First Education

Has your teacher been telling you to study constantly and you feel you can’t escape the study cycle? Well here are some easy tips to get you on track with your studying!!

Firstly I recommend creating a study timetable to allocate time effectively for each subject. In this timetable it is also essential to include time for yourself. This may include going to the gym, or planning when you might read your favourite book or play sport for your local team. It is important to plan your days as it gives you a sense of organisation and structure to your studying schedule. It is also essential to not allocate huge amounts of time which you may not be able to stay focused on for that long. Ensuring to designate your time effectively is essential for proactive studying.

Secondly, continuing to take regular breaks is essential in allowing your brain to recover and process the information. A break may include going to the bathroom or eating some food to relax and allow your brain to absorb everything you just learnt. Avoid using your phone for prolonged periods of time during these breaks as it can throw your schedule off and lead you to endless doomscrolling which is the worst case scenario.

Thirdly it is essential to study in ways which you are most familiar with. There is no point adopting study techniques which don’t match your learning style as it will lead you to become less interested in learning. Techniques may include using bright colours and specific stationary to creatively present your work. Or alternatively wearing noise cancelling headphones may eliminate distractions and allow for you to focus on the work at hand. We are all different so our techniques will vary, but it is important to find the best way which works for you.

In conclusion, using study techniques which work best for you are extremely important in laying down foundations and seeking success in the future in all academic endeavors!!

Happy studying!!

Flora Carabitsios

One of the key questions of legal studies is ‘how effective is the law?’ It’s one that students studying the subject will have to grapple with over and over again, and for all different areas of law (workplace, international, criminal, family, etc.). The thing is, the law is never perfect. It’s trying to be, but it’s maybe impossible to ever truly get there. The key things for students to acknowledge here are: does it uphold the rule of law? does it make justice accessible for society and individuals? is it efficient? does it prevent crime? is it known amongst the public? All these things are fairly big questions. Key factors you can look for to ascertain effectiveness are media response and statistics. If there is backlash from the public and from the media then that probably reveals that the law, whatever it is, isn’t sufficiently reflecting the values of society at that time. Which is the role of law, to reflect the values of society. Statistics are also a very good indicator of effectiveness. If the law has led to an increase in a certain type of crime, or an increase in the displeasure that individuals have in dealing with the law, then maybe the law isn’t coming to just and fair decisions. There will always be issues with law, the world is far too complex and unique for legislation to be perfectly suited to deal with every situation and circumstance. But, that is why it’s important to study them. So that you can see where and why laws are failing and how they should be changed. I try to impress on students the importance and the ‘interesting-ness’ of this task. Hopefully it can get them involved and actually eager to look at laws and at data in order to come to their conclusions rather than the ones their teacher has told them to come to.

Hugo Nihill

If your first instinct when marks drop is to study longer, you’re not alone.

Most students assume better grades come from more hours. More notes. More rereading. More highlighting. However, higher marks usually come from studying differently, not studying more. The biggest mistake I see is passive revision. Rereading notes feels productive because it’s familiar. But recognition isn’t the same as recall. In exams, you don’t get to recognise the answer, you have to produce it.

Instead of rereading, switch to active recall. Close your notes and write down everything you remember about a topic. Answer practice questions without looking at solutions. Teach the concept out loud as if explaining it to someone else. Struggling slightly during revision is a good sign, that’s your brain strengthening connections.

The second shift is analysing mistakes properly. Most students check answers, see what they got wrong, and move on. High-performing students ask: Why did I lose marks? Was it a knowledge gap? Misreading the question? Weak structure? If you don’t diagnose the error, you’ll repeat it.

Another major upgrade is exam technique. Many students know the content but lose marks because they don’t answer the question precisely. Pay attention to command words like “analyse,” “compare,” or “evaluate.” Structure responses clearly. Practise under timed conditions. Exams reward clarity and relevance, not just knowledge.

Finally, focus on quality over quantity. One hour of focused, distraction-free practice questions is more powerful than three hours of half-attentive revision. Put your phone away. Set a clear goal for the session. Review strategically. Improving your marks isn’t about exhausting yourself. It’s about being deliberate and practising intentionally. That’s where the real improvement happens.

Isabella Mackay

It’s a common situation for students to prepare meticulously for an exam, yet the overwhelming stress on the day can lead to freezing up. These mind blanks can cost us precious time, make us forget important content and derail our concentration for the rest of the exam time.

But don’t worry – there is nothing wrong with feeling a little overwhelmed – it happens to the best of us, and the most important thing is knowing how to best recover from it whilst saving as many minutes as we can!

There are many things to consider. Firstly, take a deep breathe. An effective way to calm yourself down is the box breathing method. Breathe in on the count of 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, slowly release for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds. It doesn’t need to be 4 seconds, but make sure you it’s consistent as this regulation process lowers blood pressure. It acts as a physical reset button for our body’s nerves and thoughts, helping us regain our concentration.

