First Education

I recently witnessed my fellow tutor working with a Year 12 student on Business Studies. Watching the session unfold, I was surprised by how much emphasis she placed on guidance, critical thinking, and creating a friendly environment.

The session began with the student discussing her current difficulty in her extended response questions. Instead of providing clear explanations, the tutor encouraged the student to express her ideas and reasoning. She posed open-ended questions, which enabled the student to think about her response and guide her in the proper direction. This strategy allowed the student to expand her understanding and acquire critical thinking abilities necessary for higher-level learning.

This observation demonstrated the value of asking insightful questions, fostering a calm yet focused atmosphere, and practicing active listening. It served as a reminder that good tutoring involves more than just imparting knowledge; it also entails giving learners the skills and attitude they need to think critically on their own and face difficulties head-on.

The tutor remained composed and supportive over the entire session, emphasising that errors were teaching moments rather than failures. The student seemed more assured of her comprehension by the end of the session and keen to take on more challenges.

Isabella Garofalo

Today I observed Katherines session! This student had just gotten their maths test back, so they went through it together!

From this session I witnessed how important the tutor is in rebuilding understanding and confidence after a difficult test. The student arrived appearing a little bit stressed from school, so Katherine took the time to chat, and make the student feel really comfortable and relaxed. They were unsure where they went wrong, so they reviewed the test paper together, focusing not on mistakes as failures but as opportunities for growth. She was very calm and supportive which helped ease the student’s anxiety, creating a positive environment for learning.

Katherine was able to identify key areas where the student struggled and rather than overwhelming the student with everything at once, she prioritised the most critical concepts, breaking them into smaller, manageable steps.

After this, they went through other practice papers and textbook questions to target the areas she needed to work on. Katherine also maintained a positive environment by emphasising the progress the student had already made. When the student correctly solved a problem they previously struggled with, she celebrated that achievement and used it as motivation to tackle more challenging questions.

They talked about other strategies for approaching studying for next time, and went through some simple topics the student can review over the holidays if they have time. By the end of the session, the student definitely had a clearer grasp of the material but also seemed to have a renewed confidence in their ability. Katherines empathetic and structured approach highlights the importance of tutoring in helping students overcome setbacks and view challenges as stepping stones to success.

Shyla Gloster

I had the chance to sit in on a session with Patrick and a student working on fractions and factoring, which turned out to be incredibly insightful. The lesson began with Patrick helping the student review some recent exercises, where they worked through simplifying fractions and factoring quadratic expressions. Patrick made sure to go over each step methodically, reinforcing key concepts like the greatest common factor (GCF) and how to identify factors of binomials.

Patrick also used the session to address common mistakes the student was making, particularly with factoring trinomials. He took extra time to explain the difference between simple and complex factoring, breaking down the process of finding factors and checking the work through substitution. Patrick’s approach was very hands-on; he walked through each problem with the student, ensuring they understood how to arrive at the correct solution.

What stood out to me was how Patrick made the content accessible by asking the student guiding questions and encouraging them to explain their thought process. This helped identify any gaps in understanding and reinforced the key strategies for solving fraction and factoring problems.

Overall, it was a productive session where the student not only practiced specific skills but also built a stronger foundation in understanding fractions and factoring, which will be crucial for future topics and assessments. Patrick’s patient and interactive teaching style created a positive and engaging learning environment.

Tynan Philmara

While learning, setbacks are inevitable. As tutors, it’s our responsibility to help students navigate these moments with resilience and a renewed sense of confidence. Toda I observed Toby, working with Mattia, a Year 9 student, who was dealing with disappointment over a poor math result. The session offered valuable insights into how a supportive approach can turn academic challenges into opportunities for growth.

Mattia’s frustration was evident from the start. A disappointing result had left him questioning his abilities and feeling discouraged about future success in math. Toby began the session by addressing the emotional impact of the result, validating Mattia’s feelings and reminding him that setbacks are a normal part of learning. This empathetic approach set the tone for a constructive and positive discussion.

Breaking Down the Problem
Instead of focusing solely on the grade, Toby helped Mattia identify specific areas where he struggled. By breaking down the test into manageable sections, they pinpointed topics such as algebraic equations and graphing errors. This targeted approach not only clarified what went wrong but also highlighted areas of strength, ensuring Mattia didn’t feel overwhelmed by the result.

Building a Plan for Improvement
Next, Toby worked collaboratively with Mattia to create a practical plan for improvement. Together, they tackled a few problems Mattia had missed on the test, discussing alternative strategies for solving them. Toby emphasized understanding over rote memorization, encouraging Mattia to ask questions and think critically about the processes involved.

