This afternoon, I had the chance to sit in on Demetria’s session with Harper, a Year 10 student working on maths. They started by going over some tricky homework questions from last week, where Harper had to sketch linear expressions. Demetria got Harper to explain his thinking first, helping him spot where he went wrong on his own. This approach really seemed to help, as Harper was able to correct some of his errors without too much guidance.

After clearing up the homework, they moved on to revising gradients and the idea of rise over run. Demetria made sure Harper understood why the gradient formula works rather than just memorising it. They spent some times looking at negative vs positive gradients, and what that actually looks like on a graph. She used simple, clear examples and had Harper talk through how he would find the gradient of different lines. When he got stuck, she asked guiding questions to help him connect the numbers to what was happening on the graph. Once he had a better grasp of gradients, they moved on to graphing full linear equations. Demetria had Harper try a few on his own, reminding him to double-check key points before sketching the line. Instead of jumping in when he hesitated, she gave him time to think and only stepped in with hints when needed. As the session went on, Harper started working through problems more quickly and with greater confidence.

In the second half of the session, they shifted focus to rates and how to interpret them from graphs. Demetria explained how rates relate to gradient, helping Harper see the connection between the two topics. She used real-world examples, and worked through a few problems where Harper had to read and compare rates from different lines. By the end, Harper was much more comfortable identifying rates from graphs and understanding what they represented.

To wrap up, Demetria had Harper go back to one of the homework questions he had struggled with at the start of the session. This time, he was able to solve it correctly without help, which showed how much progress he had made. They also discussed a few strategies to help him stay organised and avoid small mistakes when working under time pressure.

Overall, it was a really productive session. I feel like Harper left with a much stronger understanding of gradients, graphing, and rates, and I picked up some great strategies from Demetria that I can use in my own sessions. Thanks

Eric Mihas

Sustainability is becoming an essential part of education, and tutoring presents a unique opportunity to instill these values in students. Whether teaching math, science or English, tutors can incorporate sustainability principles to help students understand real-world applications of their subjects. For example, math tutors can use environmental data to teach statistics, while science tutors can discuss renewable energy, climate change, and ecological conservation. Even English tutors can introduce sustainability-themed readings and discussions to raise awareness. By integrating these topics into lessons, tutors not only enhance academic learning but also foster critical thinking about global challenges.

Beyond subject matter, tutors can model sustainable practices by using digital resources instead of printed materials, encouraging energy-efficient study habits, and discussing the importance of responsible consumption. They can also guide students in sustainable research practices, such as evaluating credible environmental sources and considering ethical implications in their work. More than just teaching facts, sustainability in tutoring is about shaping responsible, informed individuals who can apply their knowledge to create positive change. By making sustainability a natural part of education, tutors help students see its relevance in their daily lives and future careers, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable world.

Emily Mackay

Moving up a school year can be tough. Whether it’s going from primary to high school, stepping into Year 11, or even getting ready for uni, each stage brings new challenges. The work gets harder, teachers expect more, and the way you need to study changes. A lot of students struggle with these shifts, which can lead to stress, falling behind, or feeling less confident. That’s where tutoring can make a real difference.

One of the hardest parts of moving up a year is dealing with the bigger workload and trickier subjects. What used to be simple now requires more detail, deeper thinking, and way more effort. Some students who did great in one year might suddenly find themselves lost when the expectations change. And let’s be real—no one wants to start the year already feeling like they’re behind.

Tutors help smooth out that transition by making sure students aren’t just thrown into the deep end. If there are gaps in what they learned before, a tutor can go over those areas so everything makes more sense moving forward. It’s a lot easier to feel confident when you actually understand what’s going on instead of constantly playing catch-up.

Another big thing tutors do is help students pick up the skills they’ll need for the next step. A Year 10 student, for example, might need to learn how to write essays that are structured properly for Year 11, while a Year 12 student might need to start managing their time better before university comes along. Having someone there to guide them through these changes makes a huge difference.

But it’s not just about the work itself. Tutoring also helps students become more independent learners. Instead of just memorising stuff, they start thinking critically, asking better questions, and figuring things out on their own. That kind of mindset helps not just in school, but way beyond it too.

With the right support, moving up a school year doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. A little extra help can make sure students go in prepared, stay confident, and actually enjoy the learning process instead of just trying to survive it.

