Shevanee Kanabar

As a maths tutor for the past year, I’ve learned so much about both teaching and how students learn. When I first started, I expected it to be mostly about knowing the material and helping students work through it. But over time, I realised that tutoring is just as much about building confidence and tailoring explanations to the unique needs of each student.

At first, I focused a lot on explaining concepts in the way I understood them. I would work through problems and give detailed explanations, but I quickly realised that not every student learns the same way. Some students would grasp the material immediately, while others seemed to zone out, even though I knew they were capable. That’s when I started experimenting with different methods.

One technique that has worked really well for me is breaking problems down into smaller, more manageable parts. I’ve noticed that when students see a whole equation or a word problem, they sometimes get overwhelmed by all the steps involved. So now, instead of diving right in, I guide them step by step. I ask questions to prompt their thinking, like, "What’s the first thing we need to do here?" or "What does this part of the equation represent?" This helps them build their own understanding rather than just relying on me to give them the answers.

Patience has been another big part of my growth as a tutor. In the beginning, I would get frustrated when students didn’t understand something after I explained it. I had to remind myself that everyone learns at their own pace. Now, I make it a point to ask students how they are feeling about the material—whether they feel lost, somewhat confident, or totally confident—and then adjust my teaching accordingly.

As a maths tutor for the past year, I’ve learned so much about both teaching and how students learn. When I first started, I expected it to be mostly about knowing the material and helping students work through it. But over time, I realised that tutoring is just as much about building confidence and tailoring explanations to the unique needs of each student.

At first, I focused a lot on explaining concepts in the way I understood them. I would work through problems and give detailed explanations, but I quickly realised that not every student learns the same way. Some students would grasp the material immediately, while others seemed to zone out, even though I knew they were capable. That’s when I started experimenting with different methods.

One technique that has worked really well for me is breaking problems down into smaller, more manageable parts. I’ve noticed that when students see a whole equation or a word problem, they sometimes get overwhelmed by all the steps involved. So now, instead of diving right in, I guide them step by step. I ask questions to prompt their thinking, like, "What’s the first thing we need to do here?" or "What does this part of the equation represent?" This helps them build their own understanding rather than just relying on me to give them the answers.

Patience has been another big part of my growth as a tutor. In the beginning, I would get frustrated when students didn’t understand something after I explained it. I had to remind myself that everyone learns at their own pace. Now, I make it a point to ask students how they are feeling about the material—whether they feel lost, somewhat confident, or totally confident—and then adjust my teaching accordingly.