First Education

Students tend to make the same recurring mistakes in maths, and most of them come down to habits rather than ability. Understanding these patterns helps tutors and students correct them early and build stronger problem‑solving skills.

1. Misunderstanding the question:
Many students rush into calculations without fully interpreting what the problem is asking. They focus on numbers rather than relationships, skip key words, or assume the question matches a familiar pattern. This leads to correct procedures applied to the wrong problem. Slowing down to restate the question in their own words, highlighting key information, and identifying what is unknown helps anchor their thinking before they calculate.

2. Weak number sense
Students often rely on memorised procedures without understanding why they work. This shows up in errors like treating fractions as whole numbers, misplacing decimals, or assuming bigger denominators mean bigger fractions. Strengthening number sense through estimation, visual models, and comparing quantities builds intuition, making methods more reliable.

3. Over-reliance on formulas
Many students try to memorise every formula instead of understanding when and why to use them. This leads to an over-reliance on formulas: plugging numbers into something that “looks right”. A better approach is teaching them to recognise problem structures, such as proportionality, linear relationships, or area vs perimeter, so they can select methods logically rather than by guesswork.

4. Skipping steps in working out
In an effort to work quickly, students often omit steps, which hides their reasoning and makes small errors turn into bigger mistakes. Encouraging clear, organised working with aligned steps, labelled diagrams, and consistent notation reduces cognitive load and makes self‑checking possible.

5. Not checking answers
Students rarely pause to ask, “Does this make sense?” Estimation, inverse operations, and checking units help catch unrealistic answers before submission. Building this habit turns checking from an afterthought into a core part of problem‑solving.

Therefore, working with a tutor can help to develop and progress these skills so students make fewer avoidable mistakes during maths test. Working through these 5 areas also helps to improve a student’s overall ability in maths that is applicable for all levels of a student’s schooling.

Sophia McLean

When people think about tutoring, they often imagine simply helping a student complete their homework or explaining a difficult concept. But good teaching is much more strategic than that. Behind every successful lesson is a thoughtful approach that balances organisation, engagement, and inspiration.

A strong educational strategy begins with clear structure. Before a lesson even starts, a tutor should have a plan: what concepts will be covered, what skills will be practised, and what the student should be able to do by the end of the session. Organising lessons in small, achievable steps helps students build confidence and prevents them from feeling overwhelmed. For example, starting with a quick review of previous material, introducing a new concept, practising together, and then allowing the student to try independently creates a natural and effective flow.

However, strategy in education is not only about planning — it is also about making learning enjoyable. Students learn best when they are engaged and curious. Turning problems into small challenges, using relatable examples, or even adding a little humour can transform a lesson from something that feels like a chore into something students genuinely enjoy. When students are having fun, they are more likely to participate, ask questions, and retain what they learn. To achieve this I usually try make up creative ways to remember information, such as funny acronyms.

Perhaps the most important part of educational strategy is inspiration. A good tutor doesn’t just teach content, they help students believe they are capable of understanding it. Encouraging effort, celebrating progress, and reminding students that mistakes are part of learning can completely change a student’s mindset. Confidence often becomes the key that unlocks improvement.

At the end of the day, effective tutoring is a balance of thoughtful planning, engaging delivery, and genuine encouragement. When these elements come together, learning becomes not only more effective, but far more rewarding for both the student and the tutor.

Audrey Stigter

Student agency in learning refers to a student’s ability to take ownership of their education by making intentional choices, setting goals, and actively shaping their learning experience. Instead of being passive recipients of information, students with agency see themselves as active participants who have influence over how and what they learn.

One of the clearest ways students can show agency is by setting personal goals. Rather than simply aiming to complete tasks, they might decide to improve their essay writing, contribute more in discussions, or strengthen their understanding of a difficult topic. Clear goals give learning direction and make it feel more purposeful.

