Doom scrolling might seem harmless at first. You open TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, or another app for a quick break, and suddenly much more time has passed than you planned. The problem is not just that you lost time. The bigger issue is what that constant scrolling can do to your attention, memory, and ability to focus.

Your brain is not designed to take in endless pieces of information without a break. Every few seconds, your attention is pulled somewhere new. One video, one headline, one comment, one notification, then another. Over time, this can train your brain to expect constant stimulation. That makes slower tasks, like reading a textbook, writing an essay, or solving a maths question, feel much harder than they actually are.

Doom scrolling can also make it harder to remember what you are learning. When your brain keeps switching between different topics, it has less time to properly process information. This matters because studying is not just about looking at notes. You need your brain to organise, store, and recall information later.

It can also increase mental fatigue. Even when you are lying in bed doing “nothing”, your brain is still working. It is processing images, words, sounds, arguments, jokes, and news. After a long scroll, you might feel tired but not rested. That makes schoolwork feel heavier and concentration feel weaker.

This does not mean you can never use your phone. It just means you need to notice when scrolling stops being a break and starts becoming mental overload.

Protect your attention. Put your phone away during study. Take proper breaks. Give your brain quiet time. You will think more clearly when your mind is not constantly being pulled in every direction.

Nabil Harrar

Knowing the content thoroughly does not always translate into strong exam results. Many high school students leave exams feeling surprised by how quickly time disappeared, even when they felt well prepared. It is a shame to miss out on key marks simply because you ran out of time. This is where the importance of timed practice comes in.

Untimed practice papers are great to start off your revision. They allow for careful thinking, checking notes, and refining answers. This type of practice is useful when learning new material or building understanding. However, exams operate under strict time conditions, and so it is very important to do at least one (or more!) practice papers under timed conditions to mimic what it will be like in the exam. One approach could be to do a few past papers without time pressure, and when you feel ready, try one in timed, closed book conditions.

Timed practice papers develop the ability to work efficiently under pressure. They help students understand how long to spend on each question and when it is better to move on rather than get stuck. Over time, this builds a sense of pacing that is essential to ensure you finish the exam and hopefully even have time to check over your answers.

Focus is another key difference. Without time constraints, it is easier to lose concentration or spend too long perfecting a single response which is unrealistic for an exam. Also, without time pressure it can be easy to get distracted with your phone, ultimately delaying your study time even more.

Untimed practice still has a place, particularly in the early stages of revision. It supports deeper learning and confidence with the material. However, relying on it alone can leave students unprepared for the demands of an exam. Particularly when students are so busy studying for so many subjects, efficient study is more important than the quantity of studying.

Enya Rose

This evening I had the pleasure of watching Pamela tutor Year 1 phonics – an entertaining session to say the least! Pamela began by making sure Luis was comfortable and ready to learn – the little ones tend to be very restless, but she did a great job of calming Luis down and gently getting him in the zone to work.

As they began moving through different letters, Pamela moved with a wonderful cadence, allowing Luis to enunciate everything for himself with as little intervention as possible. I find it also to be much more rewarding letting our students come to their own answer after a period of silent thought rather than always jumping to their rescue! A great reminder that slight discomfort is usually the precursor to growth, not antagonistic to it.

Luis became increasingly enthused as the session progressed. He began to identify more and more sounds with confidence and was having a ball of a time linking the letters that Pamela was presenting with the starting letters of some of his favourite words – L for Luis, an unforgettably recurring one.

My favourite part of the session was when Pamela put on the alphabet song. It was truly wholesome to watch young Luis sing along (wonderfully in tune, might I add) and correct himself within a split second whenever he realised that he made a mistake.

The energy of the session was phenomenal. Luis clearly feels extremely comfortable in Pamela’s care, and it was very obvious that Pamela knows how to tailor the session not only to her students’ current competencies, but also to their energy and mood.

It was clear around the halfway point that young Luis was beginning to lose some steam. Pamela intuitively took notice and went for a walk with Luis for a cup of water and a bathroom break. When they returned, Luis was just itching to get back into it! Full credit to Pamela – I know from experience how tough little kids can be to keep focused, and she really did an unbelievable job.

Great session 😀

Thomas Koutavas

A lot of students think studying has to mean long, exhausting hours; but that’s actually not how learning sticks. One of the most effective ways to learn is through short, focused bursts of work, followed by breaks. It’s simple, but it works because your brain isn’t built for nonstop attention.

