Sharing Our Thoughts on Education and Tutoring
The Battle For Balance
High school students know the struggle of time management all too well. Throughout primary school, we managed our home readers, maths worksheets and the occasional poster or diorama without thinking about it. All of a sudden, we reached year 7 and we’re expected to...
Exams: They’re about more than grades
What if I told you that there is more to exams than striving for a certain grade? Many students, particularly studious HSC candidates approaching their trial exams, would be astonished to hear this. Actually, they probably wouldn’t believe it at all. That’s not hard...
Inspiring growth through constructive critique
Ah, half-yearly reports. Some students are thrilled to see their achievements praised by their teachers. For others, it’s a time of dread where they feel like they don’t measure up to expectations. For both groups, learning to receive constructive criticism is a...
Curiosity: Toddlers have got it right
Since the iPhone brought the internet out of cyber cafes and into our pockets, our worlds have grown smaller. We might think that increased access to Google means that we’ve become more curious, but curiosity is actually more about the questions we ask than the...
Science confirms multisensory learning enhances memory
You might have heard the saying that people remember: 10% of what they read 20% of what they hear 30% of what they see 50% of what they hear and see 70% of what they say 90% of what they say and do. These percentages, represented visually in D.G. Treichler’s Cone of...
Is knowing your times tables overrated?
It is a common misconception that since calculators are used more often in schools and since calculators are freely accessible on our phones (and even our watches!) that learning multiplication times tables by heart is as outdated as an accountant using an abacus. It...
Why Study Shakespeare?
February is the month of love, romance, and all things pink, red, rosey, and chocolatey. Love songs, classical poetry and cheesy greeting card rhymes abound even after Valentine’s Day is over. Here’s one you’ve probably heard of: ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s...
Reflective climbing for academic success
As we draw nearer to the start of a new school year, it’s worth taking time to think about how our reflections from last year can be turned into actions. Last year, students developed greater resilience through lockdown, learning from home, dealing with the emotional...
Silver linings
2020 was a year that changed much of the way we do things. In some cases, the changes have been irritating and time-consuming, such as the fact we can no longer dine in at a restaurant without ‘checking in’ for contact tracing, or that long-awaited international...
When you’re stressed and overwhelmed, make a list
When you’re stressed out and you know it, and you really want to show it, When you’re stressed and overwhelmed, make a list. Did you catch the ‘If you’re happy and you know it’ children’s song reference there? When I was going though a tough time earlier this year, a...
What to do about maths anxiety
Many students suffer from maths anxiety. The Australian Council for Educational Research estimates that around 20% of students are ‘highly maths anxious’. Signs of a high level of maths anxiety include avoiding the subject, inhibited memory for mathematical concepts,...
Senior School Transitions
For a student transitioning from Year 10 to Year 11 or from Year 11 to Year 12, their journey through senior school feels both exciting and intimidating. Exciting because they have more opportunities for leadership, wider subject selections, and are closer to the end...
Down the Rabbit Hole
What exactly is curiosity? What do we mean when we say that curiosity is an attribute of successful learners? ‘Curiosity’ is a trait similar to inquisitiveness: it encompasses a desire to question, investigate, and explore how things work and why things are the way...
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...