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I had the opportunity to observe Olivia’s Math session. Typically, I don’t tutor primary school students, so this was a valuable opportunity to learn how these sessions are structured and how young learners engage with the material.

During the session, Olivia focused on long multiplication with decimals. She encouraged the student to use a whiteboard for solving problems. This interactive approach was effective; I could see that the student was much more engaged and interested in the task at hand. Using the whiteboard allowed Olivia to monitor the student’s thought process closely. She provided real-time feedback and advice as the student worked through each step, which not only helped clarify any misunderstandings but also built the student’s confidence in her abilities.

After a bit of math, the session transitioned into English work. Olivia guided the student in her writing, offering constructive feedback on her work. She took the time to explain her own writing processes, emphasizing the strengths of the student’s work while gently pointing out areas for improvement. For instance, she suggested that the student “find a better way to write surprise” and offered insights on grammar, particularly regarding the correct use of tenses. Rather than simply correcting mistakes, Olivia encouraged the student to identify solutions independently, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

To keep the student engaged throughout the session, Olivia incorporated fun facts, such as “Caterpillars have 12 eyes!” This strategy seemed to capture the student’s attention and enthusiasm, especially considering the early 9 a.m. session on a Saturday morning.

Overall, Olivia’s approach demonstrated the importance of interaction, encouragement, and engagement in tutoring, making learning both effective and enjoyable. It was a pleasure to observe this session.

Tynan Philmara

I had the opportunity to observe Thomas this afternoon!

Thomas began his session by asking his student what he wanted to work on and if there was any specific topic that he had difficulty with during the week. By asking this Thomas was able to alter the session plan to his students needs, making the session more effective. His student, George, asked to work on ratios. Thomas utilised the text book and they begin working through questions together, allowing George to ask questions when he needed. Thomas answered all the questions with exceptional detail and asked prompting questions to ensure George was understanding the concepts being taught.

When George found questions difficult Thomas used the board to create simple diagrams which allowed for a deeper understanding of the concepts and assisted George in continuing to answer the questions. Thomas made sure to first explain what the question was asking by breaking it down into section, before going through each step that was necessary in solving the question. Thomas also explained what each step was doing and how it was bringing them closer to the final answer. This was done for the first few questions before George was able to work more independently.

Thomas also explained converting ratios into fractions and how they can represent the same values. George was then given some practice questions to work through.

Overall, Thomas was able to help his student understand a challenging concept by first explaining the concepts, giving questions that are challenging enough for the student to learn and finally answering the students questions with enough detail that allows the student to have a clear understanding of how to solve the question and proceed independently with confidence!

Olivia Moustakis

Have you ever wondered how your body maintains its delicate internal balance, especially when it comes to acidity? Enter the unsung hero of our circulatory system: the carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffer. This remarkable chemical system plays a crucial role in keeping our blood pH stable, ensuring that our cells can function optimally. Let’s dive into this fascinating aspect of human physiology!

At its core, the carbonic acid buffer is a chemical balancing act between carbonic acid (H2CO3) and its salt form, bicarbonate (HCO3-). This dynamic duo works tirelessly to keep our blood pH within the narrow range of 7.35 to 7.45. Why is this so important? Even slight deviations from this range can lead to serious health issues, affecting everything from enzyme function to oxygen delivery.

The magic of this buffer system lies in its ability to neutralize both acids and bases. When excess acid enters the bloodstream, bicarbonate ions swoop in to neutralize it. Conversely, if the blood becomes too alkaline, carbonic acid steps up to the plate, releasing hydrogen ions to bring the pH back down.

But here’s where it gets really interesting: this buffer system doesn’t work alone. It’s intimately connected to our respiratory and renal systems. The lungs can expel excess carbon dioxide (which forms carbonic acid when dissolved in blood), while the kidneys can adjust the levels of bicarbonate. This intricate interplay allows for fine-tuned control of blood pH.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this system is its efficiency. Under normal conditions, there’s about 20 times more bicarbonate than carbonic acid in our blood. This ratio allows the buffer to handle a wide range of pH fluctuations, making it our body’s first line of defense against acid-base imbalances.

The complexity of the human body is crazy, and HSC Chemistry is a great way to understand it.

Jamyson Gouveros

Hi everyone! I had the opportunity to observe David’s Year 7 Maths session with Jack, which focused on decimals. This also included how to find remainders, rounding up or down, and working through different decimal places. David’s teaching style was very clear and structured, making it a great session to understand how to teach junior years in particular.

