First Education

As a tutor, I’ve come to realise that the most important part of my job isn’t explaining content, it’s modelling the kind of learner, thinker, and person my students can look up to.

When a student sits down for a session, they’re not just absorbing information. They’re watching how I approach problems, how I respond to mistakes, and how I speak about challenges. In many ways, tutoring is less about transferring knowledge and more about demonstrating mindset.

Students are incredibly perceptive. If I rush through work impatiently, they feel it. If I dismiss a “simple” question, they remember it. But if I approach every problem with curiosity and calm persistence, that energy becomes contagious. Being a role model means showing that confusion is normal, mistakes are part of growth, and effort matters more than immediate perfection.

I’ve learned that confidence is often borrowed before it’s built. When I tell a student, “You can do this, let’s break it down,” I’m not just offering encouragement. I’m modelling resilience. When I admit, “I used to struggle with this concept too,” I’m modelling vulnerability. Those moments humanise learning. They show students that ability isn’t fixed, it’s developed.

It’s also about integrity and consistency. Turning up prepared, being punctual, and following through on what I promise demonstrates professionalism. Students internalise those behaviours. Over time, they begin to mirror that structure in their own study habits.

Most importantly, being a role model means remembering that students don’t just need academic support — they need someone in their corner. Many young people measure themselves harshly. A tutor has the opportunity to shift that narrative, to reinforce effort over outcome, and to celebrate progress, no matter how small.

Tutoring, at its best, is relational. The content matters, of course. But what lasts longer than formulas or essays is the example we set: how to think critically, how to persist through difficulty, and how to believe in oneself. That influence carries far beyond any single lesson, and that’s the real privilege of being a tutor.

Kassandra Pegios

Picture this: your student is looking at a long, wordy maths problem and looks at you with a face that pleads for the confusion to end and asks “what do I do next?”

The easy option would be to tell them the next step. You would continue to move along the question, and the hair-pulling frustration never occurs. But instead, you ask back, “What information do they give you in the question, and what are you able to do with it?”

The student rolls their eyes, dramatically sighs and gives you the look of I’m paying you to help me, not interrogate me. In the world of tutoring, being a tutor that doesn’t hand over the answer essentially makes you a professional “annoying person”.

But here’s the reality, giving a student the answer is the fastest way to make sure they never fully understand it. It’s like going to the gym and asking the trainer to lift the dumbbells for you. The weights are moved, but your muscles are still exactly the same.

When you ask your student questions, you force their brain to do the heavy lifting. We might spend 10 minutes staring at a single algebraic problem that I could solve in thirty seconds. To the student, it feels like we are stuck and wasting time.

But then it happens.

It clicks! The frustration clears and they find themselves figuring out what the answer is independently. The shift from “I can’t do this” to “I just solved this.” They might start the session hating my questions, but they leave the session being able to implement their understanding and problem solving process into future questions in their homework and exams. Eventually, the “thank you” comes not from the answers I provided, but for the confidence they gained by realising they didn’t need me in the first place.

Lainey Ku

Tutoring isn’t just about explaining maths problems or helping with study notes — it’s also about learning. While I’ve helped many students grow in confidence and skill, I’ve learned just as much from the experience myself.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that every student learns differently. Some need visual explanations, others need to talk things through, and many need time to make mistakes and work it out for themselves. As a tutor, I’ve learned to adapt, listen carefully, and meet students where they are — not where the textbook says they should be.

I’ve also come to appreciate the power of small, consistent effort. The students who make the most progress aren’t always the fastest or most naturally gifted — they’re the ones who show up regularly, ask questions, and try even when it’s tough. That’s a lesson I think we can all learn from: progress comes from persistence.

Another insight is how important confidence is in learning. Many students don’t struggle because they can’t do the work — they struggle because they’ve convinced themselves they can’t. Part of my job is helping them shift that mindset. When students start believing in their ability to improve, the results quickly follow.

And finally, tutoring has reminded me that learning should feel human. It’s not just about ticking boxes or memorising facts. It’s about growth, curiosity, connection — and sometimes, just needing someone to believe in you.

So whether you’re a student or a tutor, remember this: learning is a two-way street. We all have something to teach — and something to learn.

Julian Podgornik

As a tutor, I have become increasingly attentive to a behaviour that appears harmless on the surface: guessing. At first glance, it seems almost innocent—an anxious student offering a quick answer with a shrug, as if to say, “It doesn’t matter anyway.” But over time, I have come to see guessing not as a minor habit, but as a subtle and dangerous pathology that grows out of a very human fear: the fear of being wrong.