Secondly, consider the wellbeing technique of naming 1-2-3 things. What is one thing you can physically feel/touch? Two things you can hear? Three things you can see? Name them. Dont’t overthink, this should be immediate reflexes and should only take roughly 5 seconds. This can also help ease your mind right before the exam before a mind blank even starts or when you’re nervously waiting for door to open into the exam hall or sitting down waiting for the clock to begin. It”@ a great way to ground your nerves.

Thirdly, have confidence. Remind yourself that you already did all the hard work and the results of one exam does not define your intelligence, just a reflection of how you can apply the knowledge you’ve learnt in this very moment. Remember one mark is never going to be the end of the world and everytging will be okay as long as you do your best!

Lastly, to prevent the likelihood freezing up in the first place, it’s best is to practise simulating these wellbeing exam techniques at home or with a tutor. Practising wellbeing techniques in mock exams and in a safe environment is crucial to being able to reproduce them and positive self talk in a stressful exam situation!

Anna Ho

Starting tutoring back after a six week break at the beginning of the year is different from any other time. Students arrive with renewed energy, determined to improve marks, build confidence, and stay ahead of assignments. But sometimes it also means nerves and uncertainty.

It’s also important for students not to put pressure on themselves to return at exactly the same level they finished on last year. After six weeks away, it’s normal for both tutors and students to feel a little out of rhythm. Expecting everything to click immediately often creates unnecessary pressure. Allowing space to rebuild routines, revisit key concepts, and ease back into consistent work leads to stronger, more sustainable progress.

For tutors, it’s also a reset. It’s a chance to reflect on what worked well last year and what could be improved. Maybe that means incorporating new teaching strategies, exploring updated resources, or setting clearer progress milestones with students. The new year offers an opportunity to refine our approach and recommit to helping each individual student succeed.

Starting back is also a time to set the tone early. The first few sessions back aren’t just about jumping straight into content; they’re about re-establishing routines, clarifying expectations, and identifying goals for the term ahead. When students understand what they’re working toward, it’s easier to stay focused and motivated as the weeks get busier.
Starting again after six weeks away reminds both students and tutors that improvement is a long game. With structure, clear communication, and steady effort, the beginning of the year can lay the foundation for a good term.

Jessica Ciappara

Every January, we all decide our new year’s resolutions and they look different for everybody. Whether that be pick up a new hobby, learn an instrument or get a new PB in that sport. For students these resolutions or goals are often centred around school results.
‘Improve my grades in science’
‘Study better’
‘Focus on important exams’

But by February? Most of those resolutions disappear.
Not because students are lazy, but because most resolutions are vague, unrealistic, or based on motivation instead of habits.

Below are a list of goals/resolutions that you can apply easily and are actually effective.

1. Ask One Question Every Lesson
You don’t need to ask ten. Just one.
Asking questions shows engagement in sessions and clarification can be the difference between understanding a concept fully or not.
One question per lesson:
* Shows engagement
* Fixes misunderstandings early
* Builds confidence
Smart students aren’t the ones who know everything. They’re the ones who aren’t afraid to not know.

2. Review Your Notes Within 24 Hours
Reviewing your notes that day means that you are aware of any potential gaps in your learning or things that you missed in the lesson. This also ensures that we aren’t stuck cramming later on and having to revise basic concepts the day before an assessment.
Studying isn’t about intensity. It’s about timing.

3. Stop Saying “I’m Just Bad at ___”
“I’m just bad at maths.”
“I have never been good at English.”
“I will never understand this.”
The brain listens to what you repeatedly tell it.
Instead try to change the mindset to :
“I don’t understand this yet..”
“I could improve on this area”
“I need a bit of help but I am excited to learn…”
Mindset matters

4. Use a Planner Properly
High-performing students don’t rely on memory. They rely on systems.
Write down:
* Homework
* Assessment dates
* Study blocks
* Revision goals
Planning reduces anxiety because your brain doesn’t have to constantly remember everything. It frees up mental energy for actually learning.
Organisation is a skill that will benefit you well into your adult life.

An academic glow up isn’t about becoming a different person overnight.
It’s about consistent behaviours repeated over months.
The students who improve the most aren’t the ones who suddenly become geniuses.

Natasya Ross

In the past, the only real thing I’ve prioritsed as a metric for whether or not I should move past a topic with any of my students has been understanding – how clearly they’ve been able to demonstrate to me that they understand how to work out a certain type of question and how thoroughly they can explain to me their thought process while doing so.

I noticed one of my Year 8 Maths students yesterday really savouring the working out part of a few questions in a row that I knew he had figured out the answer to long before he put it down on paper. He was adding more steps than he needed to in his working, because he was clearly just deriving so much pleasure from the actual process – when your student is humming songs and tap dancing while answering questions correctly, it really is a beautiful things to see. When you’re good at something and it makes sense to you, it can be very enjoyable to take your time.