Eireyna Papinyan

Today I observed Natalie’s session with a year 5 student, working on spelling, grammar and punctuation.
She began the session with a warm welcome and a check of the previous week’s homework, assessing any mistakes thoroughly and encouraging the student for their efforts and their correct answers.
She kept the student engaged throughout the session, actively calling upon him to utilise his own knowledge and ask questions. As they worked through a set of grammar problems during the first half of the session, I enjoyed watching the student become more engaged and enthusiastic as he began to improve his answers with each question after some encouraging feedback.
I appreciated how she catered so well to the student’s needs and abilities. She patiently gave him enough time to complete the questions on his own, while making him feel comfortable if he got stuck on a particular problem by suggesting ways of moving forward and rewarding his improvements with encouraging remarks. She provided him with material that was challenging for his level and yet allowed him to improve throughout the session. I would also highlight how she asked him questions about his own work and why he made particular decisions, so that he could begin to recognise his own mistakes and correct himself without her guidance.
At the halfway point, Natalie rewarded his focus with a break and a game of uno, which I particularly enjoyed watching, as it helped the student enjoy the session while keeping his attention and allowing him to focus during the second half of the hour. During this game, he became less shy and more sure of himself and his tutor, creating a rapport that is paramount for the student to make the most out of the session.
She ended the session by assigning him homework to complete over the next week and an amiable goodbye with a parting game of uno. Overall, the session was one to be learned from, with Natalie’s excellent approach to learning and engagement for primary aged students!

Tyler Klinger

Marina did a great job tutoring her Year 8 math student on rates and ratios. She was really thorough in her explanations, making sure the student fully understood each concept before moving on. This is super important in math since a strong foundation helps with more complex topics later on. By taking the time to break things down properly, she ensured the student wasn’t just memorising formulas but actually grasping the reasoning behind them.

One of the best things about Marina’s approach was how attentive she was to the student’s needs. She didn’t just go through the content—she checked in regularly to make sure they were comfortable and confident with the material. Instead of rushing through, she focused on the areas that needed more attention, which shows she’s adaptable and willing to personalise the lesson based on what the student actually needs. Today, Marina and her student focused specifically on percentages, rates, and ratios, ensuring they had a solid understanding of these key mathematical concepts.

Marina also made great use of the centre’s equipment, incorporating worked examples on the whiteboard to help explain tricky concepts. This hands-on approach made it easier for the student to visualise and apply what they were learning. Breaking problems down step by step on the board allowed for a deeper understanding and reinforced key ideas in a clear and structured way. She also encouraged the student to attempt problems on the board themselves, which helped build confidence and reinforce learning through practice.

It was also clear that Marina had a great rapport with her student. The student responded really well to her tutoring style, which made the session more engaging and productive. It was evident that the student felt comfortable with Marina, as they were actively engaged and asking great questions to clarify their understanding.

Overall, Marina’s tutoring was effective, supportive, and well structured. Her patience, clear explanations, and ability to build a positive connection with her student made for a great learning experience. Awesome work!

Demi Roussakis

Both small group and one-on-one tutoring have key benefits, and the choice between the two often comes down to the student’s specific learning style and needs. Primarily, the interaction that small group tutoring provides among peers may foster a heightened level of social intelligence for students – a skill that is applicable to the daily interaction both within and beyond the academic sphere. Social learning is an integral component in the educational process, and the interaction that occurs within a small group setting can initiate a collaborative learning environment. Students are able to ask questions, share ideas and communicate concepts to one another, solidifying their understanding in a teacher-student rhetoric. The social dynamic similarly encourages students to actively participate and engage with the content, fostering motivation and an enthusiasm for learning. Varyingly, one-on-one tutoring may not provide as many opportunities for this peer interaction. Such peer interaction, however, may not prove as important within the tutoring space when considering the role of one-on-one tutoring in establishing a sense of accountability and duty for the singular student to apply within their school-based learning. This is particularly pertinent when regarding homework and the focus the tutor provides to the sole student’s learning situation. If a student is struggling with a particular concept, the tutor can focus on helping that student and ensuring they are providing adequate time outside of school and the tutoring time to apply the strategies decided upon within the session.

Beyond academic learning, small group tutoring aids students in developing important collaborative skills. Working together in a group influences communication, problem-solving and teamwork abilities. These skills not only help the student in their academic growth, but are also highly transferable to real-world scenarios, both in a private and public manner. This may be compromised within a one-on-one scenario, where students are not able to work collaboratively on questions and ideas from multiple perspectives, as opposed to their tutors’ perspective.

Georgina Maxwell

Hi, my names Luka and ive just had the pleasure of observing the teaching of Eugenie by Mary, in the field of biology.
The lesson started as most do with a checkup of the week and homework. Mary followed this up by inquiring about the coursework, bringing the light the newly set presentation task.
Thus, the days work began, with a discussion of the assignment brief. This particular task was a investigation into a disease of the students choice. The pair, after quick deliberation over the assigned options, settles on Phenylketonuria or PKU.
This decision was smartly guided by Mary’s reading of the brief, stating that many students may avoid it due the ‘long name’, but also because of its approachability as a disease that focalises this year’s studies rather than spreading across fields of mutation as a cancer might. PKU is solely a genetic mutation and thus, is a good case study to pursue in depth.
Following this discussion of the basics of PKU, was a return to the Rubric. Having decided upon the projects focus, it was now time to divide up the work. Figure out how to tackle each point and meet the brief’s requirements.
After developing a plan of attack the research began. The focus of which being diagnosing the symptoms and cause of the disease. First was symptoms/effects, including odour and seizures in the short term, with permanent brain damage following. Next was cause.
Unfortunately, this was met with a slight setback, Eugenie’s teacher having rearranged the course modules and thus there being a set of missing information required to complete this assignment. Having not completed the Mutation module a quick refresher on it was needed.
This quick lesson surrounded point mutations, and their three major types. She explained the differences between missense, nonsense, and silent mutations then labelled PKU as primarily missense.
Around this time the lesson was wrapping up, but having given both an introduction into the basics and some finer points of the effects and cause of PKU, and a plan of attack it was vastly successful.
Thank you Mary and Eugenie for allowing me to observe.

