Meet the Tutors

Harry Mav: Good afternoon Annie, great to speak with you! So, what are you studying?

Annie Bulkeley: Likewise! So I’m studying Honours in Psychology, I’ve finished my Bachelors degree and doing Masters from next year!

HM: Great! And you’re enjoying it so far?

AB: Very much so! I want to get into either sports psychology, working with adolescents more generally or criminal psychology!

HM: Wow that’s a big spread! What brough you to these areas?

AB: Well I’ve always been fascinated with these areas, I’ve always been very into understanding the mind better as well as with my football.

HM: That’s right, you played at a very high level as a student and your brother James who also tutored with us is in Dubai I believe?

AB: Yes correct, he’s loving it there! We travelled a lot as kids and it gave us a chance to get a really broad spectrum of what life can be!

HM: Great! And your mum teaches at All Saints Grammar I believe?

AB: Yes that’s right, she has been there for a few years, she was actually my teacher for a bit while we were travelling and has been a big factor in my love of learning!

HM: Amazing! And how long have you been tutoring for?

AB: I’ve been tutoring for 5 years now, I used to come to First Education as a student and it has been a privilege coming back as a tutor and sharing with new students! It has been particularly great to have students over a number of years, I have a Year 12 student now that I’ve had since they were in Year 8! It’s highly relevant to my degree and career as well, I love it!

Harry Mav: Hey Mary, great to speak with you! So, tell us a bit about yourself!

Mary Diamond: Thank you Harry, likewise! Last year I finished a Bachelor of Clinical Science, taking a bit of a gap year at the moment and hoping to get into Medicine next year!

HM: Wow that’s great! And you finished the degree in a very short time right?

MD: Yes it was meant to be a 3 year degree but they have this accelerated thing where you do it in 2 years, it was tough but I’m very glad to have gone through it.

HM: That’s awesome! And you’ve always wanted to get into Medicine?

MD: I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and want to help people! My GAMSAT results were very strong so hopefully all goes well and I can start next year!

HM: That’s incredible, we wish you all the best! And how long have you been tutoring for?

MD: I’ve been tutoring for 3 years now (ever since I finished school), really loving it!! It’s so great to see students’ excitement when they understand something, I’ve particularly enjoyed the older students in their work for Maths, English and Biology with helping them be the best they can be and enjoy the achievements!

HM: So good. And you’re very much a high achiever yourself, I believe you were the School Captain of St Spyridon College when you were there and you got 1st in the state in Music among other things?

MD: That’s right, school was a great time in so many ways and it was wonderful to have such great teachers and mentors. It’s incredible now to be in that position with my students and one day my patients to some extent, looking forward to seeing what the future holds!

Harry Mav: Hey Tegwen, thank you for your time today! Let’s start with uni, what are you studying at the moment?

Tegwen Philmara: I’m studying Commerce and Software Engineering at the University of Sydney currently in my 3rd year! Loving it, it’s challenging but rewarding!

HM: It must be! And you’ve always loved maths and the sciences from what I remember back when you were at school?

TP: That’s right! I came to First Ed as a student for Maths and Physics with Pana and John as my tutors, it’s great to be tutoring alongside them now!

HM: So cool. And tell us a bit about your time tutoring at First Education?

TP: I’ve been tutoring for 3 years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a wide range of students from Year 1 to Year 12.

HM: That’s awesome! And how has everything been going in that time?

TP: It has been amazing, I just had one of my Year 9 students who I’ve had since Year 7, it’s so fulfilling to see the change in attitude from a student who didn’t like school at all to someone who looks forward to coming and is now asking me questions without any sort of coercion!

HM: That’s why we do it! Where do you see yourself in the future?

TP: I want to work in the corporate world but I see myself ultimately working as a teacher, there’s nothing like the level of fulfilment and contribution you get from helping students learn!

HM: And a fun fact about yourself?

TP: I spent 3 years in Germany as a child and can speak fluent German!

Harry Mav: Hey Isabella, great to speak with you! Let’s get right into it, so you used to come to First Ed as a student right?

