I recently watched Anthea tutor one of her Year 6 students on long division, and it was honestly a really good reminder of how much teaching is about how you explain something, not just what you explain.

Instead of jumping straight into a big, messy question, she started simple. She gave the student a few division problems with no remainders first, just to build confidence and get the basics right. You could see the student relax a bit once they realised they actually understood what was going on.

Then she slowly stepped it up. When they got to a harder question like 931 divided by 3, she didn’t just say “do long division.” She broke it down into really small, manageable steps. She asked questions like “what’s 3 divide 9?” and waited for the student to answer before moving on. Then she followed with “what’s 3 divide 3?” and so on. It wasn’t rushed at all, and each step felt clear.

What stood out most was how she kept the student involved the whole time. Instead of explaining everything herself, she guided the student to work it out. Even when the student hesitated, she didn’t jump in straight away, she gave them time to think, which made a big difference.

By the end, the student was doing the questions with way more confidence than at the start. It showed how effective it is to break things down, start easy, and build up slowly. Long division can feel overwhelming, but the way Anthea taught it made it seem completely doable.

Eireyna Papinyan

It is commonly believed that we as humans have 5 senses. These are known as the basic senses and include visual, auditory, touch, taste, and smell. The ‘hidden’ senses include vestibular, proprioception, and interoception. Vestibular is our sense of balance and knowing how to move or position our body so that we can balance. Proprioception refers to our body awareness and its position in space, for example, if you were to close your eye and hold your arm up without physically seeing it you would be able to feel how high it is raised and where it is in relation to the rest of your body. The final of the lesser known senses is interoception which is knowing the internal state of our body, this includes sensing when we need the bathroom, are too hot or cold, or are hungry or thirsty.

These senses are very important to know as an educator particularly in an inclusive education environment. Students learn best in inclusive classrooms that consider everyone’s needs, including students’ sensory preferences. Of course, it’s difficult to cater to every preference, but there are adjustments you can make to keep sensory stimuli at a level that allows your students to feel comfortable, focussed, and safe. Observe and get to know your students and their sensory preferences so you can create a more effective learning environment in whatever space you’re in.

Students may be:

– Hypersensitive: they experience overwhelmingly more sensory input that others, e.g., lights may seem too bright or noises too loud. This can result in sensory avoidance behaviour (trying to get away from this sensory input)

– Hyposensitive: they are much less responsive to particular sensations and need more of that sensory stimulus to recognise the sensation and/or feel comfortable, e.g., dislike quiet spaces and prefer listening to music to concentrate. This can result in sensory seeking behaviour (trying to get more sensory input from the environment).

Kaeley Pitt

Getting kids back into tutoring after the school holidays can feel like a slow start…but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, this window before school resumes is one of the most valuable times to engage new learning habits in a low pressure way. After a break, it’s normal for children to feel a bit out of routine, a bit uninterested and unfocused. Rather than jumping straight into heavy, hard and new work, the focus should be on rebuilding confidence and consistency. Start with light revision, so reviewing key concepts from the previous term helps reactivate knowledge without overwhelming them. This might include basic exercises, timetables, topic revision etc.

It’s also a great time to focus on learning behaviours, not just content. It is so important to get the most out of every session, so while they don’t have any immediate exams coming up, it can be a great time to focus on planning for the term, organisation, goal-setting, and independent thinking. These can make such a big difference once school starts. For younger students especially, keeping things engaging is key. Incorporating games, creative writing prompts, or real-life problem solving can make learning feel enjoyable rather than like a chore. The aim is to ease them back into a learning mindset, not to replicate an intensive school day.

Importantly, this period allows us as tutors to identify any gaps early. Without the pressure of current schoolwork, there’s space to strengthen foundations before new content is introduced in class. Ultimately, the goal isn’t to race ahead, it’s to start steady. A calm, structured re entry into tutoring builds momentum, so when the school term begins, the student feels prepared, confident and ready to engage!! Small, consistent effort now can build confidence and reduces stress later, setting students up for a smoother transition back into school.

Shyla Gloster

Most students believe they are studying when they are actually just spending time near their notes. There is a big difference between the two, and confusing them is one of the most common reasons smart, hardworking people still underperform on exams.

