Sharing Our Thoughts on Education and Tutoring
Online Maths Games: The Results Add Up
Gamification of learning is the idea of applying game principles (e.g. scoring points, competing with others, leader boards) to education to increase interest and engagement in learning. Physical (non-digital) games are routinely used by teachers, especially in...
What is the real purpose of tutoring?
During school holidays, and especially after the tumultuous term we’ve just had, no one would argue that our students need a rest. Time away from school brings with it the question of whether they should take a break from their studies, and if so, when school and...
Inspiring the Unmotivated Student
Many students go through stages where it appears they are wholly disinterested in school. They might say, “School’s boring,” and without elaborating further, parents feel powerless to help. Closer observation or speaking to their teachers might reveal underlying...
NAPLAN: To prepare or not to prepare…
NAPLAN is not the be-all and end-all of a student’s learning career, but it does provide a helpful indication of those areas in which they require some extra attention. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) who facilitate NAPLAN do not...
Found! A Remedy for the Literacy Crisis…
“Don’t worry about spelling and grammar. The future will be digital!”According to Prof. Pamela Snow, 1 in 7 fifteen-year-olds do not meet OECD reading standards. The OECD is an international organisation focused on facilitating a global economy. Part of this includes...
School’s Out, Reports are In
It’s the end of another busy school year and our students are settling into a well-deserved break. But beneath all the excitement of summer holidays lurks the bi-annual report card anxiety. As parents and carers, we might look forward to seeing where our children have...
Children’s Writing, Creativity and Exam performance
We receive lots of inquiries about students and their problems with writing. The connection between the tech age and writing is apt in this instance. We have great tools to enhance children's learning, however while these tools are a standard in classrooms, how much...
Nepean Tutoring: Delivering Results
More than a tutoring business, Nepean Tutoring is a team of passionate educators with heart. We strive to provide the best individualised support for students regardless of age or ability level. Our tutoring team includes past and present teachers, disability support...
Sleep to live and learn
Why good sleep is essential for health, wellbeing and even academic success. It’s already more than half way through term one, and the heat is on for students in years 11 and 12. Assessments pile up, test times loom and the realities of senior years stress start to...
Help Your Child Improve Their School Marks and Confidence: Adopt a Growth Mindset
A ‘growth mindset’ is the belief that abilities are developed over time, and any skill or area of knowledge can be developed with hard work and perseverance. A term coined by educational psychologist Dr Carol Dweck, growth mindset contrasts to the much more common...
Help Me Help My Child to Read!
3 Essential Things to Know When Teaching Your Child to Read Reading is an essential early skill that underpins so much future learning. But what can you do if reading really isn’t as easy as ‘a b c’ for your child? How can you help get them back on track with reading,...
Teachers and Mentors: Bridging Two Roles as a Tutor.
Increasingly, tutors are fulfilling the role of ‘mentor’ for young people. As well as teaching the skills and knowledge students may need in a tailored one-on-one setting, tutors can provide mentoring support - helping students build study skills, test skills,...
Treating Maths Anxiety: Un-learning Beliefs and Building Self-efficacy
Mathematics anxiety is the apprehension and crippling fear of doing maths, whether it be in a maths classroom or taking a test. Like many anxieties, the central problematic behaviour is avoidance. Anxiety itself is an adaptive trait to protect us from possible harms....
3 NAPLAN Myths Busted: Demystifying Common Misconceptions About the NAPLAN Test
Just hearing the word ‘NAPLAN’ is enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure; images of stressed out kids, parents and teachers spring to mind. Since 2008 the NAPLAN tests have been measuring the reading, writing, literacy and numeracy skills of Australian children, and...
Education – A Matter of Wisdom
During the past month, there has been a media focus on the drop in Literacy and Numeracy standards in Australian compared to the global community. To arrive at a reason for this phenomenon would be too broad to address in this short article except to say that we...