Reflection is another important part of agency. When students take time to think about feedback, recognise patterns in their mistakes, and adjust their study strategies, they are showing responsibility for their growth. Instead of seeing assessment as something that happens to them, they use it as a tool for improvement.

Choice also plays a big role. Even within structured courses, students often have options, such as selecting essay topics, choosing research examples, or deciding how to organise their notes. Making thoughtful choices that align with personal interests can increase motivation and engagement.

Participating in class discussions, asking questions, and seeking clarification are also strong examples of student agency. These actions demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to deepen understanding rather than just meeting minimum requirements.

Finally, resilience is key. Showing agency means persisting through challenges, adapting strategies when things don’t work, and recognising that learning involves setbacks as well as success. Ultimately, student agency is about partnership. When students actively engage, reflect, and make intentional choices, they take meaningful control of their learning journey.

Tiana Tzoukas

What does Reading to Write even mean?

The three words that make any year 11 English students’ skin crawl just at the mere thought of them – ‘Reading to Write’. English teachers (at my school, at least) seemed to consider this module the Holy Grail of senior English, constantly stressing its importance to our studies, claiming that it would shape how we consider texts in future.

I struggled to share their enthusiasm. I remember the sheer frustration of countless lectures given by my English Advanced teacher where she attempted to explain the module but I struggled to comprehend the importance of the words she was saying. Having completely forgotten about this experience as a student, I am currently reliving it as a tutor alongside my three year 11 English students, both Standard and Advanced. Suddenly, the module not only makes sense, but it seems ingenious to me and I understand why my teacher’s eyes lit up at the mention of it. 

Throughout a student’s entire educational journey from K-12, the importance of reading books is stressed for many reasons: it improves fluency in reading, instills correct spelling, expands vocabulary, teaches higher grammatical and punctuational skills, and encourages an active imagination. While these skills may seem trivial to some, as a tutor I have come to realise how crucial all of these are to any subject, including technical subjects such as mathematics and sciences. When students read texts and respond to them in a way which does not resemble an essay, but rather a reinterpretation of their stylistic and thematic concerns, all of their English skills are heightened. By first reading a text, all of the above skills are enforced. By annotating a text and pointing out language and form techniques, analytical skills are practiced. By brainstorming story ideas and drawing upon literary techniques practiced by masters of the form, students appreciate the craft of writing (subtle foreshadowing) and are able to apply these proficiencies to other aspects of the English course, especially the ability to analyse texts.

However, I maintain the stand that this particular English module remains translatable among other disciplines. As a motivation and contextualisation of the importance of maths, a wise man (Harry Mav) once said, “if your brain is a muscle, maths is the gym.” I agree with this entirely as maths practices logical reasoning. Here, I extend this notion to say “if comprehension is a muscle, Reading to Write is the gym.” The Reading to Write module forces students to deconstruct texts, to dissect them if you will, and engineer them back together. There is no better way to understand literature and criticise it than to be on the other side of the pen, tracing plotlines and motifs onto crisp, exam-lined paper.

Shahaf Liraz

Exam season can feel overwhelming for many students. The pressure to remember content, manage time, and perform well often leads to stress that affects both confidence and results. One‑on‑one tutoring offers a powerful way to break that cycle by giving students personalised support that directly targets the root causes of exam anxiety.

A major source of stress is uncertainty as students often don’t know what their weaker areas are. A tutor helps identify gaps early, turning vague worry into a clear, manageable plan. When students understand exactly what to focus on, their study time becomes more efficient and far less intimidating.

Tutoring also builds strong foundational understanding. Many students feel anxious because they’ve memorised content without truly grasping it. A tutor slows things down, explains concepts in different ways, and checks for real comprehension. This deeper understanding naturally boosts confidence, which is one of the strongest predictors of exam performance.

Another key benefit is structure. Tutors teach students how to organise their study schedule, break tasks into smaller steps, and use proven techniques like active recall and spaced repetition. With a plan in place, students feel more in control thus reducing stress and improving retention.

