First Education

Quantum mechanics is a field of physics that investigates the behavior of matter and energy on atomic and subatomic scales. In contrast to classical physics, which dictates the movement of larger bodies, quantum mechanics functions in a domain where particles act in unusual and counterintuitive manners. A key idea in quantum mechanics is wave-particle duality, which proposes that particles such as electrons and photons can behave as both particles and waves based on the observation method used. This duality fundamentally questions our comprehension of the essence of light and matter.

Another important concept is Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, which asserts that one cannot precisely know both the position and momentum of a particle at the same time. The more precisely you assess one, the less precisely you can assess the other. This uncertainty arises not from limitations in measurement instruments but is an intrinsic characteristic of the particles.

Quantum superposition is an essential principle, indicating that particles can be in several states simultaneously. The particle “collapses” into a single state only when it is observed. This is famously demonstrated by Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, in which a cat is regarded as both alive and dead until it is observed. Quantum entanglement also explains how particles can become connected such that the condition of one particle immediately influences the condition of another, regardless of the large distances between them.

While these principles may appear odd, quantum mechanics is utilized in everyday technologies, including semiconductors, MRI devices, and lasers. In addition, it establishes the basis for new areas such as quantum computing, which aims to transform computing capabilities. Although it is intricate, quantum mechanics is essential for comprehending the universe at its most basic level

Starsky Schepers

One of the most meaningful realisations I’ve had as a tutor is that the most important thing we teach isn’t content, it’s confidence. Not the loud, dramatic kind, but something quieter, sturdier, and far more transformative: micro-confidence.

Micro-confidence is the small, consistent belief students build in themselves through achievable wins. It’s the moment they finally understand why a formula works, or when they explain a concept back to you with clarity they didn’t have ten minutes earlier. It’s seeing a student sit up a little straighter because, for the first time, the task in front of them feels possible.

In tutoring, these moments appear subtly but steadily. Sometimes a student begins a session convinced they’re “bad at maths” or “not a strong writer.” But with patient questioning, scaffolded steps, and zero judgement, you see a shift: a hesitant “I don’t know” becomes a thoughtful pause, then a guess, and eventually a correct, confident explanation. These micro-moments compound not just in academics, but in how students approach challenges in the classroom and beyond.

This is why one-on-one tutoring remains one of the most effective forms of education. Schools are fast-paced, noisy, and built around standardisation. Tutoring is the opposite: calm, personalised, and focused on depth rather than speed. It creates space for students to think aloud, make mistakes safely, and build understanding at their own pace.

What I’ve learned is that tutoring is less about delivering information and more about helping students rewrite their inner narrative. When a student starts believing “I can figure this out,” everything else follows (e.g., grades, motivation, and genuine curiosity).

And that’s the magic of this work: not just helping students get answers right, but helping them feel capable, prepared, and proud of themselves. In the end, micro-confidence becomes macro-confidence, one session, one question, one win at a time.

Nicole Stamatelatos

English tutoring has become one of the most meaningful parts of my week, not just because I get to teach skills I love, but because I get to watch students discover their own voices. So many of my students come to me believing English is subjective, confusing, or “just not their thing.” Yet, session by session, I get to show them that English is not a mystery; it’s simply a language of patterns, perspectives, and possibilities.

One of my favourite moments in tutoring is when a student realises that writing isn’t about sounding smart—it’s about communicating clearly. Helping them unpack a text, identify a technique, or craft a thesis that actually says something is incredibly rewarding. The shift from writing because they “have to” towards writing with intention is transformative. And during these moments, I see their confidence grow, not just academically, but personally too.

English tutoring often becomes more than analysis and TEEAL paragraphs. It becomes a space where students learn to express their ideas, question assumptions, and connect texts to their own experiences. Whether we’re analysing Shakespeare, constructing arguments for Module C, or refining an imaginative piece, I’m reminded that English empowers students to think critically and articulate their identity. Watching them reach that stage is one of the greatest joys of being a tutor.

What surprises me most is how deeply relational English tutoring is. Students open up through their writing, sharing glimpses of their worldview, their insecurities, and their hopes. My role becomes guiding them not only in structure and technique but also in trusting their voice. And when they finally craft a paragraph or essay that feels authentically theirs, it feels like a small victory for both of us.

English tutoring is more than improving marks, it’s about nurturing confidence, clarity, and self-expression. And being part of that journey is something I value every single day.

Kassandra Pegios

Today, Pamela tutored her two year 6 students in Maths.

