I had the opportunity to observe Peter’s program. The program was the first Year 11 Extension 1 session. As the students were nervous sitting in a room with unfamiliar faces, Peter began with an icebreaker activity to release the tension in the room and emphasise a welcoming environment. The icebreaker consisted of students sharing their name, school, and some of their favourite hobbies and interests. This really created a positive learning atmosphere and really eased into the session.

After the icebreaker, Peter introduced the homework rules that apply, going through what would happen if you missed the first, second, and third weeks of homework. He introduced the format that the programs will run in, highlighting that the booklets given are worked through in the 2-hour period and the homework booklet is completed at home.

Peter proceeded to start the booklet. He emphasised the WHY??, explaining that the brain is a muscle and math is the gym. The first topic to be completed in the Year 11 Extension 1 course is the math advanced topic of Methods in Algebra. Peter began to explain and run through the questions, which seemed like revisions to the students, which was effective for the learning. He used the whiteboard, allowing the students to visualise each question step by step. The students took turns answering questions, allowing them to demonstrate their understanding while all asked questions where necessary. This interactive approach kept the students engaged and built a positive, inclusive learning environment.

The subtopics that were covered in the sessions were:
– Simplifying expressions
– Index Laws
– Expanding
– Factorising
– Algebraic Fractions

Throughout the session, Peter allowed the students to solve some aspects independently and then discuss as a group. He cleared up any concerns the students had and highlighted his method. The collaborative approach worked really well in the sessions.

It was a good session to observe. Good job Peter!

David Hanna

Hello,
Today I had the opportunity to observe Deanne. They were going over her student’s preliminary exam from last term. Although her student did quite well, there are still some mistakes and areas of confusion that Deanne needed to revise with her student to ensure she is confident with the topics and knows how to handle it when she comes across it in future exams. During my observation, I denoted various ways and tricks that Deanne executed that I could potentially integrate through my future tutoring sessions. Deanne and her student portrayed a positive and close knit relationship that elicited a welcoming and easy going environment where there were boundaries in place surrounding staying on track. Deanne specifically addressed concerns that the student had in the test and corrected the questions the student got incorrect. Deanne’s explanation was clear, concise and targeted all parts of the questions, specifically aiming towards the areas the student voiced her confusion. Moreover, she also decided to give her student some exam tips and tricks for upcoming exams, especially since her student is starting Year 12 this term, where every exam begins to count. These tips involved stress and time management, reading the questions carefully, ensuring to check that the marks add up to what you were given and more. Moving forward from this test, Deanne advised her student to revise the questions she struggled in and gave her more questions regarding these specific topics so that her student could master them for future exams and not repeat her mistakes. By the end of the lesson, the student was confident in the areas of the exam she got incorrect after grasping the concepts and being exposed to multiple questions and tricks that examiners throw in to put students off that Deanne exposed her to. Overall, I gained an insightful experience from observing Deanne and developed tactics that I could use in the future for my tutoring lessons.

Thank you!!

Rheanna Leontsinis

Today, I got to observe the big room. In this room Deanne and Elise were each tutoring their students. Elise was tutoring her student in Maths specifically probability while Deanne was tutoring her student in Chemistry.

Deanne made great use of the whiteboard to help work through questions while highlighting each step to make the question easier to tackle. She also highlighted some key ideas to be aware of in case of similar questions in exams. She went through an exam paper with her student to expose him to a range of questions likely to come up in his exams and allowed him to lead in answering them as to see where he was in terms of his knowledge and his confidence. She made sure his working was thorough and he had what was needed to achieve all the allocated marks in an exam. She gave him some ideas for resources he could use to help visualise the concepts he was learning.

Elise worked together with her student to solve questions until her student was comfortable enough to do questions herself. This is important to help increase her confidence enabling her to do the work by herself especially when it comes to homework and exams/tests. If her student struggled, she gave her hints to push her in the right direction without giving her the answer straight away. She went through different types of probability questions including bar graphs and tables, which each have a varying approach that she made sure to outline and familiarise her student.

Both sessions provided me with a lot of insight into how to approach various questions avoiding giving answers away. By hinting and giving the student time to immerse themselves in the question, we can help them work through it consequently giving them confidence which prompts them to do well in homework and exams.

Olga-Liana Athanasatos

Today I observed Annaliese’s tutoring session!

During my observation of Annaliese teaching trigonometry to a Year 10 student, I was so impressed by her ability to simplify the complex concepts and maintain the student’s focus. She started the session by reviewing Pythagoras theorem, and shape angle sum and then introduced the key trig ratios – she did this to ensure the student had a solid understanding of their definitions and triangles and when to apply them. Annaliese used real-world examples, e.g measuring the height of a building using angles, to make the content relatable and less abstract. This method definitely captured the student’s interest but also helped make the formulas make sense.

