This afternoon, I had the chance to observe Mia working with her student on a narrative writing task. Her patient and supportive teaching style made it clear that she tries to have a very strong relationship with her student’s and cares for their ideas.
They began the session by brainstorming different story ideas and mapping out a plan before diving into the writing process. Mia kept the session engaging by allowing her student to take the lead while stepping in with guidance when needed. They had a very strong rapport which created a natural and enjoyable learning environment.
To keep the student motivated, Mia introduced a collaborative approach whereby her student would write three sentences independently, and she would contribute with the fourth. This pattern continued until the story was completely finished, helping to break the task into manageable parts while maintaining momentum.
She also explained how certain aspects of grammar majorly change the structure of a sentence and paragraph. They focused on certain examples of this until her student was able to recognise where commas, full stops, quotation marks should be placed throughout the sentence.
Alongside writing, they also worked on addition and subtraction with four-digit numbers. Mia guided her student through each problem step by step, offering helpful strategies and tips. She encouraged her student to break down numbers, check her work carefully, and use different methods to find solutions. Whenever her student got stuck, Mia provided gentle prompts rather than immediate answers which helped build her confidence.
It was great to see how Mia balanced encouragement and structure, making the session both productive and rewarding. Her ability to make writing feel fun while still ensuring learning showed just how well she connects with her student.

Lily Powell