First Education

Here’s a thought you don’t hear often in classrooms: confusion might be the most underrated part of learning. Not something to avoid. Not something to rush past. Something to use. In tutoring, there’s a moment I’ve started to recognise, the pause after a student says, “Wait… I don’t get it.” It’s easy to see that as a setback. But it’s actually the beginning of something more interesting. That moment is where curiosity can take over, where questions start to matter more than answers.

Instead of treating confusion like a problem to fix quickly, what if we treated it like a clue? When a student leans into that uncertainty, asking why, testing ideas, even getting things wrong on purpose to see what happens, they’re no longer just memorising. They’re thinking. They’re building something that lasts longer than any formula or model answer. Some of the strongest learners aren’t the ones who get it right the first time. They’re the ones who are willing to sit in that uncomfortable space a little longer and figure their way out. It’s less about speed, more about direction. As tutors, the goal isn’t to eliminate confusion. It’s to make it safe. Useful. Even a little bit exciting. Because once a student realises that not understanding something isn’t a dead end but a starting point, they stop seeing learning as a test of ability, and start seeing it as a process they can actually control. And that shift? That’s where things get interesting.

Isabella Naumovski

There seems to be a generally accepted notion that science is important for the world. While I completely agree with the ways in which science will shape our world, I also think it is incredibly important for students and their brain development. Choosing to study a science for the HSC may not be the obvious choice for some students, but at least engaging in the sciences in junior years is incredibly advantageous.

Science encourages curiosity in a way which no other subject does. Biology explains the way living things, including ourselves as humans, function. It allows us to appreciate incredibly intricate systems, the way they function, and understand the logic behind their design. Students engaging in biology may gain a deeper understanding of the way in which the living creatures around them interact with one another and how the food that they eat impacts them. In doing so, students understand the importance of causality: how one thing impacts another, a crucial lesson applicable in all aspects of life!

Chemistry (my personal favourite!) explains how molecules interact at the atomic level. Similarly to biology, chemistry explores how systems function and how chemicals interact with one another. It allows students to understand the intricacies of interactions on a molecular level and teaches them to appreciate how even tiny changes can create massive change.

Physics is science on a whole new level. It describes the entire world, encompassing chemistry and, of course, biology in its theorems. Physics encourages students to take a step back and look at the big picture, it allows them to think very logically about the world and be perceptive about all of the invisible things occurring around them without their awareness.

Science has the potential to change the world, that has always been true. But it also has the potential to change lives on a more personal level, creating people who are perceptive, logical, and curious.

Shahaf Liraz

Here’s the thing, studying harder is not always the same as studying better. If you are sitting at your desk for hours, tired, stressed and barely remembering anything, the problem might not be your effort. It might be your routine.

Research has shown that exercise can improve focus, memory and mood. Even a short walk, a game of sport, or a quick workout can increase blood flow to the brain and help you feel more alert. That means exercise is not “wasting study time”. It can actually make the time you spend studying more effective. After moving your body, it is often easier to concentrate, solve problems and stay motivated.

Naps can help too. Studies on sleep and learning show that short naps can improve memory and help your brain process information. When you learn something new, your brain needs time to organise it. A nap gives your brain a reset, especially when you are exhausted after school. The key is to keep it short. A 20 to 30 minute nap can help you feel refreshed without waking up groggy. So instead of forcing yourself to study non-stop, try building smarter breaks into your day. Study for a focused block, then move around. Go outside, stretch, shoot hoops, or take a quick walk. Later, if you feel drained, take a short nap before getting back into work.

This does not mean you should use exercise or naps as an excuse to avoid studying. It means you should treat your brain like something that needs energy, rest and balance. Good study habits are not just about textbooks and notes. They are also about sleep, movement and looking after yourself. If you want better results, do not just ask, “How many hours did I study?” Ask, “Was my brain actually ready to learn?”

Nabil Harrar

Socrates is a household name, and without doubt one of the greatest figures in Greek/Western philosophy alongside Plato and Aristotle. Socrates’ teachings are preserved in the accounts of Plato and Xenophon – two of his disciples. The main ‘Socratic dialogues’ , as his teachings are known, include the ‘Apology’, the ‘Phaedo’ and ‘Crito’. The ideas that Socrates explores in these dialogues are perennial and his methods of thought can be universally applied to all logical problems.

The first reason why everyone should read Socrates is because of his timeless thought and ideas. Socrates tackled not simply the greatest and most problematic questions of his day, but of all time. These include puzzles such as “what is justice?” and “what is beautiful?” We find in the dialogues that no one can really answer the questions, including Socrates in some cases. However, what he shows us is that most people don’t really know anything. Socrates famously said “The only thing I know is that I don’t know anything.” He criticised people who claimed to know things, such as when Euthyphro announced that he was pursuing a pious cause by prosecuting his own father for the murder of a slave. Socrates manages to prove that Euthyphro was not being pious because he cannot provide a definition of piety.