Another part of Annaliese’s lesson, was teaching her student how to use the trigonometry buttons (sin/cos/tan, and inverse trig ) on the calculator. She broke down each step of the calculation process, guiding the student through pressing the correct buttons, and showing how to save the results using the ANS button. This hands-on approach allowed the student to gain confidence in using the calculator (which can be confusing) and made them comfortable as Annaliese worked through them with her. She provided lots of practice opportunities, where they worked through questions together, but also let the student try on their own. She corrected any mistakes without discouraging the student, and used positive reinforcement to keep them motivated. She started with easier questions, to build foundations and confidence and then moved on to more complex questions after that!

Annaliese’s teaching style was very structured but also flexible to suit the pace of the student. She regularly asked the student to explain concepts in their own words, and show how they did their working out (even it it was wrong) to understand what was going wrong/how they could fix it.

Shyla Gloster

Hi everyone, I hope you are well! Today I had the opportunity to observe Eireyna’s Year 10 Maths session. During the session, Eireyna did a great and engaging job with helping the student understand graphing, using concepts about finding coordinates and the x and y intersection to guide them.

Firstly, Eireyna marked last week’s homework and this step allowed her to assess the student’s progress, spot any particular difficulty they may have had, and identify any gaps in understanding. She also took the time to ask questions, ensuring the student could articulate the reasoning behind each answer. When they went through finding the axis on a cartesian plane, Eireyna used the whiteboard to draw a graph, ensuring it was clear, and then told the student to copy this graph in their own workbook. She broke down each step, explaining how to determine where a line crosses the axes and what that represents mathematically. This not only helped the student understand how to find the intercepts but let them know how these ideas an be used in real life. In this way, Eireyna created a supportive environment where the student felt comfortable asking questions and making mistakes, because she reminded them that without this, they won’t make good progress.

The encouraged the student to think aloud, asking them to predict where lines would intersect and guiding them when needed. This questioning technique helped the student actively engage with the material they while they were studying. Eireyna also emphasised the correct order of the axis intersections and when plotting each of the points, so they could follow independently. This kept them on the right track. One of the standout aspects of the session was Eireyna’s ability to maintain a positive and encouraging tone throughout, so the student could feel comfortable with developing their problem-solving skills. Because of this, her combination of active learning strategies ensured the student was feeling more confident and better prepared for future challenges in broader areas of maths.

By the end of the session it was clear the student had gained a better understanding of these equations and their overall confidence was strengthened. The student’s positive response to her methods highlighted the importance of fostering an encouraging learning environment between Eireyna and her student.

Eleni Nicholas

I had the lovely opportunity to observe Marina’s session with her Primary English student!
Marina delivered a highly organised as well as engaging lesson, focusing on spelling. Together they worked through some look-cover-write-check worksheets…

Here are some great techniques Marina was using in her lesson that I will be sure to take on within my own lessons.

Voice:
When tutoring younger students it is important to speak in a way that allows the student to connect and engage with the lesson. I was impressed by Marina’s use of a clear yet kind and enthusiastic voice when she was teaching. I took note of how she commended her student when he got a question right and showed kindness and support when he got stuck. It was clear that the student’s confidence in his work increased as the lesson progressed.

Attentiveness:
It is very important to always show attentiveness towards the students when they are completing their work in session. I noticed how closely Marina worked with her student throughout the lesson, being constantly engaged. This technique is hugely beneficial as it makes the student feel supported as they do their work, and creates a sense of teamwork where the tutor is someone the student is working “with” not “for”. The tutors engagement also makes it much easier for the student to stay on task, which is especially beneficial when tutoring primary/younger students.

Use of resources/tools:
Sometimes the difference between a good tutoring session and a great one can be how creatively the tutor uses their tools to keep the student engaged and excited to learn. I was impressed by Marina’s use of a variety of resources to keep the lesson constantly moving and changing. Some examples were, her use of the mini whiteboard for explanations which the student could also use and interact with, using coloured pencils as part of an exercise to make the work more fun, and giving the student a crossword puzzle as a short mental break while she marked his work. Marina’s creative use of resources kept the student engaged and interested in the work throughout the entire hour.

Using all these methods and more, Marina’s lesson was super effective and engaging, leaving the student confident and happy by the end. I’ll be sure to take these great tips with me in my future lessons.
Thanks Marina!!

Demi Tselios

Memorisation is a major aspect of academic success, however, what works for one person might be different for another. It is important to consider that all students learn differently, so below are a couple of tips outlining different methods of memorisation I found to be very effective.