Emotional support plays a role too. A tutor becomes a steady, encouraging presence who celebrates progress and normalises mistakes. This reassurance helps students stay calm, especially when exams feel high‑stakes.

Finally, tutoring improves performance through targeted practice. Tutors provide exam‑style questions, teach strategies for tackling tricky problems, and help students refine their approach under timed conditions. By the time the exam arrives, students aren’t just prepared, they’re confident.

In short, tutoring reduces stress by replacing uncertainty with clarity, and it boosts performance by strengthening skills, strategy, and self‑belief. It’s a combination that helps students walk into exams feeling capable and ready.

Sophia McLean

One thing I’ve started noticing while tutoring is how tempting it is to just tell a student the answer. When a student is stuck, the easiest thing to do is explain the method straight away and show them how to solve the problem. But I’ve realised that when I do that, they often understand it in the moment but then struggle to do a similar question later on.

Something that seems to work better is slowing down and asking more questions instead. Rather than explaining everything immediately, I’ll ask things like “what do you think the first step might be?” Even if they don’t get it completely right, it helps them start thinking about the structure of the problem rather than waiting for the solution.

I’ve also noticed that students often know more than they think they do. Sometimes they just need a small nudge to get started. Once they answer one small part of the question, they usually become more confident and are more willing to try the next step. It kind of changes the energy of the session because it becomes less about me explaining things and more about them working it out.

Tutoring has made me realise that learning isn’t really about getting the answer quickly. It’s more about understanding the process and building confidence to try things even when you’re unsure. Sometimes giving students a bit more time to think, even if it feels slightly uncomfortable at first, actually leads to much better learning in the long run.

Lily Powell

There is something I have, as of late, particularly noted about our job as tutors that I haven’t explicitly appreciated enough in the past.

The vastly diverse dynamics present between a tutor and each of their students have been something I started actively noticing since the start of the year. Whilst I have in the past subconsciously recognised the nature of specific students with each tutor, the genuinely intriguing yet subtle art of tutor-student trust-building has only struck me since the holiday season let my brain and body reset enough to take note of it.

Every person is unique. That is not something notable or innovative to comment on. However, within this specific field of work, where there is a large intersection between the spheres of pastoral and academic care, the nature of each individual’s personality becomes much more intriguing to observe when contextualised within the setting of education.

A large part of the initial processes of our business is that parents and students remain aware and actively voice their feelings and concerns regarding lessons. A major portion of that is evaluating the meshing of personalities and vibes with the selected tutor. Sometimes a tutor is academically well-fit, but the manner in which they approach problems or their methods of teaching may not best suit the learning style of a student. Other times, it seems like their personalities are entirely compatible, but the content the tutor provides does not suit their gaps in understanding. Cumulatively, these isolated facets of the job combine to create a very delicate game of balance. How much does a student prioritise one over the other, and when or how can one recognise these after only a few lessons?

Ideally, a balance between these has to be maintained in order to maximise the effectiveness of the lessons. But after working this job for almost 2 years, it’s become clear to me that what might be more essential is a tutor’s capacity for flexibility. In my opinion, as much as it may seem otherwise on paper, this field of work is interpersonal first in nature and academically focused as a close second. There can not be any exchange of knowledge if the student does not feel invited to listen; without the connection, there can be no learning.

Toby Bower

Teaching primary students with ADHD can feel challenging at times, but with the right strategies, they can focus and complete work to their best potential. Many children with ADHD are curious, energetic and creative. The key is creating a learning environment that works with how their brains operate rather than against them.

One of the most effective approaches is breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Long instructions or large activities can quickly feel overwhelming. Instead of asking a student to write a full paragraph, start with a single clear step, such as writing a single sentence. Once that is done, move on to the next step. Small wins help students feel successful and keep them engaged in the learning process.