They were working through area, volume and capacity and worked through an array of worksheets together. Firstly, Pamela did a great job at monitoring both of the students and ensuring that they were attentive and engaged with the lesson. This can be a difficult thing to accomplish as two students require more attention and focus as opposed to one. Pamela made a great recommendation to promote order and neatness – she instructed her students to write the answers to the questions on the worksheet, but to do the working out in their exercise books. This is a great way at promoting organisation, especially from a young age, and is something that I will definitely translate into my own tutoring sessions.

Secondly, Pamela is great at maintaining approachability, a trait that is particularly important when tutoring younger students. Given that they were in year 6 the hesitance to ask for help was sometimes apparent. However, Pamela’s friendly and energetic demeanour neutralised any doubt and hesitance in both students. Additionally, Pamela often took initiative by frequently asking her students if they needed help or assistance with their working out.

Further, Pamela made great use of the whiteboard, especially as she was teaching them about volume and area. She has a very pronounced teaching method and maintained a thorough and prominent voice, pattern, and silence where necessary. She asked both students numerous questions in order to gauge their progress, learning, and areas of weakness – a very mature and appropriate style of teaching. Another interesting point of observation was how Pamela advised her students to refrain from being solely dependant on the calculator and develop a strong ability to do mental maths or manual working out. Although high school requires calculators, Pamela’s message was understood and received.

Overall this was a great lesson to observe. Well done Pamela.

James Petrakis

During my observation of Eric’s tutoring session, I noticed how effectively he combined encouragement, structure, and creativity to support the student’s learning. The focus of the lesson was spelling, which can sometimes feel repetitive for students, but Eric transformed it into an engaging challenge. By introducing small rewards for correctly spelled words, he created a sense of incentive that motivated the student to participate more confidently and willingly.

One of Eric’s strengths was his ability to maintain the student’s focus, even when the student found it difficult to stay on task. Rather than redirecting the student in a strict or negative way, Eric used gentle encouragement and positive reinforcement. He incorporated redirection into the spelling challenge, helping the student return to the task without feeling discouraged. This approach allowed the student to remain engaged while still feeling supported.

What stood out most was Eric’s calm and patient presence throughout the session. His tone was consistently positive, and he celebrated even small improvements, which helped build the student’s confidence. Observing this session highlighted how a tutor’s attitude can shape the entire learning experience. Eric’s ability to balance structure with warmth created an environment where the student felt motivated, capable, and willing to keep trying.

Tira Rustom

Too often, students find themselves scrolling on TikTok mindlessly, texting friends or binging a Netflix TV show, all in order to procrastinate the homework and study they should be doing. Whilst procrastination can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, with the right mindset and a few helpful strategies, you can learn how to stay on track and achieve all of your study goals.

Before we get into these strategies, it is important to briefly address why procrastination impacts many students. First, students sometimes feel overwhelmed by large tasks that they have to complete and so they put off starting their homework or assignments because it appears to be too daunting. Also, students may feel unmotivated with their study if they do not have clear goals. These barriers can be worked through with some of the below strategies:

1. Break down large tasks into smaller, concrete goals. For example, if you have to work on writing an English essay that is due in two weeks, separate the task into brainstorming ideas about the question, collecting relevant notes and quotes, writing an introduction, writing body paragraphs etc. This way, you can assign when you want to have each smaller goal achieved by and it gives you a sense of accomplishment to tick off each small goal that you have completed.

2. Set yourself a study timer. If you are feeling particularly unmotivated one day, set yourself a 20 minute timer to work on a task and then take a short break afterwards. Once you keep repeating the process, you will likely find yourself wanting to work for slightly longer periods. Working in these short bursts over a few hours in an afternoon means you are keeping consistent with your study!

3. Set goals with your tutor. Especially with HSC students, setting goals with tutors helps to keep students accountable and on track with their study.

Overall, I recommend for all students to try a range of different strategies to work out what works best for them to ensure that they are not procrastinating so that all study goals can be achieved whilst still taking meaningful breaks!

Kristina McLean

When it comes to excelling academically, most students think the key is studying harder and longer. While dedication is important, there’s one often-overlooked factor that can make or break performance: rest.

Rest isn’t just about sleep—it’s about giving your mind and body time to recharge. Research shows that adequate sleep improves memory retention, concentration, and problem-solving skills. When you’re well-rested, your brain processes information more efficiently, making study sessions more productive and exams less stressful.

Unfortunately, many students sacrifice sleep to cram for tests or finish assignments. This approach often backfires. Sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, poor focus, and even anxiety, all of which negatively impact academic performance. In contrast, students who prioritise rest tend to perform better, feel more confident, and maintain a healthier balance between school and life.

So, how can you make rest a priority? Start by setting a consistent sleep schedule—aim for 7–9 hours each night. Take short breaks during study sessions to avoid burnout, and don’t underestimate the power of relaxation techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness. These small habits can help you recharge and stay sharp.

