Oliver kindly let me observe his 2 hour HSC Chemistry session, run on Thursday afternoons. It was definitely an interesting experience, but a good and insightful one too.

Oliver was quite adept and knowledgeable with the content being taught – Module 7 Organic Chemistry. Seeing as I haven’t brushed up on it at all in University doing Aerospace Engineering, this session’s been a rough reminder of how much I’ve actually forgotten of the content. Sure, all it takes for one little definition to jog my memory – Oliver talking about “Ketones” and “Functional groups” and “Carboxylic Acids donating protons as a weak acid”… But I remember studying Chemistry in the HSC, and knowing absolutely everything there was to know about the course and the syllabus. It was a good feeling, with information in my mind sprouting out and looping back onto itself in an interconnected web – kind of like how something like Maths or the mechanics side of Physics continues to be a growing area of my mind. I think this demonstrates an importance to sticking to your passion, with your mind sometimes giving way in some areas to allow for the growth and flourishing of others.

I like how Oliver went through the examples with his students. The majority of the examples were questions ripped from HSC Past Papers (arguably the best way to study in the HSC). However, the dynamic he creates amongst his students (each being from a different school) is one that is really allows them to provide their own insights, and learn in a casual, carefree, yet productive and enriching environment. Sitting through it reminded me of classes with my favourite teachers – there’d be friendly lighthearted banter back and forth sure, but I feel the fun and carefree environment really allowed my classmates and I to flourish. It’s definitely a stark contrast to the large, half-empty lecture halls of University. Oliver also draws in experiences of all the students in their current studies (eg: what assignments they’re currently doing), and provides his own experiences from when he was studying the topic. It is a shining testament to the programs run here at First Education, and really reflects the methods any good tutor would incorporate.

And to top it all off, in our little game break, we played the cheeky spot of Spyfall. How good!

While humbling in some respects, and enriching in others, I think overall that this lesson was beneficial to my own insights as a tutor. Thanks Oliver!

Zac Markovina