Today, I decided to observe Briana tutor her Year 8 student (Ava) in Visual Arts.
Briana appeared to be assisting her student with a reflection for her visual arts ceramics project. Briana worked closely with her student to help her plan out and write an effective reflection. Working alongside her on her personal computer, Briana was great at prompting thought in her student, rather than solely telling her exactly what to write. This is a very important trait that tutors must possess as it ensures that students are completing their own work and that they are understanding exactly what they are doing.
Observing Briana and the way in which she tutors, it is clear that she possesses leadership traits. By being assertive and implementing positive reinforcement, her student easily followed her highly methodical and structured way of teaching. Briana is a very direct communicator, having used both verbal and non-verbal cues, to ensure that her student was attentive and understood what was being taught to her. Following up on my previous statement about Briana’s methodical nature, an example of this was seen at the start of the lesson. Before writing the reflection Briana asked her student about the different stages of creating her ceramics project, in which Briana drafted the phases – planning, crafting, detailing, & painting. This was an effective brainstorm as it allowed her to guide her student in the process of writing the reflection.
By working together and thoroughly planning what would be said in the reflection, Briana’s student had confidence when it came to hand writing the reflection in her visual arts book. This is particularly due to the open-ended questions that Briana frequently asked, such as “What inspired your design?”. In this way, Briana ensured that her student understood that the key to writing a reflection is rooted in personal insights.
Overall, this was an enjoyable lesson to observe. It is clear that Briana is a highly capable tutor who inspires her students.
James Petrakis