To start the lesson, David used the whiteboard to give visual examples that helped the student better grasp the concept of decimals. He didn’t just dive into solving problems; instead, he walked the student through the foundational concepts of rounding up and down, breaking down each step so that it was easy to follow. One thing that stood out was how patient and attentive David was during this session. He made sure the student was keeping up with each explanation, regularly checking in by asking questions like “What do you think happens next?” to encourage active participation.

As maths is not my primary focus in tutoring, I interpreted David’s lesson as a way to see how to engage students more generally.
When working through questions, David went through each component in a step-by-step manner, which not only clarified the topic but also boosted the student’s confidence. i found this is a great method which I can also apply, so the student understands the value of answering the question given, and not just any broad answer.

David also made sure to change up the examples just enough to keep the student engaged. David also encouraged the student to try solving problems independently after explaining the process, guiding them when necessary but allowing them to take the lead.

His explanations were practical, allowing the student to feel more comfortable with decimals and rounding. This ensured the student remained focused and felt supported.

By the conclusion of the session, it was clear that the student felt ready to tackle more complex mathematical problems in class and in their upcoming exam.

Eleni Nicholas

This afternoon, I observed Maria’s session with her primary school student. She did an amazing job incorporating interactive methods of learning when revising perimeter and area, using colour and a game to create extra interest for the student. Also, Maria taught her student about different angles through a matching flashcard activity which was very helpful for increasing the student’s confidence in identifying angles.

For English, Maria gave her student a spelling test and worked on writing recounts. She separated the parts of a recount and helped her student plan his response. This was a very effective way to teach structure.

Overall, Maria ran the session in a very positive way and boosted her student’s confidence. Amazing work, Maria!

Kristina McLean

Hey everyone,  I had the opportunity to observe Eleni’s Year 12 English Advanced student. They were working through analysis for 1984.

During the session, Eleni demonstrated several strengths that significantly enhanced the learning experience for the student. Firstly, she exhibited a strong overview of the specific techniques that are found in the text that was being studied. This expertise allowed them to explain and discuss complex ideas in a clear and accessible manner, making it easier for the student to grasp difficult topics.

Eleni also ensured her teaching style strongly correlated to the learning strengths of the student being able to break concepts down and use mind map explanations and visual aids to understand techniques that related to certain aspects. Eleni constantly encouraged active participation by asking open-ended questions that prompted critical thinking. This not only engaged the student but also fostered a deeper understanding of the material.

Eleni constantly made sure to create a supportive and positive learning environment. She maintained an encouraging attitude, commending the student of there contributions, which boosted the student’s confidence. Eleni was patient and approachable, allowing the student to express any confusion or difficulty without fear of judgment. This emotional support was crucial in helping the student feel comfortable asking questions and seeking clarification.

Moreover, Eleni demonstrated excellent organizational skills. She prepared a structured lesson plan that included specific goals for the session, as well as a review of previously covered material. This continuity not only reinforced learning but also helped the student see the progression so far over time.

Lastly, she provided constructive feedback throughout the session and at the end to highlight areas where the student excelled and identified specific aspects to focus on for improvement. This balanced approach ensured that the student remained motivated while also understanding the steps needed to enhance their skills.

Overall, great work Eleni and a great lesson to observe

Evanna Manavis

In my experience tutoring Year 12 students in English, I’ve observed a concerning trend in how the subject is taught in school. The focus has predominantly been on micro-analysis, specifically identifying literary techniques within texts. While this skill is undoubtedly important, it often comes at the expense of more critical aspects of essay writing and textual analysis. What I find frequently overlooked is the crucial ability to synthesise this evidence into a coherent response that directly addresses the given question. Many students have developed an impressive academic vocabulary and can readily identify literary devices but struggle to weave these observations into a convincing argument. Their essays often lack orientation, failing to guide the reader through their thought process or explain the relevance of their analysis to the question at hand. Furthermore, there’s a noticeable deficiency in critical thinking skills. Students tend to describe what an author is doing rather than critically analysing or evaluating the author’s choices and impact. They often forget to consider the purpose behind the author’s techniques or how these contribute to the text’s overall meaning. Perhaps most crucially, many students struggle with the fundamental task of understanding and answering the specific question posed. While potentially well-written, their responses often fail to address the core issues raised in the prompt. This results in essays that, despite demonstrating knowledge of the text, miss the mark regarding relevance and argumentation. It’s disheartening to see students who are clearly capable and have put in significant effort yet are at a loss as to why their essays aren’t achieving higher marks. The root of the problem isn’t their inability to write but rather that they’ve never been explicitly taught how to craft a response that convincingly answers a specific question. This is why I find tutoring this subject so rewarding. Teaching students how to actually unpack a question and rephrase it to ensure their comprehension encourages them to convince themselves of the argument they craft. The moment of realisation when a student grasps that their struggle wasn’t with the quality of their writing but with the relevance of their response is truly inspiring.

