First Education

Today I observed Lucia’s maths session. One of the things that I noticed specifically about her session was the way in which she engaged with her student. She started off the session by asking how the student’s weekend/past week had been which I find is always a great way to start the session. This creates a small bit of contact at the start of the session to ensure the student is comfortable each week and to get to know each other separate from tutoring. She then shifted the conversation naturally into what the past week of school had involved. Since the student had recently finished his exams, she was working out what they should work on next together to ensure he gets the most out of his sessions. They began working through some textbook questions and Lucia was highly engaged with the student throughout the session. She explained each step of thinking as they worked through the more difficult questions when the student was struggling to ensure that the student fully understood the purpose behind each step of working out. However, instead of outright telling the student what the required steps were when he was struggling, she asked leading questions which prompted the student in the right direction whilst still allowing him to problem solve and come to the solution on their own. I believe this is highly important because it allows the student to draw deeper connections between things they have learnt in the past and relate it to a new scenario. This is essential in maths since new questions require a new route of thinking. She also sufficiently broke up the session with small anecdotes from either herself or asking the student questions that related to a problem they were working on. This is beneficial in multiple ways. Firstly, they can build a stronger connection which can help the student to feel more comfortable in the session and feeling able to make mistakes or ask for help. Secondly, short breaks (i.e. around 1 min) allow short brain breaks which can allow the student to focus more when they are doing their work. Overall, this was a great session to observe and was impressed by the way in which she kept the student engaged for the full hour.

Riva Burkett

Today, I had the pleasure of observing Kristina’s lesson, where she tutored a Year 6 student in English and Maths.
The session began with a spelling exercise on the mini whiteboard. Kristina chose challenging words that tested the student’s knowledge, and for any incorrect responses, she broke down each word. By dissecting the word into its components, she ensured the student thoroughly understood the correct form and the reasoning behind it.

After this, they moved on to writing. They began by reviewing the student’s homework from the previous week. Kristina asked the student to read through the story she had written and identify any spelling or grammatical errors. Once the student had completed this, Kristina carefully checked the work herself. She then provided detailed explanations for each identified spelling mistake.
Next, they moved on to Maths, focusing on data and statistics. They began by reviewing the student’s homework from the previous week. Kristina then provided similar questions to reinforce and deepen the student’s understanding. The lesson focused on mean, median, and mode. Kristina made excellent use of the mini whiteboard to clearly demonstrate the working out for each problem. Additionally, she took a student-centred approach by regularly checking in on the student’s confidence and understanding. Questions like, “Do you want to move on to a different topic?” or “Are you still struggling with the current content?” helped Kristina understand the student’s comfort level and progress. The student decided that she needed to continue working on mean, median, and mode, but at a more advanced level. Kristina responded by introducing higher-level questions that challenged the student’s abilities. This encouraged a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

I was particularly impressed with how Kristina maintained a positive and adaptive learning environment, ensuring the session was both extremely productive and engaging for the student.

Lily Powell

Today, I had the opportunity to observe Annaliese during her tutoring session. Her student had recently completed her exams, so they began the session with a casual conversation about the week, how the exam went, and how the student felt about their performance. This initial chat not only helped set a relaxed tone but also allowed Annaliese to gain insights into the student’s perspective on their strengths and areas for improvement, for next term.

The session transitioned to revising graphs and algebra, which the student had identified as challenging topics. I was impressed by how Annaliese approached these areas. She tailored her explanations to address specific difficulties, ensuring the student could engage with the concepts at a comfortable pace. Her ability to simplify complex ideas and encourage active participation stood out. For example, she used visual aids and step-by-step breakdowns for graphing problems, making the material more accessible and less intimidating.

Annaliese focussed on building confidence. By revisiting challenging topics, and going through some questions the student could remember from er exam. This approach highlighted the importance of connecting and reflecting post exam. Annaliese created a supportive environment where the student felt heard and encouraged, even when grappling with difficult material. Amazing session!!

Shyla Gloster

Tutoring homework is an essential part of learning because it helps students make the most of their sessions and grow their confidence. It’s not about piling on more work; it’s about giving students the chance to practise, reflect, and feel more in control of their learning.

When a student works on homework after a tutoring session, it helps them remember what they’ve just learned. Sometimes, during a session, everything makes sense, but without practice, it can slip away. Homework allows students to revisit those ideas and practise solving problems on their own. Over time, this kind of repetition helps tricky concepts become second nature, making students feel more confident in their abilities.