Movement breaks are also extremely important, especially for primary students. Expecting a young child with ADHD to sit still for extended periods is often unrealistic. Short brain breaks, such as stretching, standing while reading, or taking a quick walk to get water, can help reset their focus. Often, after a brief movement break, students return to their work more settled and ready to concentrate.

Another helpful strategy is using small incentives to motivate focus. Many primary students with ADHD respond well to short goals paired with a reward they enjoy. For example, challenging a student to complete a few questions before the timer ends, followed by a quick game or a short break. Turning tasks into small challenges can make the work feel more engaging rather than overwhelming. Simple rewards such as a quick game, choosing the next activity, or a short break can keep students motivated and focused.

It is also important to focus on positive reinforcement. Many children with ADHD hear constant correction throughout the school day, so recognising effort and improvement can make a big difference.

With patience, structure and encouragement, students with ADHD can develop strong focus skills and reach their full potential in the classroom.

Vicki Synesios

Preparing for HSC mathematics, whether it is Advanced, Extension 1 or Extension 2, is often overwhelming for a lot of students. Students don’t struggle in understanding the content conceptually, and often have a good grasp of the topics and what they entail. As a result, the main reason for underperformance ends up being the student’s experience in the exam hall. They come across styles of questions they have never seen before, and are immediately discouraged from attempting to solve the problem. They don’t know where to start, or may reach a road block, to which they eventually ignore and never revisit again.

As much as it may seem obvious, the only way to overcome this lack of performance is to PRACTICE. To practice under timed conditions. Not just textbook questions from Cambridge or Terry Lee, but REAL past papers. This isn’t just limited to your own schools past papers, you have to explore every possible avenue in order to expose yourself to every possible question. Go to ‘thsconline’, find the top ranking school’s past papers, and sit them in timed conditions. This is the only way to improve once you have learnt all the content in the syllabus. But don’t be discouraged if your percentage mark isn’t what you are used to. The selective school past papers are designed to be near impossible, to challenge students and push them to high band 6 levels, (most of my high school mathematics exams had averages near 50% or below).

The next (and possibly most important) step is to always look back and reflect. Take note of every single question you get wrong in the exam. Write what you did wrong, what topic it was, and understand the solution properly. Then you write down your “time-machine” statement, where you write down one “hint” that you would tell your past self (if you could go back in time) to help them answer the question successfully.

This whole process will help you understand where and why you are making mistakes. You will enter the exam having been exposed to more questions, more capable of answering unseen questions, and you will hopefully perform better…

Matthew Kuskoff

The NAPLAN is an important milestone for Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9, and involves exams in reading, writing, language conventions, and numeracy. It is usually conducted throughout the month of March, though the exact dates can differ from school to school. While the tests can feel intimidating for both parents and students, it is important to understand its purpose and how best to prepare, both in tutoring sessions and at home.

NAPLAN is designed to measure how well students are developing essential literacy and numeracy skills over time. Diagnostically, the NAPLAN is an extremely helpful tool for parents, tutors and teachers to understand the specific strengths and weaknesses of students.

Many students, especially those that are not used to a formal exam environment, may perform less strongly than they are capable of, due to the stress of the exam environment and the challenge of facing the new types and styles of questions that the NAPLAN aims to ask. Due to this, the focus of NAPLAN preparation should be on familiarising students with the style of questions and the environment of the NAPLAN.

It is also important to build strong foundational skills such as critical thinning and comprehension skills. This form of preparation, rather than memorising specific techniques or answers, allows the tests to remain diagnostically important, whilst eliminating the errors and mistakes that often arise due to the conditions of the exam.

Managing stress is another key part of navigating NAPLAN. Students should be reminded that the test does not define their abilities or future success. Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and arriving at school prepared can help students feel more focused and relaxed during the assessment.

Finally, the most important part of the NAPLAN exams is what happens when the results come back. The NAPLAN results can be immensely important for tutors to tailor their sessions around the specific needs and weaknesses of their students.

Ceara Kearnes