First Education

One of the most powerful ideas in education is the growth mindset—the belief that skills and intelligence can improve with effort and practice. As tutors, we can help students develop this mindset, which boosts their confidence and success.
The term “growth mindset” was introduced by psychologist Carol Dweck. It is the opposite of a fixed mindset, where people believe their abilities are set and can’t change. Students with a fixed mindset may avoid challenges because they fear failure. But with a growth mindset, they see mistakes as chances to learn and get better.
In tutoring, helping students build a growth mindset starts with changing how they think about challenges. Instead of saying, “I’m bad at math,” they can say, “I haven’t figured it out yet.” That small word—”yet”—reminds them that learning takes time and effort.
Giving positive and helpful feedback is also important. Instead of just pointing out what’s wrong, tutors can turn mistakes into learning opportunities. For example, if a student struggles with essay writing, instead of saying, “This is incorrect,” a tutor might say, “This is a great start. Let’s work on making your argument stronger.” This approach builds confidence and encourages students to keep improving.
Setting small, achievable goals is another way to reinforce a growth mindset. When students see progress, even in small steps, they feel motivated to keep going. Celebrating their improvements, no matter how small, helps them believe in their ability to grow.
A growth mindset teaches students that effort leads to progress. As tutors, we don’t just help students with school subjects—we help them believe in themselves. This lesson goes beyond academics and prepares them for lifelong learning and success.

Kassandra Pegios

Observing Demetria with her Year 11 English Advanced student, Nickolas, provided valuable insight into her teaching approach and the student’s progress. They began by focusing on the ‘Reading to Write’ module, specifically highlighting the ‘show, don’t tell’ technique. The lesson emphasised sensory imagery and the distinction between interior and exterior expression, both crucial in developing compelling analytical and creative responses.

Nickolas had performed impressively in his recent examination, achieving 80%, which reflected his strong grasp of literary techniques and their application. However, his reflection component was comparatively weaker, suggesting a struggle with deeper analytical writing. This indicated that while he could effectively apply techniques in creative writing, articulating the broader implications and purpose behind them remained a challenge.

To bridge this gap, Demetria employed a structured approach using the PIE (Purpose, Impact, Effect) method to annotate extracts and poems. Her teaching technique was methodical: she first encouraged the identification of literary devices before guiding Nickolas to consider their intended effect and significance within the text. This step-by-step approach helped solidify his analytical skills, ensuring that he moved beyond surface-level identification to a more nuanced interpretation of meaning.

After completing their work on ‘Reading to Write,’ they transitioned to Module A: ‘Narratives that Shape Meaning.’ Here, Demetria encouraged Nickolas to explore how storytelling techniques influence the way meaning is conveyed and interpreted. They examined narrative perspective, structure, and thematic concerns, analysing how different texts engage with and reshape established ideas. This shift in focus allowed Nickolas to apply his understanding of literary techniques within a broader conceptual framework, further strengthening his analytical approach.

A key aspect of the lesson involved engaging Nickolas in discussion about the interplay between techniques and their impact. Through guided questioning, she encouraged him to think critically about how these elements contributed to the overall themes and messages of the texts they analysed.

Briana Vaz

Mathematics is often seen as a subject that requires intelligence, but in reality, it’s more about practice than natural talent. Just like learning a musical instrument or a sport, mastering maths comes from consistent effort and problem-solving. As a maths tutor, I’ve seen first-hand how regular practice transforms struggling students into confident problem solvers.
Why Practice Matters
Maths is a subject built on logic and patterns. The more you practice, the more familiar you become with different types of problems and the strategies needed to solve them. This familiarity helps build speed, accuracy, and confidence, which are crucial in both exams and real-world applications.
Practicing also helps reinforce concepts. It’s easy to follow along in class and understand a topic while the teacher is explaining it, but unless you apply it yourself, the knowledge fades quickly. Solving questions regularly strengthens your understanding and ensures that the methods stay fresh in your mind.
Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
Many students feel anxious about maths, especially when faced with difficult questions. However, consistent practice reduces this anxiety. When you expose yourself to different problems, you start recognising patterns and common tricks, making even the toughest questions feel manageable. Over time, what once seemed impossible becomes second nature.
Developing Problem-Solving Skills
Maths isn’t just about numbers—it’s about thinking critically and logically. By practicing a variety of questions, students learn to approach problems from different angles, improving their reasoning skills. These problem-solving abilities extend beyond maths and are valuable in science, engineering, finance, and even everyday life.
Final Thoughts
If you want to excel in maths, there’s no shortcut—practice is key. Aim to solve problems regularly, challenge yourself with new concepts, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The more you practice, the better you get, and soon enough, maths will feel less like a challenge and more like a skill you’ve mastered.