And I’m all for enjoying the process. But, the reality of Maths is that in exams (because you know, they kind of matter) we don’t have the luxury of unlimited time. If you’re doing multiple steps because they’re integral to your working out process, that’s different. But, when I saw my student unnecessarily simplifying fractions in his head on the way to his answer instead of just punching it all into the calculator (taking 3 lines of working to do what could very well be done in 1), I felt it necessary to pull him up and explain to him the following:

Once the stuff makes sense, our next priority is moving more efficiently.

The faster we can get to our answer by trimming the fat off of our working – cutting out unnecessary steps, the better. We save our mental bandwidth for tougher questions coming up ahead and allow ourselves more time to come back and check our working out later on.

I know personally how easy it can be to derive so much enjoyment from a process that you almost completely forget what the end goal is, but I feel it our obligation as tutors to keep our students in check and prioritise what is in their best interests in the grand scheme of things, at all times.

We can have fun doing maths and work on moving faster through our questions (once the stuff makes sense), all at the same time.

Thanks for reading 😀

Thomas Koutavas

Exercise plays a key role in supporting cognitive function that becomes vulnerable under exam pressure. Elevated anxiety can impair working memory, slow information processing, and reduce attention span, all critical cognitive abilities during long study sessions and timed exams. When cognitive functions decline, students often experience a cycle where anxiety worsens performance, and concern about performance increases anxiety. Regular exercise helps break this cycle, by enhancing the brains systems responsible for concentration, memory, and executive control.

Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins and serotines, neurotransmitters that regulate mood and counteract the cognitive effects of high cortisol. Exercise also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the ‘fight-or-flight’ response triggered by anxiety, helping lower the heart rate and reduce muscle tension, helping adolescents return to a regulated state more quickly. This physiological response collectively supports clearer thinking and more stable focus, especially during extended study sessions.

Further, evidence from Frontiers in Psychology shows that adolescents who engage in aerobic activity such as running and swimming, experience significant reduction in self-reported anxiety levels, performing better on tasks requiring working memory and sustained attention compared with less active peers.
Additionally, exercise is shown to improve sleep quality, anxiety commonly disrupts sleep patterns, which negatively affects memory consolidation and problem-solving. A 2025 study reported that adolescents who exercise regular reported better sleep quality and lower pre-exam anxiety. This improvement in sleep contributed to sharper cognitive performance, steadier emotional regulation, and reduced stress load during demanding HSC periods.

Daniella Antoun

Many students fall into the trap of believing that mastering textbook questions is enough to succeed in exams. Textbooks are essential for building foundational understanding. They introduce definitions, explain core concepts, and provide structured practice. However, textbook questions are often predictable, neatly organised by topic, and designed to reinforce a specific method you’ve just learned. Real exams are not.

Examiners combine ideas across topics, test subtle conceptual understanding, and frame questions in unfamiliar ways. If you rely solely on textbook exercises, you may feel confident during study but shocked during the exam. That gap between familiarity and application is where marks are lost.

Past papers bridge that gap. They reveal patterns in how questions are phrased, how marks are allocated, and which topics are frequently assessed together. More importantly, they train you to manage time under real conditions. You begin to recognise common traps, recurring themes, and the depth of explanation required for full marks.

Ideally, students should begin serious past paper practice at least two weeks before the exam. This allows enough time to review mistakes, identify weak areas, and refine exam strategy. Textbooks build knowledge. Past papers build performance. If your goal is not just understanding, but top results, past papers must become your priority.

Nabil Harrar

When you’re teaching someone a new concept, especially something complex, it’s easy to forget what it felt like not to understand it yourself. What makes sense in your head might feel confusing or overwhelming to your student. I’ve found that this is where analogies and breaking ideas into smaller steps really matter. They help bridge the gap between what a student already knows and what they’re trying to learn.

Analogies work because they connect new information to familiar experiences. If I compare electric current to water flowing through pipes, for example, students can picture something they’ve already seen. Instead of just memorising abstract definitions, they can actually visualise how the system works. That makes the concept feel less intimidating and more logical. I don’t use analogies to replace the real explanation, but to give students a starting point. Once they feel comfortable, we can build on that foundation and add the more precise details.

Breaking concepts into smaller steps is just as important. A lot of processes—whether in maths, science, or essay writing—can seem complicated when they’re presented all at once. When I split them into clear, manageable parts, it reduces that sense of overload. Students can focus on understanding one piece at a time instead of trying to process everything simultaneously. For example, when we’re solving an equation, I make sure to explain why we’re doing each step rather than just rushing through the full solution. That way, they can see the reasoning instead of just copying what I write.

I’ve noticed that this approach also builds confidence. When students understand each stage of a process, they’re much more willing to try similar problems on their own. They’re not just memorising procedures; they’re actually understanding how and why something works. That deeper understanding makes it easier for them to apply the concept in different situations.

Overall, I think using analogies and breaking down ideas into smaller steps makes learning feel more approachable. It shows students that complex topics aren’t impossible—they’re just made up of simpler parts that we can tackle one at a time.

Alexis Papas