Moving Forward into 2023

Change will always happen; you have to be prepared for it. In 2019, I was tutoring face to face then due to COVID in 2020, I successfully converted the business online. It was a challenge at first; I had 48 hours to make the change and inform all of my parents and students; subscribe to various platforms and invest in various technology and equipment to ensure that each student received the same standard of tutoring irrespective of the sessions being online. There were a few wobbles, as expected, with the platform I was using which was subsequently revamped and offered as a new, vibrant and easy to use whiteboard platform; the students loved it and were able to navigate with ease. 

 

As we come to the end of 2022, moving into 2023, what other storms await? Each storm teaches us to focus, take stock and shift. Staying still for a while is not a bad thing, but then you have to be prepared to jump, take a risk and make some changes. 

 

In 2022, all of my 11 plus students passed every test they took, with great results. They worked extremely hard and the parents were on board 100 percent of the way. 

 

I have focused my students to becoming great thinkers and problem solvers, giving them life tools and skills they can develop and use in their every day. When I say problem solvers and thinkers, what do I mean? When we are working through a problem it is easy to give the student the answer, but that achieves nothing. Teaching a child to look at a problem and ask: 

 

1. What information is provided? 

2. What are the clues I need to be looking for? 

3. Do I have to gather more information or pull on skills I already have but 

would not think to use in a particular scenario? 

4. What additional information do I need to solve the problem? 

5. Where can I get this information? 

6. What methodology will I now use to get the answer? 

 

These are all great questions, skills and thinking processes to hone in on and develop. However the process needs to be practiced regularly, so that it becomes a student’s norm and then the practice becomes easier and adaptive. 

 

In 2023, I will be setting up Year 4 online group sessions for up to 8 students over a 12 week programme, honing in on English, Verbal Reasoning, Comprehension and Creative Writing, each topic broken up into 3 weeks. This will give student an opportunity to work on these topics and build their confidence before they start preparing for the 11 plus in Year 5 or if they just need a booster in understanding and developing their English to a higher level. 

 

When these topics are practised, developed and mastered the strategies students learn complement other subjects. Many students love maths and dislike English and writing stories or reading text, and these areas tend to be their weakest element in 11 plus preparation.