Thea Macarthur-Lassen

Hi everyone,
My student was sick today so I got the opportunity to observe Xander and his student during their maths session!
Throughout the session, Xander demonstrated a wonderful rapport with his student and used encouraging language. When the student was unwilling to complete work, he was also able to redirect her to the questions.
As the student was having a bit of trouble with the practice paper they were completing, Xander guided her thinking through small steps. To increase the student’s confidence and independence, Xander then asked her to complete questions on her own without guidance. After giving the student sufficient time to think through questions thoroughly and attempt them, he then stepped in if she was still having trouble. He explained the questions and the basic concepts behind them really well and used repetition to ensure that the student had understood. He provided enough direction for her to understand how to solve the questions, then prompted her to re-attempt the question. This strategy of gradually fading out support and only providing the minimum needed is helpful for increasing learning and independence.
Some helpful strategies were also used during the teaching moments. Xander made good use of visuals and drawing to help the student understand the questions. As they were doing composite areas and shapes, drawing was particularly useful.
Another thing he emphasised throughout the session was clarity of working out. He made sure the student showed working out step-by-step, so that markers can clearly see what is being done.
Thanks for letting me observe!

Derus Kung

Today I had a 24-hour permanent cancellation, so I was observing James P with his year 12 student! Today James was helping his student memorise and critique unseen readings in English

Throughout the session, James stressed the need to understand the unseen text structure. He stressed the importance of deconstructing texts and developing critiques for exam success. James reminded the student that success in the unseen text part depends on both memorising quotes and using analytical skills to evaluate texts.

James had the student read an unseen text from school and worked on that during the session by deconstructing its meaning, the messages behind it, and drawing quotes to use. James took the student through the close reading, asking probing questions such as “What is the text trying to say?” How is the tone varied? How do essential literary devices add meaning? He gave moderate prompts and let the student lead the analysis.

James urged the student to express their thoughts while understanding the material. He regularly asked, “Why do you think the characters made that choice?” Actively engaging with the literature helped the student to show and refine their ideas. James encouraged the student to think holistically about the text by connecting literary elements like imagery and grammar to bigger issues.

James’ evaluation of the student’s reading was crucial to the session. James presented another interpretation after hearing theirs, showing how literary parts could be interpreted differently. This demonstrated high-level critical engagement, where students must be flexible in their interpretations. James was supportive but firm throughout the lesson. His critical criticism encouraged students to go deeper into the text when their interpretation lacked depth.

The insight showed the student’s ability to balance constructive, positive criticism with support.

Good job James 🙂

Demi Roussakis

Trust and rapport are essential elements of the Student-Tutor relationship that can significantly enhance a student’s academic journey… and results! Understanding how to cultivate this relationship can lead to more effective tutoring sessions and improved outcomes for students.

1. Establishing Trust Out of the Gate

The foundation of any strong relationship is trust. Being initially punctual and prepared from the first session sets a precedent for reliability and responsibility. In addition, showing genuine interested in a students’ learning and passion in their improvement instils confidence and therefore trust in the student that you have their best interest at heart. A tip to quickly establish a welcoming tone and also gauge the student’s emotional state and academic concerns is to begin an initial session (or any session) with an open ended question, inviting shared thoughts and feelings.

2. Active Listening

Active listening is crucial. This means fully engaging with what the student is saying, without interruption. Reflect back on what the student shares to show understanding, and ask clarifying questions. This practice not only helps in building rapport but also demonstrates to students that their opinions and feelings matter.

3. Tailoring Your Approach

Every student is unique, and recognising their learning styles can strengthen trust. Take time to ask and assess how each student learns best—be it visually, audibly, or kinaesthetically (more applicable to younger students). Use this knowledge to prepare personalise lessons that resonate with the individual. When students see (or feel) that their tutor is adaptable and attentive to their needs, they feel valued and understood.

I am personally confident in these 3 keys and I try to actively observe them with all of my students (even if it’s just a one off!). I hope these tips are useful to current and aspiring tutors alike.

Freddie Le Vay