We want to encourage students to adopt a holistic approach to learning. Academic success isn’t just about hard work—it’s about smart work, and that includes taking care of your well-being. When you rest, you’re not wasting time—you’re investing in your ability to learn and succeed.

Ready to boost your performance the healthy way? Contact us today to learn how our tutoring programs support not only academic growth but also balanced, sustainable learning habits.

Maya Weizman

I had the chance to observa Ceara tutor her year 9 student in Maths. Initially, they appeared to be going through a past paper and were working through questions together and reviewing any errors. Cearais a really intelligent tutor and is great at explaining concepts in ways that students understand. This is a fundamental skill that all tutors must strive to constantly develop as verbal communication is an inherent part of our job. Therefore, it is our responsibility to constantly adjust the way that we communicate and skew this towards different students who have different needs and/or personalities.

Another thing that I noticed Ceara was doing effectively was discussing why her student was making mistakes. This can be difficult to hear as a student but it is fundamentally important to progress learning and solidification of concepts. Rather than just marking her student’s work, Ceara was discussing any errors and showing her the correct and appropriate method / working out. Coupled with this, Ceara asks an array of questions rather than just giving answers away. This was prevalent when they were working through area and circumference of circles, whereby Ceara would selectively aim to ignite her student’s active recall via the asking of questions, as opposed to solely giving the answer away to her student.

It is quite an uncommon sight to have a student consistently engage with their studies and their tutor for an entire 60 minutes (especially on a 36 degree day). The fact that Ceara’s student was solely focused on her studies and did not get side-tracked by other topics of discussion is a prominent indicator of Ceara’s effectiveness to actively engage her students. It was not out of fear or shyness that her student was diligent, but it was evident that it was out of respect for her highly capable and understanding tutor.

Great Lesson

James Petrakis

Every student experiences pressure during the school year, especially in exam periods, but not all students respond to that pressure in the same way. Some seem to rise to the challenge and perform better while others freeze, panic or struggle to think clearly. Understanding why this happens is essential for helping students build healthier and more effective responses to stress, particularly in the high-stakes environment of the NSW curriculum.

One of the most significant factors is a student’s interpretation of pressure. Students who thrive tend to view pressure as a signal to focus. Their mindset frames stress as a natural part of doing something important rather than a sign that they are failing. This perspective reduces the emotional weight of assessment and redirects energy toward the task. Others interpret pressure as a threat instead of a challenge, which can trigger avoidance, overthinking and a drop in performance.

Another key difference lies in preparation habits. Students who cope well under pressure usually rely on consistent routines that make assessments feel like an extension of their everyday learning. When study is regular, pressure feels manageable because the student is building on strong foundations. Students who cram or rely on bursts of intense effort often reach exam week without enough cognitive structure to support them, which makes pressure feel overwhelming.

Finally, self-regulation plays a large role. Students who have practised techniques like controlled breathing, time chunking or deliberate breaks often maintain clarity even during stressful situations. Those without these tools may feel consumed by worry before they have a chance to begin.

Pressure affects everyone, but with the right support, most students can learn to shift their mindset, prepare more effectively and develop strategies that allow them to perform at their best when it matters.

Freddie Le Vay

Today, I had the opportunity to observe Edward’s Year 9 Mathematics tutoring session, which focused on foundational trigonometry skills. The main concepts covered were calculating unknown angles and sides in right-angled triangles using the primary trigonometric ratios: sine, cosine, and tangent. The lesson was structured to gradually build the student’s confidence and understanding, ensuring they were not only following along but also able to apply the methods independently.

Edward began the session by revisiting the key trig ratios, reinforcing when and how each one should be used. He explained SOH-CAH-TOA clearly and provided examples that illustrated different problem types, such as finding a missing side when an angle and a side are known, as well as finding an angle when two sides are given. Throughout these demonstrations, Edward paused frequently to check for understanding, asking the student guiding questions to help them think through each step rather than simply memorise formulas.

He then worked through a series of example questions on the board. For each problem, he modelled the process of identifying the correct ratio, setting up the equation, and using a calculator accurately—an important skill at this level. Edward also highlighted common mistakes, such as mixing up opposite and adjacent sides or forgetting to use inverse trig functions when solving for angles.

After several examples, Edward shifted responsibility to the student. He provided a set of practice questions, encouraging the student to attempt them independently while he observed. Edward offered support only when needed, prompting the student to explain their reasoning or revisit the diagram when they appeared unsure. This balance of guidance and independence helped reinforce the student’s problem-solving skills and gave them the opportunity to consolidate what they had learned.

Overall, a great session to observe.

Alexander Nikitopoulos