First Education

Today I had the opportunity to observe Demetria tutor her primary student English.

Demetria began her lesson with revision on spelling from her student’s homework task. By testing her student’s knowledge about the areas focused on, this can provide further confirmation on the student’s confidence and capacity to answer questions on the topic. Demetria then moved to focus on differentiating between “b, “d”, and “p” sounds. Demetria effectively used active recall to gauge her student’s understanding. After he repeated the sounds allowed and used them in sentences, Demetria provided him with a series of worksheet questions which she began guiding him through and then allowed him to independently complete them. Demetria was very attentive to her student, reminding him to read the questions carefully and not rush through the sheets. The focus of the lesson then moved to merging different letters with these sounds to produce many different words. After a few practice rounds on the board her student was then able to read and sound out lots of words with confidence. The lessons focus then shifted to maths where Demetria focused on addition. Through an online activity which required him to separate the place values to solve, her student was engaged and became confident solving various addition problems. This was especially achieved through Demetria’s encouragement which provided him with reassurance in his ability. It was apparent that Demetria’s student was comfortable where he was confident to a ask for help and express his concerns about the difficulty of the work set.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching Demetria’s lesson. Well done!! ☺️

Marina Nouris

It can be tricky keeping our students focused and willing to work for the full hour. This inattentiveness can stem from boredom, frustration, or mental fatigue, but there are effective strategies to combat this!

1. Encourage active participation

A passive student is an inattentive student! Instead of spending an hour lecturing and explaining, get them involved – get them to stand up beside you and work on the whiteboard, or ask them to explain a concept in their own words. This forces students to engage with the material physically and mentally, and will also have the added benefit of allowing us tutors to identity errors in real-time!

2. Take Strategic Breaks

Attention spans are limited, especially when dealing with dense subjects. A short break can significantly improve focus and retention. Playing just one game of uno or chatting about the weekend for a few minutes will break up the content and make them happier to continue to learn!

3. Vary Teaching Methods
Monotony leads to inattention. Mix up explanations with games, real-world examples, or short quizzes. Tailoring your approach to the student’s learning style (depending on whether they’re visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners) keeps things fresh and engaging!

Sophie McGrath

As a tutor, our role goes beyond simply answering a student’s questions and explaining concepts. We are there to motivate, guide and empower our students, helping them to unlock their full potential and reach their academic objectives. To maximise each tutoring session, it is integral to have a strategy, to keep the sessions engaging and to tailor each session to our different students’ unique needs. One key way tutors can maximize their tutoring sessions is by setting clear goals for each session. Before each session, take a few minutes to set specific, attainable goals. Ask yourself: What do I want my student to comprehend at the end of the session? What skills do I want to narrow in on? These goals can vary from mastering particular concepts to developing study techniques they can employ in their own personal study time. Having a clear focus empowers both the tutor and their student to stay on track within the session, giving the student a sense of accomplishment at the end of each lesson. Moreover, a tutor can engage with their students’ learning style to maximise their session. Each student learns differently, with approaches ranging from visual and auditory learners to reading/writing learners. Take time to understand how your student learns best and mould your teaching methods accordingly. For a visual learner, for example, the whiteboard may be a useful tool to explain key concepts in an engaging manner. Similarly, a reading/writing student may prefer timed tasks such as practice responses within the lesson to ensure adequate understanding of the information. On a broader sense, tutors should engage in reflection across their working period to recentre their understanding of their goals. Primarily, tutors should ask themselves are the methods working? Are they meeting their goals? In considering this, they should adjust their strategy accordingly to keep each individual student on track.

Georgina Maxwell

Watching Christina work with her student on creative writing was truly inspiring. The student, who typically struggles with a lack of interest in English, was completely drawn into the lesson, thanks to Christina’s engaging and dynamic approach. From the very beginning, it was clear that Christina was not just teaching; she was creating an environment where the student could see the value and fun in writing.

She started the lesson by asking her student if there is any topic of interest that would engage him in English, whether it be for creative writing or reading. Throughout the lesson, her enthusiasm never wavered. She guided the student through the key elements of narrative writing—setting, characters, and plot—while making the process feel like an exciting challenge rather than a chore. When the student struggled to come up with ideas, Christina offered prompts that sparked his imagination. This small tweak turned a challenging moment into a creative opportunity.

In addition to working on narrative writing, Christina also focused on spelling during the lesson. Recognising that spelling can be a challenge for her student, she approached it in a way that kept him engaged. Instead of traditional drills, Christina used creative strategies to make spelling more interactive. She encouraged the student to break words down into smaller parts and sound them out, turning each word into a manageable piece.

What was truly special was how Christina used positive reinforcement. Every time the student made progress, whether it was coming up with an interesting character or describing a scene vividly, or spelling a word correctly, Christina praised him with genuine excitement. By the end of the session, the student had written a short narrative, and mastered some difficult words. Although he still didn’t love English, his attitude had shifted. Thanks to Christina’s patient and engaging approach, the lesson was both productive and enjoyable.

Tira Rustom

This afternoon, I observed Tamiah during a session with her Year 2 student. She has a warm and patient teaching style, creating a space where her student feels confident to ask questions and try new things.