Think of it like film editing. Movies aren’t one long unbroken scene; they’re made up of short, intentional cuts that keep your attention and build meaning over time. Learning works in a similar way. When you break study into smaller sections, your brain has time to process and “lock in” information instead of just passively moving through it.

For example, instead of writing an essay draft for an hour straight, try 20–25 minutes of focused writing, then a short break to reset. When you come back, you’ll often notice new ideas or mistakes you didn’t see before. That pause isn’t wasted time; it’s something that becomes part of the learning process.

This also connects to something called active recall: testing yourself instead of just rereading notes. When you force your brain to retrieve information in short bursts, it strengthens memory much more effectively.

The key idea is that learning isn’t about intensity; it’s about structure. Small, consistent effort builds stronger understanding than long sessions that blur together.

So next time studying feels overwhelming, don’t push through for hours. Break it up. Work in focused blocks. Let your brain actually process what it’s learning.

You’ll probably find you remember more, stress less, and actually feel in control of your study.

Jana Panagopoulos

Matisse’s student arrives and she begins the lesson by exchanging pleasantries about their days. He begins telling her about his exam results and brings out his paper for them to go through. They go through the marking criteria of the exam and begin reading each question and the feedback he received from his teacher.

After they have read the feedback from their exam, they start going through his assessment task notification and Matisse breaks down all of the topics that will be in his next exam. Matisse explains that the exam is mostly source analysis and begins asking her student what he feels is his biggest weakness going into the exam. He explains that he struggles with analysing and putting his thoughts into logical and organised paragraphs. Matisse begins searching for sources which might help with practicing historical analysis. Additionally, they refer back to his exam for specific points to improve upon.

Matisse sets him a question to practice working on which she will read later. Once he is finished answering the practice question, she reads over it and starts giving him targetted advice based on the feedback he received in his exam. She makes sure that he references sources more often and links back to the question more explicitly. She continues to set him questions which she marks while he improves following her advice.

The session closes with Matisse giving him final tips for analysing sources.

Shahaf Liraz

Today I had the opportunity to observe Daniella tutor her year 7 student in maths. This was an interesting lesson to observe, especially as Daniella was covering for another tutor. It was great to see how well Daniella knew the content and how she was able to navigate through questions in a style that was understandable. In addition to this, her composure throughout the lesson was unmatched, particularly as it was her first time taking her and was not aware of this student’s strengths, weaknesses, and what they respond to. This was a very promising sign to see and I commend Daniella for this level of maturity and insight.

Further, Daniella has a very hands-on approach to her tutoring lessons and she demonstrated this by directly working through the worksheet with her student. They appeared to be working on area and volume and calculating perimeter as well. Danielle was very effective at making use of the white board to guide her student – this made it very easy for her student to follow along and remain engaged with the lesson. As a tutor Daniella has a very methodical approach to mathematics, and this, coupled with her warm and inviting nature as a tutor, clearly had a positive effect on her student. Her student appeared to be quite shy initially, which can be typical of younger students, but as the lesson progressed Daniella’s confidence and methodical approach to questions allowed her student to open up and ask many more questions, compared to the start of the lesson. This was very useful, particularly during this session as it was a public holiday and students can struggle to focus and remain engaged.

Overall, this was a great lesson to observe and I commend Daniella for her structured and optimistic approach to her lessons. Well done.

James Petrakis

There’s something almost magical about a pile of Lego bricks. Before a single piece is snapped together, the possibilities are endless. That open-ended potential is exactly why Lego has become one of the most powerful tools a tutor can reach for. Traditional tutoring often centres on worksheets and repetition. These have their place, but for many, abstract concepts only click when they can be touched. Lego transforms ideas into something physical. Fractions become brick ratios. Story structure becomes a three-act tower. A historical timeline becomes a street of buildings, each representing an era. When students build, they aren’t just absorbing information; they’re making decisions, testing ideas, and owning their learning.

One of the greatest gifts Lego gives a learner is a consequence-free relationship with failure. A wall that collapses isn’t a red mark on a page, it’s feedback. Pull it apart, try again. This iterative mindset, so central to creative thinking, is exactly what tutors want to cultivate. Lego quietly teaches resilience without ever having to lecture about it.

