When discussing a student’s success, the main factor considered is grades, exam and homework results. However, a student’s wellbeing is the foundation that underpins their ability to learn effectively. In my experience tutoring one of the greatest barriers to progress is often not ability, but rather stress, low confidence, and academic burnout, particularly in senior students. When students feel supported and secure, their engagement and performance improve significantly. Regardless of whether stress is external or more of an internal struggle, elevated levels can impair concentration, memory, clarity of thinking and motivation (especially around assessment periods). This can help to explain why somme students who demonstrate understanding during revision may struggle to recall the same information in exams. Wellbeing is therefore not separate from academic achievement… it is essential to it.

There are several indicators that a student’s wellbeing may be affecting their learning. These include avoidance/ procrastination of homework, negative mindsets uch as “I’m not good at this subject,” extreme perfectionism, low tolerance for frustration, and a decline in results despite consistent effort. Such behaviours are often misinterpreted as disengagement, when they are more accurately responses to feeling overwhelmed. Confidence plays a critical role in academic development. Students learn most effectively when they feel safe to make mistakes, comfortable asking questions, and recognised for incremental progress.

Through structured support, achievable goals, and constructive feedback, tutoring can help shift a student’s mindset from self-doubt to a growth mindset. A high-quality tutoring environment provides individualised attention, clear learning structures, and regular opportunities for success.
Parents can further support wellbeing by focusing on effort rather than outcomes, encouraging balanced study routines, promoting adequate rest, and normalising mistakes as part of the learning process.

3 ways parents can support student wellbeing :
1. Emphasise effort over outcomes
2. Establish consistent study routines
3. Normalise challenges and mistakes

Natasya Ross

One of the most underestimated skills in tutoring is not explaining – it’s listening.

Allot of the time I have found students to not fully understand a topic that I am discussing, and whilst I will be the first to assume that the blame is on poor explanations, there is often a deeper cause. That cause stems from conceptual misunderstandings in the topics that I am attempting to explain to the student, more often than not it is the reason why they have taken up tutoring in the first place. In this case, it can be something slightly embarrassing to admit. It is the tutors job to go back through that topic that the student is less sure of, if the student struggles with calculus, it may be algebraic structure that is the root problem. Putting that reinforcement learning in place is a powerful tool and a tutors job.

Luca Smith

The debate over whether dogs or cats make better pets has gone on for generations, but many people believe dogs have the edge for several compelling reasons. One of the biggest advantages of dogs is their loyalty. Dogs form deep emotional bonds with their owners and are often described as devoted companions. They greet you enthusiastically after a long day, sense when you’re feeling down, and offer comfort simply by being present. This strong attachment can create a unique and meaningful relationship.

Dogs also encourage a more active lifestyle. Most dogs require regular walks, playtime, and outdoor exercise. This routine not only keeps the dog healthy but also benefits the owner. Daily walks can improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and provide opportunities to socialize with other dog owners. In contrast, cats are typically more independent and do not require the same level of interaction or activity.

Another reason dogs are often preferred is their versatility. Dogs can be trained to perform a wide variety of tasks. They serve as guide dogs for the visually impaired, therapy dogs in hospitals and schools, search-and-rescue workers, and even members of law enforcement teams. Their intelligence and eagerness to please make them highly trainable and capable of learning complex commands.

Finally, dogs often provide a sense of security. Many breeds are naturally protective and will alert their owners to strangers or unusual activity. Even smaller dogs can act as effective watchdogs by barking at potential threats.

While cats are loving and low-maintenance pets, dogs offer companionship, activity, service, and protection in ways that many people find unmatched. For those seeking a loyal and interactive companion, dogs are often considered the better choice.

Evan Mihail

I was able to observe Sophie’s session with her year 10 maths student. They begun their session by talking and catching up for 5 minutes, which was lovely to see, and builds the connection between tutor and student, which then means they feel comfortable with sharing things they’re finding difficult and trust their tutor to help them.

Once they got into the session more they begun to work on the student’s school homework, but only focusing on they content they found difficult – rather than just using tutoring as a chance to do homework. This meant they could use their time better and get more out of tutoring, which is something I aim to do in my sessions with my students as well! Thanks Soph, Sienna

Sienna Apted

Today, I observed Nicholas tutor his year 12 Biology student. Today they were looking at a sample paper with various topics.

Throughout the lesson, Nicholas was very intentional with his explanations and clarified the distinction between similar concepts that his student got confused between. He pointed out key differences to make it easier to identify which idea was being presented.

He asked his student many thought-provoking questions, to test his understanding and ensure he would remember which methods are appropriate to use for different kinds of questions. In addition, he continually checked in with his student to make sure he was on track with completing the assigned work for the lesson. This also ensured the student was constantly engaged and tuning in to his explanations.

Overall, I really liked how Nicholas was relatively quiet and allowed his student ample time to work on questions uninterrupted before offering help. This strategy prompted the student to attempt difficult questions by himself without immediately giving up, and I plan to use this in future sessions. All in all, this was a great lesson to observe and I learnt a lot.

Katherine Mavrolefteros

Today, I observed James tutoring Tristan, his year 10 maths student, on the topic of financial maths, focusing on calculating interest. James began by asking Tristan what he already knew about interest, which was a great way to gauge his understanding before introducing new material. He used Tristan’s responses as a starting point and built on them, explaining concepts clearly. When introducing simple and compound interest, James broke the calculations down carefully, making sure Tristan understood why each step was done rather than just how to do it.
He highlighted how compound interest builds over time, ensuring he had explained thoroughly how it grows faster than simple interest. His explanations were thorough but easy to follow, and he used everyday examples (e.g. loans) to make the maths feel more relevant.A strong moment was when he explained the difference between monthly and yearly interest. He walked Tristan through how annual rates compare with monthly calculations, showing him how to convert between them and why that matters.

