How to Effective Use a HSC Tutor / University Academic
I've always been fascinated by the differences in results achieved by my student whether it be in the HSC or during a semester at Uni.
The content is the same, the teacher is the same, the class environment is the same, so why are some students able to achieve much better results than others? Obviously, the answer is complex and multifaceted but I don't believe that intelligence plays a big part.
If you're smart enough to be doing the subject you're smart enough to do well in it.
The longest running study of geniuses found they aren't really any more likely to succeed than the rest of us.
In my opinion a far more important determinate of success for students is their strategies for use of resources.
When I'm working as a HSC tutor or a Uni academic all I am is a resource, albeit it one with exceptionally bad taste in hats.
Time management is one of those skills that's both exceptionally hard to master (I haven't) and exceptionally important and managing other peoples time is just as crucial.
If a student comes to my office for help and tells me they can't do anything required in the course it tends to set off alarm bells.
I see a couple of scenarios: I) The student can usually do most things and is struggling with a few but they haven't put the time into identifying what they are having trouble with.
By the time we work out what they actually can't do I've wasted 45 minutes of time and they have to leave for class.
II) The student is actually very capable and suffers from a lack of confidence (It is amazing how many incredibly talented students tell me that they can't do the work) III) The student can't do anything because they didn't turn up all semester and wants to catch up before the exam (even if this is true it doesn't help you if I suspect this).
Surprisingly this doesn't change all that much even when I'm being paid as a tutor, I have students who are happy to come to class without a clear idea of what they want to achieve or what they need help in.
Paying a tutor to figure out what they need help with isn't an effective use of their or my time, and is definitely a poor way to spend money.
The best students, the ones I've seen improve the most quickly tend to use the same strategies either in an appointment as an academic and a HSC tutor.
I) They know what they want: The best students have picked out one or two clear problems or areas they'd like to work through in a class.
Once any reasonable teacher knows where the student is it's much easier to help them take the next step.
II) They bring in a record of what hasn't worked: I don't see this very much at Uni and I really should.
If students are getting the wrong answer in a genetics problem it is usually because they are doing one of the six or seven steps wrong.
If they bring in what they've done and why I can tell them exactly what went wrong, and usually exactly what part of their thought process needs to be changed (I learned by making the same mistakes students do).
Then I can focus on demonstrating the correct method and having a student practice it.
Few students do this, but those who do learn faster which means that they can go over more material in an appointment and improve more, in addition the record of attempts makes me think that they are taking both the subject and my time seriously and therefore I'm more inclined to spend time working through any other issues they have.
III) They give me an opportunity to prepare: I like my students.
They are generally good people and they happen to be interested in a subject that I've dedicated a good portion of my adult life to.
I want them to do well, if I can I'll help them do well.
99% of all academics share my point of view in this.
If a student tells me what they are having issues with in an email when setting up a meeting I can look up the exact areas of the textbook or lectures I want to go over with them.
If a HSC student tells me what they want to work on next week I can pre-prepare questions.
It's not rocket surgery but it's amazing how few students include a bit about what area they are having trouble with when they make an appointment.
As a purely personal addition having that kind of information helps me as a lecturer too, it means that I may need to rework the way I teach that area because people are struggling with it.
Over the last couple of years I've had a lot of students, and parent's thank me for improving their grades.
I make a point of denying it.
I'd hope I'm a good teacher but at the end of the day I don't sit the final exam for a student, all I am is a resource and success is in large part based on how well resources are used.
V.
The content is the same, the teacher is the same, the class environment is the same, so why are some students able to achieve much better results than others? Obviously, the answer is complex and multifaceted but I don't believe that intelligence plays a big part.
If you're smart enough to be doing the subject you're smart enough to do well in it.
The longest running study of geniuses found they aren't really any more likely to succeed than the rest of us.
In my opinion a far more important determinate of success for students is their strategies for use of resources.
When I'm working as a HSC tutor or a Uni academic all I am is a resource, albeit it one with exceptionally bad taste in hats.
Time management is one of those skills that's both exceptionally hard to master (I haven't) and exceptionally important and managing other peoples time is just as crucial.
If a student comes to my office for help and tells me they can't do anything required in the course it tends to set off alarm bells.
I see a couple of scenarios: I) The student can usually do most things and is struggling with a few but they haven't put the time into identifying what they are having trouble with.
By the time we work out what they actually can't do I've wasted 45 minutes of time and they have to leave for class.
II) The student is actually very capable and suffers from a lack of confidence (It is amazing how many incredibly talented students tell me that they can't do the work) III) The student can't do anything because they didn't turn up all semester and wants to catch up before the exam (even if this is true it doesn't help you if I suspect this).
Surprisingly this doesn't change all that much even when I'm being paid as a tutor, I have students who are happy to come to class without a clear idea of what they want to achieve or what they need help in.
Paying a tutor to figure out what they need help with isn't an effective use of their or my time, and is definitely a poor way to spend money.
The best students, the ones I've seen improve the most quickly tend to use the same strategies either in an appointment as an academic and a HSC tutor.
I) They know what they want: The best students have picked out one or two clear problems or areas they'd like to work through in a class.
Once any reasonable teacher knows where the student is it's much easier to help them take the next step.
II) They bring in a record of what hasn't worked: I don't see this very much at Uni and I really should.
If students are getting the wrong answer in a genetics problem it is usually because they are doing one of the six or seven steps wrong.
If they bring in what they've done and why I can tell them exactly what went wrong, and usually exactly what part of their thought process needs to be changed (I learned by making the same mistakes students do).
Then I can focus on demonstrating the correct method and having a student practice it.
Few students do this, but those who do learn faster which means that they can go over more material in an appointment and improve more, in addition the record of attempts makes me think that they are taking both the subject and my time seriously and therefore I'm more inclined to spend time working through any other issues they have.
III) They give me an opportunity to prepare: I like my students.
They are generally good people and they happen to be interested in a subject that I've dedicated a good portion of my adult life to.
I want them to do well, if I can I'll help them do well.
99% of all academics share my point of view in this.
If a student tells me what they are having issues with in an email when setting up a meeting I can look up the exact areas of the textbook or lectures I want to go over with them.
If a HSC student tells me what they want to work on next week I can pre-prepare questions.
It's not rocket surgery but it's amazing how few students include a bit about what area they are having trouble with when they make an appointment.
As a purely personal addition having that kind of information helps me as a lecturer too, it means that I may need to rework the way I teach that area because people are struggling with it.
Over the last couple of years I've had a lot of students, and parent's thank me for improving their grades.
I make a point of denying it.
I'd hope I'm a good teacher but at the end of the day I don't sit the final exam for a student, all I am is a resource and success is in large part based on how well resources are used.
V.