Isabella Naumovski: That’s right, I still remember coming as a student with Jasmina and Harry Jnr. Pretty cool to be here now tutoring with them!

HM: I can imagine! And you’ve really thrown yourself into the tutoring I believe!

IN: Yes indeed, I’ve absolutely loved it and been doing it pretty much 7 days per week! It has been so rewarding to be inspiring my students and helping them feel comfortable with their work from school.

HM: That’s awesome! And what subjects and year levels have you been tutoring?

IN: I’ve had students from Kindy to Year 12, each student provides a different challenge and requires their own style of tutoring but being a part of each student’s learning journey is great in its own way!

HM: Beautiful. And what are you studying?

IN: I’m studying Nursing, it’s my other great passion. It’s not entirely different from tutoring, it’s another role which requires care, can be quite difficult but still very rewarding! I’ve been studying for the GAMSAT as well and am hoping to get into postgrad medicine after I finish the nursing degree.

HM: Wow you would make the best doctor, your patients would be lucky to have you as your students are now! And outside of your more professional life what do you do for fun?

IN: There isn’t a lot of time left over but I love to read! I’ve just finished November 9 which has been a really great read, it’s a thriller with comedy and romance, it has it all! Otherwise I love going to the beach and hanging out with friends and family.

Harry Mav: Hi Katherine, thank you for your time today! So tell us a bit about yourself, what are you up to in life?

Katherine Petsoglou: Pleasure! I’m in my fourth year of Commerce / Law at UNSW, tutoring, and living the dream!

HM: Always so positive, love it! And how are your studies?

KP: I’m finding the work challenging but enjoyable, I’m becoming more and more attracted to the law side of things! It’s hard to know where my career will take me but I want to look into either human rights law or corporate law going forward.

HM: Very interesting and relevant given the tragedies going on around the world. And you’ve been tutoring for a while now I believe?

KP: Yep I’ve been tutoring for 4 years now, I absolutely love it!! I’ve been focusing on students from Kindergarten to Year 10 in both Maths and English, it has been particularly great to see students progress over multiple years and to watch them develop both academically and as young people!

HM: Incredible! It’s beautiful too because not many educators get to be so directly involved over such a broad period of time. What have you found to be your favourite aspect of the tutoring?

KP: I just love that moment where the student realises they can do something that they didn’t realise was possible, that aha moment! I had it in my tutoring when I was a student and it’s an honour and a privilege to be there to facilitate that in my students.

HM: Amazing! And what do you do when you’re not tutoring or at uni?

KP: There isn’t too much of this time but I love to hang with family and friends!

Harry Mav: Hey Anna, wonderful to be doing this! So tell us, for how long have you been tutoring?

Anna Burch: Likewise Harry! I’ve been tutoring Maths for 12 years now, it has been a beloved part of my life for a long time now!

HM: That’s awesome! And from where did this love for maths and tutoring come from?

AB: I think if I track it back it’s my dad, he studied Maths at Cambridge and helped me to love it from a young age, I’ve always wanted to do the same for others!

HM: Cambridge, wow! And you were head girl back then in high school right? And since then you’ve got a few degrees if I’m not mistaken?

AB: Yes indeed! After school I did a Bachelor of Psychology and Commerce, I always loved the stats when no one else did (I should have known something was up from then)! Then I worked in corporate finance for a few years, then I’ve been at a marketing company since while currently studying teaching in secondary maths.

HM: You’ve been busy! And you’ve been with First Education for 5 years or so right?

AB: Yep it has been awesome! I’ve loved the opportunity to work with like minded people and to help students love maths as I do!

HM: Ah that’s beautiful! And where do you see yourself in 5 years?

AB: Well in hopefully less than 5 years I really want to go to Ghana to help out with my sponsor child over there that we have with St Nicholas Academy! More long term though I see myself teaching maths somewhere up in the Northern Beaches (I love being near the beach). Then settling down, having a family and all the fun, hopefully still tutoring and sharing my love of maths with others!