During the session, they worked on maths, comprehension, reading, and spelling. Tamiah has a great way of breaking down maths problems, making them more approachable and easier to understand. Her approach to comprehension and reading encourages her student to think critically while still enjoying the learning process, also allowing her to try working things out on her own before stepping in to help. She also made spelling practice engaging, ensuring her student stayed motivated and focused by letting her practice her spelling words on the whiteboard.

I can tell Tamiah has a great relationship with her student, they are focused during the session but Tamiah made learning an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Sophie Wharton-Jones

Today, I had the chance to observe James with his year 7 maths student, as they worked through algebra.

During the session, James introduced a simplified method to help his student solve algebraic problems more efficiently. Recognising that the student was feeling overwhelmed by some of the more complex steps, James broke down the process into smaller, more manageable parts. He demonstrated a quicker, more intuitive approach, such as using mental shortcuts to simplify equations before solving them. By focusing on the core principles and showing how to identify patterns, James gave the student a method that felt more approachable. This new strategy not only made the problems seem less daunting but also boosted the student’s confidence, making them feel more capable and empowered to tackle similar challenges in the future.

What stood out most during the observation was James’ ability to foster a growth mindset among his student. When his student hesitated over a problem, James was patient and encouraging, guiding him through the steps without giving away the answers. This approach empowered the student to think critically and work through challenges on their own. It was evident that James values mistakes as part of the learning process, using them as teachable moments rather than setbacks.

James also made sure to celebrate small successes, praising the student for their progress, which fostered a strong sense of accomplishment. By incorporating interactive methods, such as asking the student to solve problems aloud and discussing their thought process, he created an environment where the student felt comfortable making mistakes and learning from them.

Tira Rustom

Tutoring provides the flexibility to adjust to different learning styles, aiding students in their pursuit of academic success. Whether a student is a visual, auditory or reading/writing learner, personalised tutoring offers an environment that takes into account their unique needs, helping them absorb information more effectively, maintain engagement and promote confidence in their knowledge and abilities. For visual learners, their specific learning style panders to images, diagrams, written words and charts. These students often benefit from observing concepts laid out in a visual format. In recognising this preference, tutors are able to use mind maps, colour-coded notes and flowcharts to visualise concepts whilst similarly utilising interactive tools such as whiteboards or video lessons to reinforce knowledge in an appealing manner. Varingly, auditory learners best process information when it is spoken or heard. They benefit from verbal explanations, listening to information aloud and discussions. Tutors are able to capitalise on this learning skill by reading information aloud to them, encouraging them to repeat the key points and thus explaining concepts through a one-on-one discussion. Mnemonics and rhymes similarly can be used for these students to best remember facts. In engaging with homework tasks, a tutor may set a specific podcast, audiobook or recorded lesson for a student to listen to in order to reinforce what has been taught in the lesson. Finally, reading/writing learners absorb information best through reading and writing activities. They primarily excel in environments where textbooks are available and they are able to take notes and write essays. Tutors, therefore, are able to encourage note-taking, creating written summaries and highlighting key points of information. For homework tasks, tutors can prescribe writing essays or reading materials such as books and articles for the student to read to reinforce concepts covered in the lesson. By understanding a student’s specific learning style, tutors are able to adapt their teaching strategies to ensure the student is focused within the lesson and thus able to retain the information.

Georgina Maxwell

Creating a good friendly relationship with your students is critical when it comes to tutoring. Simply if your student doesn’t like you then they are much less likely to learn from you. The relationship between student and tutor is a fine balance between friend and teacher but once this relationship has been created learning can happen more organically and the student will develop a want to learn.

This friendship allows the student to be much more comfortable with the tutor allowing them to ask questions without any fear or anxiety. This comfortability allows the student to also try harder questions sooner thus learning much faster and mush more effectively. This is one of many reasons why a friendly relaxed relationship is a priority in the first few tutoring sessions with a student.

Another reason why creating a relationship with the student is so important is that it fosters a love of learning as the student becomes excited to attend each session. Rather than learning being associated with a negative, learning becomes a positive experience allowing students to further develop their skills and grow as a student.

Olivia Moustakis

It is important that students are given an engaging tutoring lession. This can lead to academic growth and a great connection between a student and their tutor. This is important as we want our students to leave the lesson on a positive note.
Adapting a lesson to a student’s interests and learning style makes a big difference. This can be through personalising the learning experience by using real-life examples related to their interests and hobbies. This can build a connection between the tutor and their student. Further, the student is more likely to engage when they are comfortable with their tutor. This can lead to academic growth and success, as well as effective tutoring sessions.
Interactive learning can be beneficial for some students. This can be through whiteboards and flashcards, as well as encouraging a discussion opposed to just giving answers. Discussions encourage the student to engage with their learning material, as well as the tutor. Adding on to this, a standing whiteboard can be great in incorporating movement especially for younger students. It is vital that students are engaged in their lesson – they will want to leave knowing they achieved something, and are happy with the session and willing to continue learning and expanding on their academic knowledge.
It is important that goals are set and tracked throughout the lessons. This can be through setting small, achievable goals, and using a reward system (such as stickers or prizes) as they continue to learn. Reflection is a good way to end the session. This can be through asking the student’s questions such as ‘what have you learnt today?’ and even having the student ‘teach’ the concept back to the tutor.

Tamiah Mahoney