The second reason is that Socrates was revolutionary in his philosophical method. He pioneered the method of ‘Socratic questioning’, where repeated questions and analogies can eventually reveal the true nature of something. In the ‘Phaedo’, he manages to convince his followers that the soul exists through repeated questioning. For example, can one acquire wisdom? If yes, does wisdom originate from the body? If the body is a carnal object, prone to inaccuracy through finite senses and relies on merely physical observation, how can it possibly attain wisdom of an eternal nature, i.e. objective truth? Thus, wisdom must come separate from the body; the soul. From here, Socrates goes on to explain why death is desirable, as the soul can attain pure wisdom separate from the hindrance of the body.

Go and read Socrates!

Raphael Dokos

I observed Kaeley’s session, where she ensured her student was engaged throughout the session and was effective in balancing fun and learning. She used games such as uno to make the session fun while also turning this into teaching, explaining relationships between numbers and building on maths skills. When explaining difficult or confusing terms/ideas, she was calm and understanding with the student and tried different ways to explain to ensure that the student understood. She continually checked in with the student and answered any questions in depth to make sure her understanding was complete. It is clear that there is a good relationship between the student and tutor, allowing them to enjoy the session and engage in effective learning even when playing games.Kaeley used a whiteboard to help the student visualise how to convert different measurements and provided visuals to assist in her understanding of how the ideas work, which is very important to understand why something is happening.

Overall, this was a very effective and useful tutoring session that covered the ideas of measurement and basic mathematical concepts. The incorporation of games for students in a younger age group can be very effective in maintaining motivation and focus throughout the session and makes the dedicated learning time more productive. Using diagrams and drawings to visualise concepts allows the student to understand the difficult ideas in different ways that improves memory and concept retention.

Maddie Manins

It’s crucial for all students to learn their times-tables, as it’s an essential mathmetical skill they need to develope. Students need to understand what multiplication means and how they can apply it in real life. Students can understand hwo multiplication and division work by using visual diagrams, so they can visually understand how the principle applies. They can also use arrays, drawings and counters, so they can understand how multiplication visually works. Once students understand how multiplication works visually, it makes it easier for them to understand why they need to learn their times-tables.

Students start elarning their, 1,2,5,10 and 11 times tables. Once they learn these times tables, they progress and start learning their 3 and 4 times-tables. They can then learn their 9 times-tables using their fingers to help them. Students then learn their 6, 7,8 and 12 times-tables, as these are the hardest for studnets to learn and understand.

It’s better for students to understand why they need to learn their times tables, rather than just memorising them. This means that they can find it easier to apply their times tables in the real world. Students should practice their times-tables at home every day, so they can reinforce what they have learnt. The more they practice their times-tables, the mroe confident they will feel, when they test themselves. Students who don’t understand their times-tabels, shouldn’t be discouraged, as it takes practice and time to fully understand how they work and why they are important.

Students can use maths games and quizzes to help them practice their times-tables. They should also practice their times tables under timed conditions, where they test thei accuracy and their speed. They want to maximise their accuracy in a quick time frame.

Ashley Cohen

Learning rarely feels inspirational in the moment. It’s often slow, repetitive and sometimes frustrating. But that’s exactly what makes it powerful. One of the most overlooked truths about learning is that progress is usually invisible, until it isn’t. A student might struggle with a concept for weeks, feeling like nothing is sticking. Then suddenly, something clicks. What looked like no progress was actually quiet, steady growth beneath the surface. Like building muscle or learning a language, the real change happens long before you notice it. As a tutor, I’ve seen this transformation happen countless times. Students who once said, “I’m just bad at this” begin to approach problems differently. Not perfectly, but with more confidence, more patience and more willingness to try and that shift in mindset is often more important than the correct answer itself.

Learning isn’t about being naturally “smart”. It’s about being willing to sit with discomfort. It’s about asking questions when you’re unsure, making mistakes without giving up and understanding that struggle is not a sign of failure, it’s part of the process. Every error is feedback. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow.What’s truly inspiring is that learning is one of the few things entirely within your control. You can’t always control outcomes but you can control effort, attitude and persistence. Over time, those smalls, consistent efforts compound into real progress. So if you’re feeling stuck or discouraged, remember this, not understanding something today doesn’t mean you won’t understand it tomorrow. The fact that you’re trying, showing up and engaging with the material already puts you on the right path forward. Learning isn’t about getting it right the first time. It’s about not giving up before it finally makes sense.