James paused regularly to check Tristan’s understanding, instead of rushing through the content, and asked him to explain the process back in his own words. This helped reinforce confidence and showed that he was genuinely grasping the concept.
Throughout the session, James balanced clear instruction with encouragement. He guided his student when he needed help but also gave him space to think things through independently. This kept Tristan actively involved and made the lesson feel engaging rather than passive.
Overall, James’s teaching style was approachable, patient, and well structured. It was great to see how naturally James connected with his student while still maintaining a strong focus on learning and understanding.

Pamela Casiou

Teaching is indirect. Our role as tutors is to deliver understanding to students. This comes in many forms. A high school substitute might hand out thirty worksheets without explaining a word; while a university lecturer might explain at great length and detail over the course of two hours. Which is better might seem obvious, but in reality it depends on the student.
Teachers are often judged by the quality of their explanation, or the ease by which they command attention. But, in my opinion, they should be judged solely on their ability to involve students. The most well-prepared, concise, and detailed explanation will be in vain if the student is never given a chance to stop, interact with and conceptualize the subject.
If a two hour lecture is never interrupted by a question, then perhaps the worksheet would in fact be better. Involvement requires a subtle understanding of your student’s capability, and great teaching finds that balance between practice and explanation. I find more and more often that the best path to a students’ improvement lies not in extremely animated explanations, the promise of gold stars, or mountains of homework – rather, it’s asking them the right questions at the right time.

Fred Bennett

Multiple choice style tests may have a reputation for being easy, but in reality, they can be quite difficult. While there are usually one or two options which can be ruled out quickly, there tend to be minute differences, misleading tricks, or small nuances that render one answer ‘more correct’ than another, even if both are technically true! With such mental gymnastics involved, it is important to develop effective strategies for explaining to a student where they have gone wrong. One method I like to use to make the feedback process more engaging and productive is to give the student a second chance to find the correct answer.

Indicating to the student that the answer they have selected is incorrect without revealing which option they should have chosen allows them to take another look at the question. This requires them to apply their problem solving skills to consider why their original answer may have been wrong and deduce which of the remaining options is the right one. By looking at the question in a new light and with closer attention, they may notice a detail they had previously missed. Additionally, this strategy ensures that the student’s attention remains focused during the marking by having them actively participate rather than simply listening. A chance to reattempt tricky exercises makes the experience more hands-on, giving them a better chance of avoiding similar errors in the future. Finally, a ‘second chance’ also helps to uphold a positive attitude in the learning environment. Working the answer out for themselves, rather than being told, allows students to take pride in their efforts and reinforces that mistakes are a learning opportunity. Once they have found the correct answer, they can be asked to describe their reasoning. A comprehensive explanation should be given to them by the tutor, enabling the student to draw connections between this and their own process.

Ultimately, having a second attempt at multiple choice questions is a great way to maintain student focus and positivity by practicing their critical thinking and granting a sense of accomplishment.

Olivia De Araujo

One of the most powerful and underrated learning strategies doesn’t involve highlighters, flashcards or even extra homework. It’s teaching. In tutoring, we often flip the script. Instead of always explaining content to students, we ask them to explain it to us. At first, this surprises them/ “But you’re the tutor!”, they say. Exactly, which is why it works. When a student teaches a concept aloud, something shifts. They can’t behind recognition; “I remember seeing this before”. They must organise their thoughts, identify gaps in understanding and communicate clearly. If they stumble, that’s not failure, it’s feedback. It shows exactly where the confusion lies.

This method, strengthens memory and deepens comprehension. Explaining how to solve an equation, analyse a quote or apply a legal principle forces the brain to move beyond memorisation into mastery. We see it all the time. A student who struggles to write structured essays suddenly gains clarity after explaining the paragraph structure step-by-step. A maths student who feels unsure becomes more confident after walking through a solution aloud. By the end, they often say, “Wait, that actually makes sense now”. Teaching also build confidence. When students realise they can clearly articulate a concept, their self-belief grows. They stop seeing themselves as passive recipients of information and start seeing themselves as capable thinkers. Parents can encourage this at home too. Ask your child to “teach” you a concept they learned that day. It doesn’t matter if you understand the subject, what matters is that they practice explaining it. At its core, tutoring isn’t about dependence. It’s about empowerment. When students can teach the material themselves, they’re no longer just preparing for the next test, they’re building skills that last well beyond the classroom.

Isabella Naumovski

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on another tutoring strategy that has significantly influenced the way I support students, which is the gradual release model, or “I do, we do, you do.” While it sounds straightforward, this structured approach creates a powerful pathway from confusion to independence.
The gradual release model begins with clear demonstration. In the “I do” phase, I model how to approach a question while verbalising my thinking. Instead of just showing steps, I explain why I’m choosing them, for example, why this formula applies, why this paragraph needs deeper analysis, or why this method is more efficient. Students aren’t just watching a solution unfold, but they are also learning the decision-making behind it.
Next comes the “we do” phase, which is where collaboration takes centre stage. Here, the student and I solve a similar problem together. I might prompt them with questions or invite them to suggest the next step, stepping in only when necessary. This shared responsibility builds a sense of safety. Mistakes become part of the process rather than something to avoid.
Finally, the “you do” phase shifts ownership fully to the student. They attempt a task independently while I observe and provide targeted feedback. By this stage, they’re not starting from scratch; they’ve seen the strategy in action and practised it with support. The gradual reduction of guidance ensures they feel prepared rather than overwhelmed.
What makes this method so effective is its balance. It prevents students from becoming overly reliant on constant help, while also ensuring they’re never left unsupported too soon. Over time, I’ve noticed students approach new challenges with greater confidence, knowing they have a framework to rely on.

Katreen Diab