how quickly they fall in love and make life-changing decisions. Conflict is further present in the play—between families, within characters, and between individual desires and social expectations; Challenging students to consider themes like loyalty and family conflict may place them at a different standard to others, and is encouraged for more powerful writing.

Shakespeare’s language is rich and layered, so students must keep an eye out for his techniques. Metaphors and similes appear frequently, like when Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, showing how he idealises her. Oxymorons such as “loving hate” or “sweet sorrow” highlight emotional confusion, while dramatic irony creates tension, a core aspect of Shakespeare’s dramatic form—for example, the audience knows Juliet isn’t truly dead, but Romeo does not. When I have taught this play numerous times in the past, it was important to first let the students consider the structure of the play; it is written in iambic pentameter, a poetic rhythm that sounds natural but controlled, showing Shakespeare’s skill with verse. Studying this play also means looking at how scenes shift tone—from romantic to violent to tragic—and how Shakespeare builds suspense through turning points like Mercutio’s death or Juliet’s decision to fake her own. For students in Years 7–10, I have found t’s useful to annotate key passages, summarise each scene, and practise writing about how characters change over time. Understanding the social and historical context—like Elizabethan attitudes to marriage and family honour—can also deepen your analysis. By focusing on themes, techniques, and characters, you’ll not only understand the play better, but also build skills that apply to all kinds of literature studies.

Eleni Nicholas

Academic frustration is something every student experiences at some point. Whether it’s struggling with a difficult concept, falling behind in class, or feeling like they’re “just not good” at a subject, these moments can lead to a loss of motivation and self-confidence. But with the right support, frustration can be transformed into progress—and that’s where a tutor plays a vital role.

Tutors create a safe, low-pressure environment where students can ask questions freely and make mistakes without fear. This emotional safety is essential for learning, especially for students who may feel embarrassed or overwhelmed in the classroom. A good tutor listens, observes, and responds with empathy, helping the student feel heard and understood.

Frustration often stems from feeling stuck. Tutors are trained to break concepts down into manageable steps, making even the most challenging material feel approachable. They adapt their explanations to fit the student’s learning style and pace, ensuring that the student fully understands before moving forward.

Another way tutors help is by shifting the student’s mindset. Many frustrated learners fall into negative self-talk, like “I can’t do this” or “I’ll never get it.” Tutors counter this by encouraging a growth mindset, reminding students that learning is a process and that effort leads to improvement. This helps rebuild confidence and resilience.

Tutors also celebrate small victories. Recognizing progress, even in small steps, reinforces a sense of achievement and motivates students to keep trying. Over time, students learn to manage their frustration more effectively and approach challenges with curiosity instead of fear.

In the end, tutors don’t just support students academically, they help them build emotional tools to navigate learning. With patience, encouragement, and tailored guidance, a tutor can turn a frustrating experience into a breakthrough.

Allegra Pezzullo

Exams can be a major source of stress for students of all ages. The pressure to perform, manage time, and retain large amounts of information often leads to anxiety and burnout. This is where a tutor can make a huge difference, not just in improving grades, but in helping students approach exams with a clear strategy and a confident mindset.

Tutors should provide personalised support, which is often missing in a traditional classroom setting. We should focus on identifying strengths and weaknesses, and help build a targeted study plan. This focused approach saves time and ensures that students spend their energy on the areas that need the most attention.

Beyond content review, we should teach effective study techniques and test-taking strategies. This might include time management, active recall methods, how to approach multiple-choice questions, or how to write strong essay responses under pressure. These skills not only help during exam season but build lasting academic habits.

Another critical benefit of having a tutor is accountability. Having regular sessions creates structure and encourages consistent study habits for students, which can prevent last-minute cramming and reduce stress. We should also adapt as the student progresses, adjusting goals and pacing as needed.

Perhaps most importantly, we should focus on building confidence. A student who understands the material and feels prepared is less likely to panic on test day. That confidence can lead to better performance and a more positive overall experience.

In short, tutors do more than help students study – we should assist in providing structure, support, and strategy. With the right guidance, exam preparation becomes less overwhelming and more productive, giving students the tools they need to succeed both in school and beyond.

Allegra Pezzullo