Homework also teaches independence. In tutoring sessions, there’s always someone there to guide the student. But when they tackle homework, they’re on their own. This gives them the opportunity to figure things out for themselves, building problem-solving skills and a sense of achievement. Even if they don’t get everything right, the effort matters because it shows them they can keep trying and improving.

For tutors, homework is like a roadmap. It shows where a student might still be struggling or where they’re excelling. If a particular task was challenging, it highlights an area to focus on in future sessions. This feedback helps tutors customise lessons so they’re even more helpful and effective.

Homework also helps students develop important life skills like time management and organisation. Regular practice with assignments teaches them to plan ahead, stay focused, and break down tasks into manageable steps. These habits will serve them well far beyond tutoring and school.

At the end of the day, tutoring homework is more than just extra work. It’s a tool for growth, a way to build confidence, and a reminder to students of how much they’re capable of achieving with a little focus and effort. It’s a win-win for both the student and the tutor.

Eireyna Papinyan

I had the opportunity to observe George’s Year 11 Math Standard session. During the lesson, George worked with the student on reviewing and verifying the math assignment to ensure all the calculations and concepts were correct. The assignment focused on financial math, and George took the time to explain where the student had made mistakes in specific areas, particularly with lump sums and loan repayments.

In addition to reviewing the assignment, George also used this time to cover general finance concepts to better prepare the student for their upcoming validation task. The session was largely centered around annuities and future value tables, as these were key topics the student would need to understand for the assessment. George’s approach was highly interactive, and the student remained engaged throughout the lesson. He asked numerous questions to clarify the material and ensure a strong grasp of the concepts being taught.

George also worked out the questions alongside the student. He did this to clearly show the working out needed to complete each questions to obtain full marks. This stuck out to me as an interesting and generally effective method to keep the session engaging and clarifying any mistakes in the students working out.

It was clear that George’s teaching style fostered a supportive learning environment, where the student felt comfortable seeking clarification and actively participating in the lesson. Overall, it was a productive session that not only focused on the immediate assignment but also reinforced important financial math concepts to aid in future tasks and assessments.

Tynan Philmara

Coming towards Christmas period and the end of term, it is important to remember that studying does not end. Many students see the period after exams are a time for relaxing and playing videogames with their friends, however, continuing to come to tutoring during this time can provide significant academic benefits.

Firstly, this period of time can help consolidate students’ knowledge on certain topics. Especially after finishing exams, it can highlight potential gaps in the student’s understanding. Post-exam tutoring allows for students to address these areas while the material is still fresh in their minds This further helps to solidify foundational knowledge, helping them to be at a great level at the beginning of the next year.

Furthermore, having tutoring after exams can help students prepare for future challenges for next year. Holidays provide an opportunity for students to get ahead of their class by introducing new concepts or build advanced skills. This will provide students with a head start when they start next year. Moreover, this can help reduce stress and build confidence when the year starts.

Additionally, studying in the holidays can help establish regular study habits. This is beneficial for students to develop before they begin school so they can keep a regular study routine. Moreover, this helps foster discipline by making students develop time management and organisational skills.

Finally, holiday tutoring can help take pressure of exams within the term. The extra time studying earlier in the term will keep students feeling more relaxed as they would be able to explore the topics in greater detail.

However, students should maintain a balanced routine that makes them feel that they deserve their holiday breaks. They should also not overstress and maintain social gatherings.

James Bletsas

Whether it’s stress from school, personal stuff, or just feeling off, juggling your own issues while tutoring can feel overwhelming. I know all to well that it’s tough to show up and be a supportive, encouraging tutor your students need when your own mental load feels heavy. But it’s not impossible.

1. Acknowledge your feelings (but don’t let them take over):
Admitting you’re struggling is the first step the key is not letting those feelings dominate your tutoring sessions. Take a moment before each session to check in with yourself. A deep breath or quick walk can help clear your head in order to be present with your student.

2. Set boundaries:
While it’s great to connect with students, remember that your role is to guide and support their learning—not to solve every problem in their lives (or yours). Keeping sessions focused on their goals can actually be grounding when everything else feels chaotic.

3. Use your struggles to empathise:
Dealing with challenges can make you a more compassionate tutor. If your student is stressed about an upcoming test or struggling with focus, you can relate. Share strategies that have helped you manage tough times—like breaking tasks into small chunks or focusing on what you can control.

4. Take care of yourself:
This might sound obvious, but self-care is essential. Whether it’s getting enough sleep, venting to a friend, or indulging in your favorite comfort food, taking time for yourself makes it easier to be there for others.