Passive studying feels productive. Re-reading a chapter, highlighting sentences, watching a lecture video for the second time: all of these activities create a sense of familiarity with the material that your brain mistakes for actual understanding. Psychologists call this the fluency illusion. Because the information feels easy to process, you assume you have learned it. Then the exam arrives, the context shifts slightly, and the knowledge evaporates. Active studying is different. It is uncomfortable. It involves closing the book and trying to recall what you just read, solving problems you have never seen before, and explaining concepts out loud as if teaching someone else. These strategies feel harder because they are harder. Your brain is being asked to retrieve and apply information rather than simply recognise it. That difficulty is the whole point.

The research on this is not new. Studies on retrieval practice consistently show that testing yourself on material, even before you feel ready, produces significantly better long-term retention than re-reading the same content. Spaced repetition, where you revisit material at increasing intervals, compounds this effect further. So what does a better study routine actually look like? It starts with putting the highlighter down. Instead of marking your notes, summarise them from memory. Instead of re-reading a chapter, write down everything you can recall before opening the book again. Instead of passively watching a tutorial, pause it every few minutes and explain the concept back in your own words. Your study routine should feel like a workout, not a stroll. If it feels easy, it probably is not working.

Misha Fry

Many students spend hours studying, only to forget what they learned days later. This is where spaced repetitionbecomes one of the most effective study strategies. Instead of cramming information all at once, spaced repetition involves reviewing material at increasing intervals over time, helping move knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.

Spaced repetition works because it aligns with how our brains naturally forget information. When students revisit content just before they forget it, their memory strengthens. Over time, they need fewer reviews, and the information becomes much easier to recall. This makes studying more efficient and less stressful, especially during exam periods.

I often use spaced repetition to help my students stay consistent with their learning. For example, a student might review a topic the same day, then two days later, then a week later. This approach builds strong foundations and prevents last-minute cramming.

Technology has made spaced repetition even easier. Apps like Quizlet and Anki allow students to create digital flashcards and automatically schedule reviews. These tools help students stay organised and ensure they revisit content at the right time.

Another benefit of spaced repetition is confidence. When students repeatedly review material and successfully recall information, they feel more prepared and less anxious about assessments. Instead of panicking before exams, they know they have been consistently building their knowledge over time.

Ellie Tsoukalas

Many students associate exam preparation with studying the night before and cramming as much as possible. They believe that getting as much preparation as possible into a short period of time will help them succeed. This is what separates high achievers from those who always feel that they “should’ve done better.”

What many students do not want to hear is that preparation for exams and assessments is normally a process over weeks and sometimes even months. Preparation for an exam begins when the student learns the content that will be in the exam. From this point, there is an important process that the student has to undergo to be ‘exam-ready’, this includes completing homework on the content to consolidate knowledge, doing revision questions and identifying areas of weakness and then moving on to past papers and exam-style questions.

An area where many students fall down in studying for exams is not doing anything across the whole term, and then when exam time comes around, the student has already forgotten everything they learnt. By this point in the term, high academic achievers will likely be prepared for the exam, as they maintained focus and stayed on top of content throughout the term.

The most challenging part of undertaking this continued process of revision is maintaining motivation. Some students may feel as if their progress isn’t visible, as they aren’t able to see how their work is paying off. However, the greatest benefit of staying on top of revision is not having to do mass revision in a short period of time. By the time the exam comes around, the student will be confident and in a clear frame of mind, being able to trust their preparation.

While many students hate to come to terms with this hard truth, studying consistently over a long period of time is essential.

Hayden McCarthy

Most peoples experience with mathematics is not entirely positive to say the least. For many it is a largely mechanical and abstract subject which forces us to spend years plugging numbers into equations. Perhaps the most common question that gets asked in a math classroom is ‘why does this matter?’, but that is a question that typically goes unanswered.

This is a pity as it is a question which often has a very good answer. For instance we learn in school about quadratic equations but never mention that these describe the trajectories of thrown objects, we learn about exponential functions but don’t talk about their role in modelling population growth and we learn about logarithms but don’t discuss how they are used in radio carbon dating. Virtually all mathematics that we learn in school was developed with some practical goal in mind. Important fields like engineering, economics, physics and biology are all shaped by mathematics in fascinating and intricate ways. These connections can take less than five minutes to explain, and help justify why these topics matter, yet they are left out because they don’t fit neatly in the syllabus.

