Ian Andrews

I tend to focus on question practice, such as particular questions with which students are experiencing problems. Asking them about the question gives me an opportunity to understand things from the student perspective and identify any areas of understanding which might need clarification. We can then move on to answering the question, and hopefully use the solution method as a foundation for answering other questions in a similar area. Similar questions give opportunities for developing and reinforcing a working method, as well as raising student self-confidence. If at all possible, I like to develop rapport with the student because this enables greater openness and honesty about where they are and the issues that they are facing. Part of my role is to raise self-confidence because I often see students who have been struggling with their studies, with one problem then building on another, until their entire student experience is adversely affected. Working through graded problems offer opportunities for students to score little victories and raise their self-esteem and self-belief.