Conversation as a Learning Tool

Building with Lego is naturally collaborative. A tutor working alongside a student with a shared set of bricks creates a different dynamic than sitting across a desk. Questions flow more freely. Ideas get voiced. The bricks become a shared language, making it easier to explore concepts together rather than deliver them top-down. Lastly, Creativity isn’t a soft skill, it’s the engine behind critical thinking, innovation, and adaptability. When tutors introduce Lego into sessions, they’re not just making learning fun (though they absolutely are). They’re building the habits of mind that help students thrive far beyond any single subject. Sometimes, the best lesson plan starts with an empty baseplate and no instructions

Lewin Fairbairn

When people think of tutoring, they often associate it with improving grades or catching up in school. While academic results are important, tutoring offers much more than just better marks—it helps students build confidence, develop effective learning habits, and reach their full potential.

One of the biggest benefits of tutoring is the boost in confidence it provides. In a classroom setting, students can feel overwhelmed or hesitant to ask questions. Tutoring creates a supportive, one-on-one environment where students feel comfortable making mistakes and learning at their own pace. As their understanding grows, so does their confidence, which often translates into improved participation and performance at school.

Another key advantage is personalised learning. Every student learns differently, but traditional classrooms can’t always cater to individual needs. Tutoring allows lessons to be tailored to each student’s learning style, whether that’s visual, hands-on, or step-by-step guidance. This approach helps students truly understand concepts rather than simply memorising information.

Tutoring also plays an important role in identifying and addressing learning gaps. Small misunderstandings can build up over time and make subjects feel increasingly difficult. By targeting these gaps early, tutors help students build a strong foundation for future learning. Beyond academics, tutoring teaches valuable life skills such as time management, organisation, and problem-solving. These skills extend far beyond the classroom and are essential for long-term success. Ultimately, tutoring is not just about improving grades—it’s about empowering students with the confidence and skills they need to succeed in all areas of life.

Alicia French

I had to observe Daniella tutor her year 8 student in maths. This was a very insightful lesson to observe due to a few reasons. Firstly, Daniella seemed to adopt a very hands-on approach to this tutoring session, particularly due to the fact that her student had autism. It can be very difficult for tutors to navigate lessons where their students present with certain mental illness, such as ADHD or Autism. However, by remaining patient, aware of her students needs, and offering understanding and support Daniella was able to steer the lesson in a positive direction and ultimately progress though questions with her student. Further, Daniela is a very good communicator, and for this lesson was much more slower and precise in her style of communication. She spoke at a much slower pace and used a lot of hand gestures to connect with her student and aid them in visualising certain processes. In this way, Daniella effectively used both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication to instil focus and direct her students attention towards the work that they were working on.

Another interesting point of observation was that Daniella was being very resourceful as she appeared to be using the textbook and printed worksheets that she had prepared before her lesson began. This is a useful way to stay on top of the lesson and also saves time as tutors do not need to spend time printing and finding resources. In doing this Daniella has reinforced the importance of being organised and coming to lessons thoroughly prepared, which will ultimately make the job of tutoring ‘easier’ for tutors and also more productive for students. Overall this was a great lesson to observe this afternoon. Well done Daniella keep up the good work.

James Petrakis

Tutoring is not just doing worksheets, and going over homework over again. While that can be helpful for some students, I’ve found that adding a bit of creativity into sessions can make a difference in how students learn and engage in sessions. Creativity can make learning interactive and flexible, encouraging student activity.

Creativity can be as simple as turning questions and answers into discussions. This can be through encouraging conversation, asking the student to explain their thinking, come up with their own examples, or even to “teach” the concept back to me. This helps them understand the content more deeply, rather than just memorising it.

Creativity can be also using the whiteboard to map out tasks, working out maths problems, planning English creative writing, PEEL paragraphs. This can help the student if they are stuck on a task and unsure of where to begin. It encourages a student to think about the task at hand and work off a plan.

I also try to adjust how we approach tasks depending on the student. Some students work better when we break things into small challenges, while others enjoy a more relaxed, conversational style. Even small changes like this can make sessions feel less repetitive and more engaging.

Another important part of creativity is making space for mistakes. A student may make mistakes which can impact on their confidence. By creating a supportive environment, students become more willing to complete tasks, even those they find difficult, which is where real learning happens.

I’ve noticed that when sessions are more creative, students are not only more focused, but also more confident. They start to see learning as something they can actively take part in, rather than something they just have to get through.

At the end of the day, creativity in tutoring isn’t about making things harder, it’s about making learning more meaningful, enjoyable, and effective for each student.

Tamiah Mahoney