Harry Mav: Hey Harry, so we should probably clarify to everyone how we’re not actually the same person!

Harry Jnr Mav: Yes indeed! We’re cousins with the exact same name.

HM: Hehe Greeks! Ok let’s get to it, so you’re studying at the moment?

HJM: Correct, I’m doing a Bachelor of Science in Maths at UNSW and loving it! Hard to say exactly but looking to get into Education or Finance going forward.

HM: Wonderful, great to hear! And what subjects are you tutoring?

HJM: I have students in Maths and Chemistry and am really getting into my element with the older students (especially Year 11 and 12 students). I love the feeling where I see a student not quite realise how capable they are (or how capable they can be) and once we work together they start to open up and soon achieve their potential!

HM: That’s amazing! And you’ve had an interesting journey since leaving school, tell us a little more about this.

HJM: Yes I studied Psychology, then got into an electrical apprenticeship, then got into accounting and mortgage broking, nothing really scratched the itch though and got me going! It is the tutoring that I have really loved and settled with and hopefully what I’m studying now will work in line with this!

HM: Great to hear! And what do you do usually do when you’re not studying or tutoring?

HJM: Ah well those definitely take up most of my time, it’s easy to do when you love your work and so you do a lot of it! But when I do have the opportunity I usually explore my hobbies which vary quite a bit, main ones being dancing and cooking!

Harry Mav: Hey Karly, thank you for your time today! So tell us a bit about yourself, what are you studying at the moment at university?

Karly Vouros: Hey Harry! I’ve just finished a Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Science at UTS and am now doing a Masters of Secondary Teaching (PDHPE) at the University of Sydney.

HM: That’s awesome! And why did you change slightly to get into teaching?

KV: I wanted to work with young people! Providing tutoring has been incredible and I want to share my passion for health with students to help them develop healthy habits that they can keep their whole lives!

HM: Wow that’s so beautiful! And you’re something of an ambassador for good health yourself, you used to be an elite football player right?

KV: That’s right, I played football in the National Premier League Division 1 for 7 years! I was Captain of NSW teams a few times for both football and futsal. In 2013 I received Player of the Tournament at Nationals!

HM: Amazing achievements!! And I imagine you loved it?

KV: Yep definitely! I was on track to play professionally and it was a difficult decision not to pursue this. A lot of time has to be dedicated for training and I wanted to concentrate on studies and spending time with my family.

HM: Ah so wholesome! And just to return to the tutoring, what has been your favourite part of the past 4 years of tutoring?

KV: All of it! It has been so great to have the opportunity to work with students and help them to understand that they can do more than they realise they can! It’s so rewarding to see them each week learn and develop themselves and I’m proud of all my students for all the work they put into our sessions!

Harry Mav: Hey Peter, great to see you today as always! So let’s start with your studies, what are you doing at the moment?

Peter Katsoulas: Thanks Harry, you too! I’m studying Secondary Education with my areas being maths and religion, really enjoying it! I just did my first prac and had such a wonderful experience learning so much about teaching and it’s awesome that I can bring that experience to my tutoring.

HM: Wonderful to hear! And is there an element of your teaching or tutoring that you found you enjoyed the most in your prac?

PK: Probably teaching or tutoring senior maths students. I love how I could really get into a deep understanding of what maths is and why we would bother studying it, it’s something that I really connected with as a student years ago and it’s probably one of the main reasons why I want to be a teacher to share this with others!

HM: That’s beautiful! And outside of work and uni what do you do with your time?

PK: There isn’t too much of it but when I have the time I’m usually either at the gym, playing video games or hanging with friends.

HM: Very cool. And just coming to the tutoring now what is it that you like most about being with your students?

PK: This would have to be those moments where I see myself in the students and we get excited together about the maths, we get deeper into what’s going on and really get into why something is the way it is. I love these times when I can lead the lesson so that students want to learn and we’re doing that together!

HM: That’s beautiful! And finally, where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

PK: Teaching and hopefully with a family!