Watching Thomas teach bearings was a useful reminder of how much sequencing matters in maths tutoring. The lesson was not just about getting the right answer, it was about helping the student understand what each angle represented before calculating.
The most valuable part of the lesson was watching how Thomas connected bearings to triangle geometry. Once the diagram was drawn, the question became less about memorising a “bearings method” and more about using angle facts properly. The student had to recognise corresponding angles, angles on a straight line, and finally the angle sum of a triangle. This reaffirmed something I have noticed through tutoring: students often struggle less with the final calculation and more with translating the diagram into familiar maths.
Thomas also gave the student time to explain their reasoning, rather than immediately correcting mistakes. That made the lesson feel more collaborative and helped reveal where the confusion actually was. It reminded me that good tutoring is not about showing how quickly you can solve a question. It is about slowing the problem down enough for the student to see the structure themselves.
Overall, observing the lesson reinforced the importance of clear diagrams, repeated key rules, and patient questioning. Bearings can look intimidating, but when compass directions, true bearings and triangle angle facts are linked carefully, the process becomes more logical.