At the end of the day, tutoring isn’t about being perfect; it’s about showing up, doing your best, and creating a space where your students feel supported. And sometimes, helping them succeed can remind you that you’re capable of overcoming your own hurdles too.

Allegra Pezzullo

Today I had the pleasure of observing Sienna with her Year 12 student. Today they tackled a pretty tricky topic together – logarithms.

Logarithms can be scary as it’s essentially a new and unfamiliar number system! However, Sienna was calm, patient, and understanding, ultimately helping the student be less intimidated and more self-assured.

Sienna’s ability to switch up her mode of teaching was also admirable. Whenever she noticed that the student was struggling a bit with a concept, she would change her approach, tailoring her explanations to her students’ confidence and attitude.

Sienna also ensured that the student maintained their interest in the session by allowing moments of rest and enthusiastic conversation. It can be difficult for students to maintain high spirits when they come in to tutoring on a weekend, but Sienna’s disposition and ability to adapt negated all negative vibes!

Sienna was also incredibly skilful at reassuring the student when they were incorrect, allowing the student to first recognise their own mistake before providing a comprehensive explanation that cleared up any confusion. She was articulate about why certain methods were not applicable, and ensured that the student understood before they moved on.

Overall, this was a fantastic session to observe. Well done Sienna!

Sophie McGrath

As a first year university student who only completed their HSC last year, I have come to realise that tutoring other people has become not just a teaching experience, but also a personal opportunity to learn. By employing this new mindset, I have noted that these sessions inadvertently push me to develop my own critical thinking and problem solving skills, while constantly challenging me to communicate my ideas to different audiences.

One way in which I like to push myself to grow and make the most of these sessions is allowing and encouraging my students, especially the older ones, to take the helm. They have the responsibility to select and bring relevant material from their courses, and are encouraged to evaluate their own progress by identifying their own strengths and weaknesses, which determine the main focus of each session. Most of my decision-making while preparing for and conducting these sessions is led by what help I think I would have liked to have received when I was in their shoes. The memories of those relentless avalanches of impending deadlines, the feeling of the panic setting in at the crack of dawn on the day of an exam, and the absolute chokehold that the reveal of a rank or mark had on me, are not just fresh, but also still in the making. I am painfully familiar with the highly physically and emotionally demanding nature of the academic world, so the last thing I want to achieve with these sessions is to bombard these students with another mountain of mindless work. This is an underlying principle behind how I ensure that the sessions and the homework focus on boosting the students’ confidence , getting things done, and equipping them with the appropriate tools so that I can rest assured that they can independently meet their learning goals by themselves.

I am endlessly grateful for this opportunity to assist other young people in their academic journeys, while introspecting and examining how I can use these practises of sympathy, communication and adaptiveness across different contexts in my own life.

Nisan Erdonmez

During the second week of this most recent semester, my sociology tutor assigned us to complete brief comparative studies of cultural phenomena. Whereas other students examined broader systems and sociological trends, I was advised by my tutor to personalise my response to connect my work closer to my own experiences. As such, I delved into the world of private tutoring, particularly touching on the culture within South Korea and Taiwan. Education in these countries operates not just as a means of individual achievement but as a deeply ingrained cultural practice shaped by history, values, and economic structures.

In South Korea, tutoring is more than a supplement to schooling—it’s an integral part of the educational journey. With competitive university entrance exams at the centre of academic life, private tutoring, particularly through hagwons (for-profit private tutoring academies), reflects a cultural prioritisation of effort and perseverance (Kim and Lee, 2010). These institutions, far from being mere businesses, respond to a society where higher education is closely tied to career success. This ambitious system also presents challenges, such as unequal access for families with fewer resources. Still, it highlights South Korea’s collective commitment to education as a tool for advancement.

Taiwan’s approach is slightly different but no less revealing. Tutoring here often balances two goals: supporting students who need additional help and offering enrichment to those aiming higher. This dual role reflects a broader cultural ethos of striving for collective betterment while accommodating individual aspirations (Huang, 2013). Rather than focusing solely on competition, Taiwan’s tutoring culture demonstrates how education can adapt to serve diverse needs within society.

Both systems represent how deeply education reflects the values and priorities of a nation; neither inherently good nor bad, instead embody responses to complex social, economic, and cultural pressures. Educational systems evolve to meet national goals and individual expectations—and they sometimes fall short in addressing disparities. Ultimately, these insights go to show that education is never just about learning; but truly a mirror of a given society.

Toby Bower