Restoring Confidence
Throughout the session, Toby reinforced Mattia’s potential for growth. He praised Mattia’s effort and persistence, using specific examples to show how progress in one area of math could translate into future success. By shifting the focus from failure to learning, Toby helped Mattia see the value in persistence and a growth mindset.

Mattia left the session feeling more confident and equipped with a clear action plan. His experience is a reminder that every setback is an opportunity to learn—and with the right support, students can emerge stronger and more motivated than ever.

Allegra Pezzullo

As tutors, sometimes we feel the pressure to know everything about the topics we teach. But the reality is that sometimes we’re asked to teach topics we’re not completely confident in. Instead of seeing this as a setback, it can be an opportunity to grow—for both ourselves and our students.

Adopt a Growth Mindset
Teaching is about learning as much as it is about instructing. By embracing the challenge as a chance to deepen your understanding, you model curiosity and adaptability for your students. This perspective makes the experience rewarding, not intimidating.

Prepare and Research
Invest time in understanding the fundamentals of the topic. Use reliable resources, seek help from colleagues, and break the material into manageable sections. Preparation builds confidence and ensures clarity. While you don’t need to be an expert, having a solid foundation will help you teach effectively.

Be Transparent
It’s okay to acknowledge that you’re learning too. Saying, “Let’s figure this out together,” can foster a collaborative environment. This approach humanises you and encourages students to engage more deeply with the material and also their peers in class, making learning a shared journey.

Facilitate
Shift your role from an expert to a facilitator. Encourage inquiry-based learning by asking questions and guiding students to find credible resources. This makes the learning process dynamic, empowering students to take ownership of their education.

Use Tools
Use educational platforms like Khan Academy, Quizlet, or interactive apps to supplement your teaching. These resources support your lessons while teaching students how to learn independently and critically.

Reflect and Improve
After the lesson, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Seek feedback from students or parents and use it to refine your approach for the future. Reflection ensures continual improvement.

Ultimately, teaching unfamiliar material can be an enriching experience. By embracing preparation, collaboration, and reflection, you transform challenges into opportunities, inspiring students to see learning as an ongoing and rewarding journey.

Allegra Pezzullo

Today, I observed Isabella working with Vivienne, a Year 9 student transitioning from Year 8 content to Year 9 data and statistics. The session was thoughtfully structured to bridge the gap between the two levels, ensuring Vivienne felt confident with the foundational concepts before moving into more advanced material.

Isabella started the lesson by revisiting key Year 8 topics, such as averages and basic graph interpretation, to assess Vivienne’s understanding. She used targeted questions to gauge Vivienne’s knowledge and encouraged her to explain her reasoning, which helped identify areas needing further clarification. This gradual approach ensured a smooth transition into Year 9 topics like histograms and measures of spread.

A standout aspect of Isabella’s teaching was her ability to integrate theory with application. When introducing new concepts, such as interpreting box plots, Isabella provided relatable examples that connected the data to real-life scenarios. This made the material more engaging and relevant for Vivienne, helping her see the practical value of what she was learning.

Isabella also tailored her explanations to Vivienne’s preferred learning style. Recognising that Vivienne was more comfortable with visual aids, Isabella incorporated diagrams and charts into the lesson. This approach not only simplified complex ideas but also reinforced Vivienne’s understanding through visual reinforcement.

What I found particularly effective was Isabella’s emphasis on developing Vivienne’s analytical skills. She encouraged Vivienne to ask questions about the data and draw her own conclusions rather than just solving problems mechanically. This focus on critical thinking will undoubtedly benefit Vivienne as she progresses through Year 9 content.

Overall, Isabella’s session showcased the importance of adaptability, clarity, and fostering a deeper understanding of the subject. Observing her approach gave me valuable insights into how to support students during key academic transitions, which I look forward to applying in my own tutoring.

Demetria Koutavas

I got the opportunity to observe Jordan’s tutoring session with one of his Maths students. The student was a bit late, however, Jordan made sure he didn’t rush through any concepts and still maintained an effective pace to allow the student to get through enough work whilst still understanding all of the concepts required for the questions. The way he explained such concepts was very clear and concise and he made sure the student understood it thoroughly before moving on or trying to apply it to a question, which was great to see.

Jordan made very good use of the whiteboard to make it a more interactive lesson, which I noticed helped the student understand more abstract concepts when she used the whiteboard herself as well. They took turns using the whiteboard which was great as he really encouraged the student to participate by asking her questions and inviting her to solve the problems on the whiteboard before he explained them.

He also made sure to reassure her when she struggled with certain questions or when they were covering a concept she was unfamiliar with, and would break it down again if she was still confused. This helped motivate the student to attempt the harder questions she was initially hesitant about, showing the positive learning environment Jordan created for his student!

