Today I had the opportunity to observe Grace! She was not only knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive and intuitive in her approach. The student, Colby, was very quiet, often hesitant to speak up, yet Grace’s warm demeanour and approach to tutoring created a safe space for him to engage.
From the moment they began, it was clear that Grace was Colby’s regular tutor, knowing and committed to meeting Jake where he was. She started by asking open-ended questions about what he found challenging, giving him the chance to express his thoughts without pressure. Grace’s patience and calming tone shone through as she listened attentively, encouraging him to speak more and consistently providing him with affirmations to make sure he felt best supported.
What struck me most was how she simplified complex concepts into relatable, bite-sized pieces. For example, they covering Shakespeare together and she consistently broke down themes and techniques able to explain them simply and clearly, getting him to best understand the content they were covering. She was able to explain the context of Shakespeare on a broader level, combine their ideas to make him really understand its content. As the session progressed, Grace was also able to adjust her tutoring style for each type of question. By making sure Jake had his own time to brainstorm and write down his ideas, she covered different material in different ways to engage him without feeling pushed too much.
This was an incredible lesson to watch. Different students definitely have their nuisance’s and it can be difficult to engage with a student who is quite quiet and, especially in an English lesson, getting them to feel comfortable with sharing ideas. Grace’s supportive and adaptable teaching style was a beautiful reminder of the impact a compassionate tutor can have on a student’s learning.
Katherine Petsoglou