Tom Gloster

The long-term benefits of tutoring extend beyond immediate academic progress and confidence. While tutoring can certainly boost a student’s marks and grasp of particular subjects, its positive influence continues to resonate in broader aspects of life. Some key long-term benefits of tutoring include improved self-confidence, stronger study habits, better time management skills, increased academic independence, and preparation for future success. Primarily, tutoring can influence a significant boost in self-confidence, fuelled by the relationship between tutor and student working to understand difficult concepts and achieving small wins within this space. This renewed belief in their strengths enables students to take on broader challenges both academically and in life with a positive mindset. Moreover, tutoring can teach students stronger study habits through the structure and routine provided within and outside of the sessions. By teaching students particular strategies suited to their learning style such as note-taking techniques and essay structures, students are able to take this approach in their own personal learning spaces, similarly fuelled by the weekly homework tasks set by their tutor. Through tutoring, students are able to become more independent learners as well. Tutors guide students through the process of solving and understanding problems on their own, without simply providing answers. As a result of this structure, students develop key problem-solving and critical thinking skills which enable them to become self-reliant within their academic journey. This autonomy becomes a lifelong asset, as students continue to approach new challenges both within their school year, alongside daily challenges and throughout the workspace in the future. Tutoring also provides students with better time management skills as they navigate school work alongside tutoring homework and the expectations given with their select time with the tutor and the questions they should bring. These benefits, as reviewed above, work in tandem to act as a key preparation for future success, particularly in a student’s older educational years, such as in the HSC and other high-stress exams such as the SAT, or LSAT’s.

Georgina Maxwell

Literature in education, especially senior years, presents an inherent complication. On one side, there’s the need for students to develop critical thinking and genuine engagement with texts; on the other, there’s the practical reality of exams, where ‘ticking boxes,’ memorising essays, and technical precision determine results. As tutors, our role isn’t to reject one in favor of the other but to strike a balance between literary appreciation and exam success.

There is value in learning how to “tick the boxes.” Examinations reward clarity, structure, and the ability to link ideas to established techniques. A well-prepared student should be able to identify how Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ critiques mass hysteria or how ‘The Meursault Investigation’ responds to colonial narratives. However, focusing only on techniques and pre-prepared responses can make literature feel mechanical, limiting a student’s ability to develop original ideas.

A strong tutoring approach ensures students master both aspects – allowing studentsto break down marking criteria and refine their ability to structure responses effectively while also encouraging them to engage with texts in a way that feels meaningful. One way to achieve this is by linking analytical techniques to broader discussions, perhaps exploring why a motif is significant, rather than just identifying it, or considering how a historical context shapes a novel’s message.

When students approach literature with curiosity, their writing naturally improves. They move beyond formulaic answers while still ensuring their responses meet exam requirements. The goal is to create students who not only perform well in assessments but also develop the confidence to articulate their own interpretations. After all, the best essays don’t just demonstrate knowledge, they show genuine engagement with ideas.

Oliver Fletcher

Today I had the chance to observe Pasquale’s maths session. The session primarily involved quadratic equations and the factorising involved (explained through the PSF method). Pasquale commenced the session by addressing a few of the students homework questions and concerns regarding the factorisation and solving of monic quadratic equations. He explained to the student what leaving your answer as an exact value means and the purpose of it, by explaining that the evaluation of an exact value will typically give a large decimal number. Following this, Pasquale prompted the student to attempt a few similar questions of his own to consolidate his understanding. Where the student made mistakes, Pasquale made use of the whiteboard to work out the solution. Rather than simply writing out the solution and explaining it, Pasquale prompted the student to independently determine the course of action when working out the solution, to efficiently consolidate his understanding. Where the student was confused, Pasquale offered various hints to help inform the students working out without simply revealing the answer. This was a very effective way to actively engage the student, rather than simply solving the solution and having the student reflect on it. Overall it was a great session to observe, and I look forward to integrate some of Pasquale’s teaching methods my own teaching.