Active Recall
Whilst it can be daunting to throw yourself in the deep end and cover the answer, testing yourself is one of the most effective ways to consolidate the information you have learnt and see whether you can actually recall it, or whether it requires more studying. Instead of simply just re-reading pages and pages of notes, focusing on the key concepts and testing yourself without looking at the answer will help solidify the information into your memory, and identify areas that need a bit of extra work. Flashcards or mini quizzes are very helpful for active recall as they don’t require you to physically cover the answer, but instead just flip it over once you’ve given it your best shot!

Teaching others
Once you think you are somewhat confident with a topic, the real test of your knowledge is to see whether you can teach the content to someone else for the first time. Explaining a concept to another person actually forces you to fully understand it and be able to break it down into smaller, more understandable segments, ultimately reinforcing your memory in the process.

Using mnemonics
Mnemonics are simply just any form of memory aid that helps you retain information through association. There are a variety of different mnemonics that work for different people, such as rhymes, visual aids or acronyms, all of which aim to make complex information a bit simpler so that it is easier to understand and recall.

Daisy Brenac

Today, I had the chance to observe David’s session.

In the session David covered fractions, decimals and integers. He mainly started doing this by going through questions with the student on the whiteboard. He used an organised table to help the student memorise the methods of converting between the fractions and decimals. He also quizzed the student quickly trying to catch him off guard and train his ability to think quickly. Well done David!

Tynan Philmara

A popular text studied in Year 10 English is Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Teaching this text has involved highlighting the main themes and exploring their importance in relation to the context of the play. The main theme of the play, which is the core of most essays, is the destructive nature of unchecked ambition and the moral consequences it holds.

This is seen through the character arc of the main character Macbeth, who falls victim to his unchecked ambition, ultimately leading to his downfall at the end of the play. Whilst Macbeth starts out as a loyal warrior, his desire for power provokes him to make immoral decisions. Macbeth’s initial hesitation to commit murder highlights his recognition of the immoral nature of this act. However, his ambition clouds his judgement, leading him to commit acts he is unable to recover from. This is seen at the end of the play, where Macbeth is ultimately overpowered by guilt, with Shakespeare exploring the danger of unchecked ambition, as it leads to the destruction of one’s morality.

This is also depicted through Macbeth’s wife Lady Macbeth, whose manipulation has a significant impact on Macbeth’s decisions. Her character subverts the theme of gender roles in the play, as she appears more ambitious than Macbeth, challenging traditional notions of femininity. However, she also experiences consequences for her actions, with her descent emphasising the destructive nature of power, as it ultimately overpowers those who try to achieve it immorally.

The play is driven by the motif of guilt, manifested in the character’s hallucinations. These hallucinations display the paranoia and fear felt by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after engaging in immoral acts. Macbeth becomes unable to escape his guilt, making him forever haunted by the consequences of his actions, ultimately causing his downfall. Shakespeare uses the downfall of these characters to warn readers about the inevitable consequences experienced by individuals who pursue ambition immorally.

Patricia Hardas

Hi all, I had the opportunity to observe Isabella and her student, April, who is preparing for her Year 12 HSC exams. This turned out to be a valuable experience, as I could see how Isabella structured her lesson and tailored her teaching to April’s specific needs.

One of the key things I noticed was how attentive Isabella was to April throughout the session. She began by going over the homework from the previous week, making sure to address any questions or areas where April seemed unsure. It was impressive to see that Isabella didn’t just move quickly through this review but took the time to explain concepts thoroughly. This not only clarified the material for April but also reinforced her understanding, which is so crucial for HSC preparation. Isabella’s approach demonstrated her commitment to keeping April engaged and ensuring that she fully understood the material before progressing further.

Another aspect that stood out was the rapport Isabella had clearly established with April. April seemed very comfortable asking questions and openly sharing when she didn’t understand something. It was evident that Isabella encouraged this openness by consistently checking in, asking if April was following along, and adjusting her teaching pace based on April’s responses. This dynamic created a supportive environment that made April feel more at ease and willing to tackle challenging content without hesitation.

Isabella also customised her explanations to match April’s learning style, which seemed to lean towards visual learning. She used diagrams and visual aids to break down complex ideas, helping April grasp the content without feeling overwhelmed. This thoughtful use of visuals demonstrated Isabella’s insight into April’s preferences and her ability to adapt her teaching methods accordingly.

Overall, observing Isabella’s techniques was inspiring and gave me valuable insights. I gained tips that I’m eager to incorporate into my own tutoring sessions to enhance the learning experience for my students and better support their individual needs. ☺️

Demetria Koutavas