Luka Damodaran

Engagement is at the heart of successful tutoring. No matter how well a tutor understands the content, if a student is not engaged, their learning will be limited. A truly effective tutor goes beyond delivering information and actively involves the student in the learning process, making lessons interactive, stimulating, and tailored to their interests.

One of the best ways to keep students engaged is through active participation. Instead of passively listening to explanations, students should be encouraged to think, ask questions, and apply their knowledge. This can be done through discussion-based learning, problem-solving exercises, and real-world applications. When students are actively involved, they are more likely to retain information and develop a deeper understanding of the material.

Personalisation is another key factor in maintaining engagement. Every student learns differently, so adapting teaching methods to suit their strengths can make a significant impact. Some students respond well to visual aids like diagrams and charts, while others benefit from verbal explanations or hands-on activities. Taking the time to understand how a student learns best can make lessons more enjoyable and effective.

Variety in teaching methods also plays an important role. A lesson that relies solely on one approach can become monotonous, causing students to lose focus. By incorporating different techniques, such as using whiteboards, online resources, or real-world examples, tutors can keep lessons dynamic and engaging. Even small changes, like alternating between explanation and practice, can help maintain a student’s attention and motivation.

Ultimately, engagement is what transforms tutoring from a simple transfer of knowledge into a meaningful learning experience. When students are engaged, they are more likely to develop confidence, curiosity, and a genuine interest in their education. By making lessons interactive, personalised, and varied, tutors can create an environment where students thrive.

Demetria Koutavas

Science is the backbone of technological advancement, driving the innovations that shape our world. By fostering an early interest in science among primary and high school students, we lay the foundation for future breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, environmental sustainability, and more.

A multidisciplinary approach to teaching science includes integrating subjects like mathematics, technology, and the arts to encourage curiosity, problem-solving, and creativity. This approach not only strengthens scientific understanding but also prepares young minds for the interconnected challenges of the future.

When students engage with science in diverse ways, such as through hands-on experiments, coding projects, and real-world applications, they develop critical thinking skills essential for technological progress. Encouraging collaboration between different disciplines mirrors the way science operates in the real world, where innovations emerge at the intersection of various fields.

By making science accessible, engaging, and relevant, we can empower the next generation of inventors, engineers, and leaders to create solutions for global challenges. Investing in science education today means fostering a future where technology continues to improve lives, drive sustainability, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Emily Mackay

Oliver kindly let me observe his 2 hour HSC Chemistry session, run on Thursday afternoons. It was definitely an interesting experience, but a good and insightful one too.

Oliver was quite adept and knowledgeable with the content being taught – Module 7 Organic Chemistry. Seeing as I haven’t brushed up on it at all in University doing Aerospace Engineering, this session’s been a rough reminder of how much I’ve actually forgotten of the content. Sure, all it takes for one little definition to jog my memory – Oliver talking about “Ketones” and “Functional groups” and “Carboxylic Acids donating protons as a weak acid”… But I remember studying Chemistry in the HSC, and knowing absolutely everything there was to know about the course and the syllabus. It was a good feeling, with information in my mind sprouting out and looping back onto itself in an interconnected web – kind of like how something like Maths or the mechanics side of Physics continues to be a growing area of my mind. I think this demonstrates an importance to sticking to your passion, with your mind sometimes giving way in some areas to allow for the growth and flourishing of others.

I like how Oliver went through the examples with his students. The majority of the examples were questions ripped from HSC Past Papers (arguably the best way to study in the HSC). However, the dynamic he creates amongst his students (each being from a different school) is one that is really allows them to provide their own insights, and learn in a casual, carefree, yet productive and enriching environment. Sitting through it reminded me of classes with my favourite teachers – there’d be friendly lighthearted banter back and forth sure, but I feel the fun and carefree environment really allowed my classmates and I to flourish. It’s definitely a stark contrast to the large, half-empty lecture halls of University. Oliver also draws in experiences of all the students in their current studies (eg: what assignments they’re currently doing), and provides his own experiences from when he was studying the topic. It is a shining testament to the programs run here at First Education, and really reflects the methods any good tutor would incorporate.

And to top it all off, in our little game break, we played the cheeky spot of Spyfall. How good!

While humbling in some respects, and enriching in others, I think overall that this lesson was beneficial to my own insights as a tutor. Thanks Oliver!

Zac Markovina