Daisy Brenac

Affirmation plays a crucial role in the tutoring process, ensuring an environment where students can thrive academically and personally. When tutors use affirmations effectively, they better assist students, boost their confidence, and encourage a positive mindset, which can significantly enhance learning outcomes.

One of the primary benefits of affirmation is its ability to build self-esteem. Students often face self-doubt, especially when trying to learn complex topics subjects. In this case affirmations can help students believe in their abilities and persevere despite difficulties. This boost in self-confidence often translates into greater academic success and a willingness to tackle new challenges.

Affirmation also allows for the student to develop a growth mindset, emphasizing effort and progress over ability. By affirming the process rather than the result, tutors encourage students to see mistakes as learning opportunities.

Moreover, positive affirmations create a safe and supportive learning environments. When students feel appreciated and valued, they are more likely to engage actively, ask questions, and express their ideas freely. This open communication enhances the tutor-student relationship and facilitates a more effective exchange of knowledge.

Finally, the use of affirmations promotes emotional well-being. Acknowledging students’ efforts, whether through verbal praise or encouraging feedback, reduces stress and builds a sense of accomplishment. Students who feel emotionally supported are better equipped to focus on their studies and develop a lasting love for learning.

Incorporating affirmations into tutoring sessions is a simple yet powerful strategy to inspire and motivate students. By reinforcing their strengths and encouraging their growth, tutors can help students unlock their full potential and achieve academic success.

Lishai Rubinstein

Tutoring is often seen as a process of filling gaps in knowledge, but at its core, it’s about empowering students to become independent learners. One of the impactful strategies in education is scaffolding, a teaching approach that provides structured support to help students achieve tasks they might initially find overwhelming. Reflecting on its application, I’ve realised how transformative it can be, not just for academic success but also for building confidence and resilience.

The strategy of Scaffolding in tutoring involves breaking down complex concepts into manageable parts, and guiding students step-by-step until they can master the skill independently. For example, when working with a student struggling with essay writing, I might start by focusing on a single element, such as crafting a strong thesis statement. Once they’ve mastered that, we move on to organising paragraphs, and eventually, they can write a cohesive essay with minimal assistance. This gradual release of responsibility fosters understanding while instilling a sense of achievement.

This strategy is particularly valuable when tackling texts or topics in the syllabus that students often find intimidating, such as Shakespeare or advanced mathematics. In my experience, scaffolding helps to demystify these challenges. Take Macbeth, for instance, a text known for its complex language and themes. By breaking it into smaller parts; analysing key soliloquies, exploring themes like ambition or guilt, and connecting these ideas to relatable situations, students begin to see it as less of an insurmountable challenge and more of a puzzle they can solve.

Scaffolding also aligns with the principles of differentiated learning, catering to each student’s unique needs and pace. It reinforces the idea that learning is a journey, not a race, and that struggling isn’t failing, it’s growing.

As tutors, our role isn’t just to teach content but to nurture self-belief. Scaffolding allows us to meet students where they are, offering just enough support to guide them forward while allowing them to feel pride in their own progress. With the right tools and encouragement, every student has the potential to succeed.

Isabella Naumovski

I had the opportunity to observe Briana and her Year 1 English/Maths student. Briana was able to keep the lesson fun and engaging throughout, setting up rewards and incentives to encourage the student to do her work. She also made the work engaging and interactive, listening to the students stories about herself and her family.

Briana was also able to establish the importance of the student completing her homework, after some lessons of incompletion. Briana was able to express why her student needed to do her homework, and was able to make the work more engaging and fun so the student was more willing to complete the given work. This resulted in her student bringing in homework that was successfully completed, showcasing improvement in the students engagement in her work.

Briana went through spelling throughout the lesson, actively helping her student with such spelling, sounding out words and syllables to help her student. Briana was able to help her when she made mistakes in a positive manner, adding suggestions to help her solve the spelling for herself.

After, they went through writing stories. Briana made sure to further engage her student through writing festive Christmas stories, with the story mainly being about Christmas trees and decorations. Throughout, Briana was able to help with her story, helping with spelling and grammatical mistakes. Her student consistently improved, understating and learning from her prior errors.

Briana was able to make such work more fun and engaging for her student in a number of ways, tuning into the students attachment to colouring and creativity. She allowed her student to use coloured pencils instead of regular led pencils, further engaging her student in her work.

Overall, Briana was able to construct a fun and engaging lesson through actively engaging with her student, and making the lesson relate to Christmas through festive stories. I will look to implement these strategies with my primary students for the remainder of the term.

Daniel Rulli