For many students, guessing is protective. If they guess and get it wrong, the mistake feels detached from their identity. They can say, “I was just guessing.” The emotional cost is low. But if they genuinely try—if they commit to reasoning through a problem—and they are wrong, it feels personal. Guessing becomes a shield against vulnerability. Unfortunately, that shield also blocks learning.

When students rely on guessing, they stop asking clarifying questions. They stop wrestling with concepts. They bypass the discomfort that signals cognitive growth. Over time, this avoidance prevents them from consolidating foundational skills. In mathematics especially, gaps compound. A student who guessed their way through fractions will struggle profoundly with algebra; one who never truly grasped algebra will be overwhelmed in advanced high school courses. The danger is not immediate failure—it is delayed fragility.

I have learned that my role is not simply to correct wrong answers but to reshape the emotional meaning of being wrong. Effort must be positively reinforced—explicitly praised, highlighted, and normalised. Mistakes must be reframed as evidence of thinking. At the same time, guessing must be gently but consistently discouraged. Not shamed, but interrupted. Students must see that intellectual courage—not protective guessing—is what builds real competence. Only then can foundations solidify and confidence become authentic rather than defensive.

Thea Macarthur-Lassen

Exam periods make most students do the same two things: overestimate what they can do in a day, then panic when they either procrastinate the whole week or burn out. The fix is never to just “Study harder, it’s scheduling properly, so you can actually achieve realistic results. A good exam schedule is a realistic plan that tells you what to do each day, why you are doing it, and how you will know it worked.

First, schedule backwards from the exam date. List every exam, then break each subject into the exact topics you are responsible for. Next to each topic, write what “done” means: a set number of questions, a past paper, or a summary sheet plus recall practice. This stops vague plans like “revise calculus” which feel productive but usually turn into rereading notes and doing nothing that transfers to marks.

Second, prioritise by marks and weakness, not by preference. Most students spend too long on what feels comfortable because it is less stressful. In exams, your score is usually capped by a few weak areas you keep avoiding. Do a past paper for each subject, write down what areas you did best in, compare your marks across subjects, and prioritise your studying weighted off that.

Third, build the schedule around practice, not time. A two-hour block means nothing if it is low quality. Plan sessions around outputs: “20 multiple choice under time”, “two extended responses”, “one full paper plus corrections”. Then budget time for marking and error logs, because that is where improvement happens. And leave buffer time, you’re bound to have interruptions, procrastinate here and there, scroll reels a bit too long…

Following these steps, you’re not only stopping yourself from burning out, you’re also letting your understanding actually grow, rather than cramming together study without learning from it.

Felix Panizza

Tutoring can often reflects the gaps in our modern education system. While the school examination cycle frequently penalizes mistakes, the tutoring environment allows for an abundance of trial and error. In the journey of learning, it makes one wonder which approach is truly correct?

In my recent observation of a session with Alex, I witnessed an environment where errors were not seen as setbacks, but as genuine acts of effort. The lesson began by introducing the student to the general forms of derivatives for inverse trigonometric functions, specifically inverse sine, inverse cosine, and inverse tan. The student was able to use these examples and their own prior understanding to construct the “puzzle” that is integration. By first understanding the opposite process: derivative, the concept of integration was made much easier to grasp.

Furthermore, Alex led the lesson into worded questions that invited logic and the decoding of complex prompts. The student tried to decipher the question by recognizing variables such as L for length and h for height, linking them to their corresponding numbers to help with the final computation.

The fluidity of tutoring again proved important as Alex helped the student with extension 2 math concepts like integration by parts. At this level, simple tasks done before, like the integration of tan, begin to fail or require further attention to the little uncertainties in the student’s learning. After completing the arithmetic questions, Alex asked for future topics the student was heading towards. By familiarizing the student with new concepts early, he provides a head start to a school exam system that often discourages errors, trading off true learning confidence for a score.

Justin Ho

Studying with friends can be great or completely unproductive. It really depends on how it’s done, who you’re working with, and what you actually need to achieve in that session. For some students, it becomes a valuable way to reinforce learning. For others, it turns into three hours of pretending to work and getting nowhere.

There are definite upsides to studying together. Explaining a concept to someone else is one of the best ways to test whether you truly understand it. A good study group can also help you stay motivated and on track, especially when you’re covering difficult topics or feeling overwhelmed. If everyone’s focused and brings something to the table, it can speed up understanding and make study feel less isolating.

But it doesn’t always work that way. Group study can easily fall apart when people are at different levels, get distracted, or start relying on others instead of doing the thinking themselves. If you find yourself just copying answers or zoning out while someone else talks, it’s probably not helping.

