Ashley is an experienced tutor who is great with teaching and translating complex ideas and methods to capable students. Ashley began the session by firstly going over the homework questions the student got wrong. Formally explaining the methods and steps to complete these questions in a clear and formal manner. After Both tutor and student then moved onto hard and more complex worded problem questions where Ashley started slow doing the questions with the student and slowly moving towards the student completing these questions independently. This ultimately improved their students confidence when completing questions simulating an exam style response when doing the questions with no help. Furthermore, the session then moved to more algebra style questions which involved complex worded problems of re arranging subjects and solving for X. The student felt more comfortable with this section and thus moved swiftly through these questions. This was a great lesson improving the students skills and approach to answering complex financial maths questions in addition to basic algebra. As they ended the session on an online quiz which tested the students knowledge of these previous topics they just went over.

Jordan

Repetition and revision are important components to effective learning, especially in tutoring as it can promote understanding, reinforce memory and boost students confidence. It is shown across the research that when students engage with new ideas or concepts, they need to rehearse it or learn it multiple times before mastering them. For students, repetition allows the foundational knowledge that has been acquired to be consolidated, while revision provides an avenue to affirm and build upon that foundation.

Repetition can create strong neural pathways for recall, allowing information to transition from short-term to long-term memory. For example, a primary aged student practising their times tables regularly will find it much easier recall them during problem-solving questions. Likewise, a high school student regularly reviewing themes along with quotes for a text they are studying at school will help them deepen their understanding of the given text. This continuous process is particularly important in school when students move across year levels, as each year group heavily relies on a solid foundational knowledge.

Revision complements repetition by establishing refinement, knowledge building and reflection. It enables students to assess their understanding and identify any gaps in their learning. Revision activities that I myself have used in tutoring can include summarising content, creating mind maps or exam style questions. In addition, tailoring revision to the needs of a student is super important as it allows them to focus on weaker areas to maximise benefit for improvement.

As a tutor, showing the importance of repetition and revision to students can help them improve greatly and in fact allow them to see the value of tutoring. This can involve bringing sessions from the end of term forward and setting up one of the sessions as a revision session, testing the student on their knowledge for an upcoming assessment through either verbal recall or through practice revision tests. As well as this, presenting the content to students in different ways will help reinforce concepts to students and cater to the different learning styles for students such as visual aids, practical examples or verbal discussions. In todays world, students may undervalue repetition and revision. Hence, tutors should emphasise revision and repetition techniques as students will learn to implement them.

Annie Bulkeley

Today, I had the opportunity to observe a Year 12 Standard English session focused on comprehension skills. What I thought was super valuable was the way Jana gave her student the opportunity to give their own response first which she then would write notes and provide detailed feedback. The session began with a past paper question, using a timed strategy to gauge an understanding of the students time management skills. After the response was completed, together, they went line by line through the response which clarified certain phrases and neatened certain expressions.

The student practiced framing their responses using direct quotations and key human experiences, which not only helped build stronger arguments but also reinforced the idea that a good response is always rooted in specific details and a centralised idea/human experiences that is derived from the rubric.

Reassurance was also key in ensuring the Year 12 did not lose confidence which is critical in such an early stage of learning new skills. Jana’s feedback was consistently constructive, providing specific praise for parts of the response that were well thought out, even if other areas needed further refinement. By acknowledging and reminding the student of their strengths, Jana helped build confidence in their abilities, reinforcing the idea that they are capable and time constraints may have rushed the response. Rather than just focusing solely on areas that needed improvement, she also celebrated the student’s successes, no matter how small. This simultaneous balance of praise and constructive feedback prohibited the student from feeling like they were not capable and kept them motivated to continue refining their skills.

Concluding the session, it was clear how valuable these small, focused strategies are in helping students refine their comprehension skills and directly attacking and integrating the rubric into their response. By working line by line, providing reassurance and practicing time management, the student was better equipped to tackle any comprehension question that might arise. It was a clear reminder that tutoring develops, empowers and equips students with the tools they need to critically and thoughtfully engage with each comprehension text, no matter the style or form.

Jessica Ciappara

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