Whilst the student I was supposed to cover for did not show up, I still learnt a lot about tutoring through an observation. I am still quite new to tutoring at first education, as this was supposed to be the second time I tutored someone, so I found that this observation was really useful. I sat in on a Year 9 Maths Tutoring lesson, and they were learning financial maths.

One of the key things I learnt from this lesson was the importance of consistently encouraging the student being tutored, especially when they get a question wrong, and congratulating them when they do something right. This was really good for the student as it prevented them from becoming frustrated, discouraged and not wanting to learn anymore, especially when they are so close to getting it right. Sometimes they need the extra push!

Another thing I noticed the tutor doing was highlighting and emphasising the formulas. They did this both when the student did not quite understand the question and even if they got the question. This is helpful as it ensures that it is reinforced in the students’ heads and that they will not forget it. Further, the tutor also explained how the formula worked and the logic behind it. I found that this was very beneficial as it helps the students to deepen their understanding of it, and therefore, they will be less confused and less likely to forget it. If the student still was not completely confident, they reinforced their understanding through worked examples, or through explaining it in another way.

Altogether, I learnt a lot from observing the year 9 maths class, which, especially as a new tutor, will help me to work to the best of my abilities moving forward.

Katreen Diab