Kieran Fung

Today, I had the opportunity to observe Oli Fletcher tutor James, a Year 12 student, as they worked on his English HSC Module C response. The session was engaging and productive, with a relaxed vibe that made the session enjoyable.
Oli’s approach was supportive and encouraging, creating an environment where James felt comfortable working through his ideas and refining his writing, which is often a challenge for students needing help in English. Throughout the session, Oli asked insightful questions that prompted James to think about his response rather than just following the rubric. This helped James gain a better understanding of his work and gain confidence in his writing abilities.
One of the standout moments was when they reviewed a key section of James’ discursive. Oli worked through identifying areas for improvement by discussing James extracurricular interest, encouraging him to articulate his thoughts clearly and refine his expression while writing about something he genuinely cared about.. The discussion was collaborative, with Oli offering constructive feedback while also acknowledging the strengths in James’ writing. This balance made the session feel less like a lesson and more like a conversation, which kept James engaged and motivated.
Another good technique Oli used was making connections to real-world examples to clarify complex ideas. By relating the content to familiar concepts, he helped James see his writing from a fresh perspective, making revisions feel more intuitive and purposeful. This approach not only improved James’ response but also reinforced broader writing skills that he can apply to future tasks.
Overall, the session was a great example of how a positive tutoring environment can make a real difference. Oli’s ability to keep the discussion engaging while guiding James toward independent problem-solving created a session that was both enjoyable and beneficial. It was clear that James left the session feeling more confident in his writing and better prepared for his HSC Module C response.

Tom Gloster

Many students feel overwhelmed with their HSC English exams. But the first step to acing them is knowing how to effectively complete the short answer questions in the English Paper 1 exam. Here are some of my best tips to always excel in English short answer writing:

1. Read the text more than once! Ideally, a student should read through each text once in a thorough manner before re-reading it and underlining/highlighting key quotes they will be using to answer the question. This ensures that the student is not only ready to answer the question efficiently, but has a good understanding of the text.

2. Recall key language techniques and devices. When re-reading the text, students should be on the lookout for both language and visual techniques as sometimes students may be asked to analyse an image. Tutoring is the perfect time to create a bank of techniques that students can take in with them on the day of the exam to allow them to feel more confident.

3. Plan your time and know how much you should be writing. My first general rule is that whatever the mark value assigned to the question is, double it and that is the amount of time a student should be aiming to spend on that question. So, for example, a six-mark question should take a student approximately 12 minutes. My second rule of thumb is that whatever the mark value assigned to that question is, subtract one from it and that is a guide as to how many quotes/examples a student should be providing in their answer. This is certainly not a hard and fast rule but it provides a general overview of what each student should aim for at a minimum, whilst utilising their time efficiently.

4. Understand the PETAL structure. Tutoring is the perfect time to refresh a student’s understanding of how to structure their short answers and by using the PETAL structure, students can feel confident in the exam as they know exactly what they should be targeting.

Hopefully these tips help students feel confident for the short answer component of the English Paper 1 exam and show that everyone can succeed!

Kristina McLean

As the term comes to an end, many of our students will be receiving their exams back soon. Emotions can be high during this time, so I wanted to share just a couple of things that I try keep in mind when my students bring their papers in so that we can go through them together.

1. It can be easy to gloss over the things that our students did really well. I know that time is of the essence in our sessions, but I wanted to stress the importance of praising and commending our students on the stuff they got right/questions they showed great effort in DESPITE how few or how many instances of this there were in the exam! It can be super easy to focus on just the negatives, and I’m sure we’re all familiar with how far even one negative comment can go in ruining an otherwise perfect day! Please, please make sure to acknowledge the good stuff too. It’ll go long ways!!

2. If the outcome is poor, I like to be dismissive of the result (unchangeable) and instead focus on the opportunities right in front of us for learning and improvement. It can be all too easy for our students to interpret bad marks as scarlet letters; “I suck at maths,” “it’s just too hard for me,” “I’ll never be good at this,” etc. This is where we as tutors must step up to the plate and show our students just how doable these questions can be if we break them down and always go back to basics. Please don’t ever make a student feel dumb or stupid for the way that they did something in an exam; it’s a surefire route to the student putting their walls up and encourages them telling you things like “yes, this make sense” when you explain stuff (even though it may not), just to avoid potential embarrassment.

The centre is first and foremost a safe space for our students and it is our job as contextual leaders to see that this is always the case.

Thomas Koutavas

Something which I have been trying to work on in my session and always striving to improve is relating topics back to a student’s passion. This can have a profound impact on their learning by improving their engagement, motivation, and passion for learning.
1. Engagement: when students can see how a subject matter they care about relates to what they are learning, they are more likely to engage in the session and creates a deeper connection to the material.
2. Motivation: People are naturally more motivated to learn about things that interest them, so by linking a subject to a student’s passion it will help them to feel more inspired to learn more and persist through challenges
3. Retention: When students are invested in a topic, they are more likely to remember the information because they are able to make stronger connections between ideas and the information is more meaningful.
4. Love for learning: Relating learning to passions doesn’t just make one subject more enjoyable—it can help students see the broader value of education. When they see that learning can be connected to something they love, it can fuel a lifelong interest in learning.
By tailoring the tutoring experience to a student’s passions, the tutor can make the learning process more enjoyable, engaging, and productive. This not only helps the student in the moment but can also have long-lasting benefits for their academic journey.

Riva Burkett