As tutors it is our job to make sure students can understand and succeed in their subjects. Often the barrier to this is not a lack of ability on the students end, but simply the fact that the student has not yet been shown why they should care about the subject. Justifying the content and putting it in its relevant context is one way we can overcome this barrier, and help our students succeed. This doesn’t mean that every time a new topic is introduced we need to find some application for it, but if we occasionally remind our students that mathematics isn’t just an abstract field, it can go a long way towards making it engaging.

David Miller

Today I had the pleasure of observing Zac’s first session with a Math Advanced student Harrison. One thing I noticed straight away was that Zac didn’t jump into content at the start. He took a few minutes to get to know the student — kept it casual — and asked him what he was hoping to get out of the sessions. While a simple act, it put the student at ease, and allowed them to feel like the active agent in their learning journey.

Once into the material, he would check whether the student had the relevant background knowledge before working through a question, rather than after. Where there were gaps, Zac filled them with short, targeted explanations — just enough to move forward without loading the student up with more than they needed. It kept things feeling manageable, which is especially important in a first session when the student doesn’t yet know what to expect.

The check-ins were consistent throughout. Rather than explaining at length and asking “does that make sense?” at the end, he was threading small questions into his explanations as he went. This struck me as a more reliable way to catch confusion early, and something I want to be more deliberate about in my own sessions.

The tone was also relaxed and conversational throughout which visibly put the student at ease, loosening up as the session went on. It never felt like a tutor performing at a student. The dynamic was commendably more like a collaborative effort of two people working through something together, as Zac wasn’t afraid to admit mistakes on his own part; this reinforced mistakes as human, rather than treating them as something to fear.

Overall Zac effectively balanced building rapport and assessing baseline knowledge while simultaneously covering the content. Great work!

Thea Macarthur-Lassen

Confidence is often the missing piece in a student’s academic success. Many students don’t struggle because they lack ability, but because they doubt themselves. Statements like “I’m just bad at maths” or “I’ll never understand this” can quickly become self-fulfilling. This is where a tutor can make a meaningful difference.

A good tutor goes beyond simply explaining content. They create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable making mistakes and asking questions. When students realise that errors are part of learning and not something to be embarrassed about they begin to take more risks and engage more deeply with the material.

One of the most effective ways tutors build confidence is through small, achievable wins. Breaking down complex problems into manageable steps allows students to experience success regularly. Over time, these small successes build a sense of capability and independence.

Tutors also adapt their teaching to suit each student’s learning style. Whether a student learns best through visual examples, practice questions, or discussion, personalised support helps them feel understood and capable. This tailored approach often leads to those “lightbulb moments” that boost both understanding and confidence.

Importantly, tutors encourage a shift in mindset. Instead of focusing on getting everything right immediately, students learn to value effort, persistence, and progress. This growth mindset helps them approach challenges with resilience rather than fear.

Ultimately, confidence doesn’t develop overnight. But with consistent support, encouragement, and the right strategies, students can move from “I can’t do this” to “I’ve got this”—not just in their studies, but in how they approach challenges more broadly.

Audrey Stigter

One of the biggest benefits of tutoring isn’t just better marks — it’s confidence. Many students struggle in class not because they aren’t capable, but because they don’t feel confident enough to ask questions, take risks, or believe in their abilities.

Tutoring provides a supportive environment where students can learn without fear of judgement. In a classroom, students may feel embarrassed if they don’t understand something. However, in a one-on-one tutoring setting, they are more comfortable asking questions and working through challenges at their own pace. Over time, this builds confidence and encourages students to become more active learners.

Another way tutoring builds confidence is through small, consistent wins. When students begin to understand topics they once found difficult, they start to believe in themselves. These small successes add up, helping students feel more capable and motivated. As confidence grows, students are more willing to attempt harder questions and participate in class discussions.

Tutoring also helps students develop independent learning skills. Rather than simply giving answers, tutoring focuses on guiding students through problems and teaching them strategies. This empowers students to tackle challenges on their own, both inside and outside the classroom.

Ellie Tsoukalas