Isabella Naumovski

Daniella started the lesson strongly by reviewing a topic test for angle problem solving questions with her student, Lexie. I thought it was great that she positively supported her student’s confidence with reinrdoced with words such as “good work” and “good job” throughout when the student talked about correct questions from the topic test. When the student began talking about incorrect questions and was unsure on how to do them, Daniella did not give her the answer right away but simply asked a guided question on if we know this part of the angle, and also know this angle, how you you think we would find the missinf angle?

Daniella effectively kept her student highly engaged was inquisitive throughout, as she aimed to understand and they went through the individual steps. When Lexie needed more time on how to do certain questions, it was great that Daniella practised patience. When Lexie was working through a word problem and continued to wonder which I need to do, Daniella continued to say “keep going, you’re on the right track.” When her student made a mistake, Daniella would ask “why did you do this” to encourage individual thinnking and allow Lexie to reconsider the theory and mechanisms of their mathematical process. This gives the student effective room to come to their own realisations which helps them realise their strong capacity to understand concepts themselves. Once Lexie completed a question, Daniella continued to increase her confidence on the topic by saying “you completed that on your own.” Daniella supported her by reassuring her student good that it was just a topic test. Daniella continued to support her student by putting emphasis on the positive things Lexie was doing well and saying kind remarks such as “I want to see the method you come up with” and “You got this.” Overall, Daniella’s anthusiastic approah as a tuor is a strongly admirable trait all tutors sbould strive for.

Anna Ho

Why Black Absorbs More Heat

The relationship between colour and heat absorption comes down to the physics of light and electromagnetic radiation. To understand why black absorbs more heat than other colours, we first need to understand what colour actually is.

Visible light is made up of different wavelengths, and when light hits an object, one of three things happens — it is absorbed, reflected, or transmitted. The colour we perceive an object to be is determined by which wavelengths of light it reflects back to our eyes. A red object reflects red wavelengths and absorbs the rest. A white object reflects nearly all wavelengths. A black object, however, reflects virtually none — it absorbs almost all wavelengths of light that hit it.

When light energy is absorbed by a surface, it is converted into thermal energy — heat. Since black surfaces absorb the most light across the entire visible spectrum, they consequently generate and retain the most heat. This is why wearing a black shirt on a hot summer day feels significantly warmer than wearing a white one.

This principle extends beyond visible light into infrared radiation, which is essentially heat energy. Black surfaces are highly efficient absorbers of infrared radiation too, meaning they heat up faster and to higher temperatures than lighter coloured surfaces when exposed to the same heat source.

This phenomenon has real-world applications everywhere. Solar panels are designed dark to maximise heat and energy absorption. Asphalt roads absorb enormous amounts of heat, contributing to the urban heat island effect in cities. Conversely, buildings in hot climates are often painted white to reflect sunlight and stay cooler.

In scientific terms this property is described by an object’s emissivity — black objects have an emissivity close to 1.0, meaning they are near-perfect absorbers and emitters of radiation, sometimes called a “black body” in physics.

In short, black absorbs more heat simply because it reflects the least light, converting maximum energy into heat.

Evan Mihail

Alex is an excellent tutor whose creative lesson plan proved to be engaging and beneficial for his student. I noticed this through his lesson helping his student through his assignment, finding unique and thoughtful images for a poster. Alex continued to aid his student with both the theoretical content and the visual poster elements of the assignment. This was shown through advice such as “use shapes rather than textboxes,” providing valuable formatting skills for creating a poster.

Following this, Alex moved onto the theory of the poster, helping the student learn how to research in a simple, age-appropriate way. What stood out here was Alex’s ability to break down complex information into manageable steps, ensuring the student was never overwhelmed. Rather than simply providing answers, Alex guided his student through the thinking process, fostering independent learning and critical thinking skills that extend well beyond the task at hand.

Alex also demonstrated strong interpersonal skills throughout the session. He maintained a patient and encouraging tone, which visibly boosted the student’s confidence when approaching unfamiliar content. When the student seemed uncertain, Alex responded with targeted prompts rather than correction, allowing the student to arrive at the right answer himself. This approach reflects a solid understanding of effective scaffolding in a tutoring context.

Furthermore, Alex showed strong adaptability by seamlessly transitioning between the creative and academic components of the lesson. Moving between design advice and content research without losing the student’s engagement is a skill that speaks to Alex’s awareness of his student’s needs and learning pace. Overall, Alex demonstrated the qualities of a thoughtful and effective tutor — one who balances structure with creativity, and instruction with autonomy, creating a session that was both productive and enjoyable for his student.

William Kelleher