The key is structure. Go in with a clear goal, whether it’s quizzing each other, reviewing past paper questions, or taking turns teaching a concept. Keep it short and focused. If it starts drifting, it’s probably time to stop.

In the end, some things are better learned alone, and others benefit from discussion. The trick is knowing which is which, being honest with yourself about what’s actually working.

Michael Fry

In high school, especially in Year 12, it can feel like your entire identity revolves around studying. Marks, rankings, exams… everything seems to define you.

But one of the best decisions I made was not letting school be my only focus.

Outside of studying, I played the double bass in orchestra, played badminton, and painted. At first, they felt like “extra” activities. Looking back, they were essential.

Playing the double bass in orchestra taught me discipline in a different way. Music requires patience, listening, and collaboration. Sitting in rehearsals, focusing on harmony rather than marks, reminded me that there is a world beyond exam papers. It grounded me.

Badminton gave me movement and release. When I was stressed about an upcoming test or disappointed about a mark, running across the court helped me reset. Physical activity clears your mind in a way that studying never can.

Painting became my quiet escape. When I felt overwhelmed, I could sit down and create something without being graded. There was no ranking, no comparison — just expression. It reminded me that not everything needs to be measured.

These hobbies didn’t distract me from my studies, rather, they sustained them.

When I received a bad mark, I didn’t spiral as much because I knew that my worth wasn’t tied to a number. I could go to orchestra rehearsal, play a game of badminton, or pick up a paintbrush and feel like myself again.

Hobbies give you balance. They protect your motivation. They prevent burnout.

Most importantly, they remind you that you are more than your academic performance.

Year 12 is important. But so is your mental health, your identity, and your joy. And sometimes, the thing that helps you succeed academically isn’t studying more — it’s stepping away and doing something you love :).

Aria Zhang

One highly effective strategy in tutoring is scaffolding, which involves providing temporary support to help a student master new concepts. The idea comes from educational psychologist Lev Vygotsky’s work on the “zone of proximal development,” which is essentially the space between what a learner can do independently and what they can do with guidance. In a tutoring setting, scaffolding allows the tutor to meet the student exactly where they are, helping them bridge gaps in understanding without overwhelming them.

Practically, scaffolding can take many forms. For example, a tutor might break a complex task into smaller, more manageable steps. If a student struggles with essay writing, the tutor might first focus on brainstorming ideas, then structuring paragraphs, and finally refining sentences and word choice. Each step is supported with guidance, examples, or prompts until the student gains confidence and competence. Gradually, these supports are removed, enabling the student to complete the task independently.

The strength of scaffolding lies not just in teaching content, but in building a student’s confidence and problem-solving skills. It transforms learning from a frustrating experience into a series of achievable challenges. A student who initially struggles with math problems, for instance, may start by solving simpler examples alongside the tutor. Over time, as they internalise strategies, they can tackle increasingly complex problems on their own.

In tutoring, scaffolding also encourages a strong tutor-student relationship. By adjusting support to the student’s pace and celebrating small successes, tutors foster motivation and engagement. Ultimately, scaffolding equips learners with the tools to become independent thinkers, making it one of the most practical and impactful strategies in personalised education.

William kelleher

Many students hold back from asking questions in class or tutoring sessions because they’re afraid it will make them look silly, unprepared, or “slow.” But in reality, asking questions is one of the smartest and most powerful things a learner can do — and it’s a key habit of high achievers.

When you ask a question, you’re not admitting failure — you’re showing curiosity and engagement. You’re taking ownership of your learning and saying, “I want to understand this fully.” That takes confidence and maturity, not weakness.

In tutoring sessions, the students who improve the most aren’t the ones who never make mistakes — they’re the ones who ask lots of questions. They clarify confusing points, explore “what if” scenarios, and double-check their understanding. This active approach leads to deeper learning and better long-term results.

Asking questions also helps teachers and tutors help you. We can’t read minds — but your questions give us insight into what you’re thinking and where you might be stuck. Often, a simple question opens the door to a bigger conversation that helps everything “click.”

It’s also worth remembering that if you’re confused, you’re probably not the only one. By speaking up, you might be helping others who were too nervous to ask.

So next time you’re unsure about something — whether it’s a maths concept, a science explanation, or even a word in an assignment — ask. Be bold, be curious, and don’t let pride or fear get in the way of progress.

Because asking questions doesn’t show you’re weak — it shows you’re serious about learning. And that’s real strength.

julian podgornik