Today I observed Katherines session! This student had just gotten their maths test back, so they went through it together!
From this session I witnessed how important the tutor is in rebuilding understanding and confidence after a difficult test. The student arrived appearing a little bit stressed from school, so Katherine took the time to chat, and make the student feel really comfortable and relaxed. They were unsure where they went wrong, so they reviewed the test paper together, focusing not on mistakes as failures but as opportunities for growth. She was very calm and supportive which helped ease the student’s anxiety, creating a positive environment for learning.
Katherine was able to identify key areas where the student struggled and rather than overwhelming the student with everything at once, she prioritised the most critical concepts, breaking them into smaller, manageable steps.
After this, they went through other practice papers and textbook questions to target the areas she needed to work on. Katherine also maintained a positive environment by emphasising the progress the student had already made. When the student correctly solved a problem they previously struggled with, she celebrated that achievement and used it as motivation to tackle more challenging questions.
They talked about other strategies for approaching studying for next time, and went through some simple topics the student can review over the holidays if they have time. By the end of the session, the student definitely had a clearer grasp of the material but also seemed to have a renewed confidence in their ability. Katherines empathetic and structured approach highlights the importance of tutoring in helping students overcome setbacks and view challenges as stepping stones to success.
Shyla Gloster
