How To Be An Excellent Tutor

Featuring: Ellie Fields (English), Sid Garg (Maths), Sophia Evans (Maths), Axelle Diot (MFL), Jamie MacInnes (MFL), Michelle Chen (Science)

This year has been one full of challenges and, of the many things we should be proud of as a staff body, is the phenomenal pastoral care we’ve provided for our students throughout this difficult time. At the heart of this is the role of the pastoral tutor. We thought that, as the year draws to a close and we start to look forward to September (!), we’d speak to some of our wonderful tutors to get their tips and advice on how to be a fantastic pastoral tutor in preparation for next year!

• What makes a good tutor?

A tutor should be someone who students can trust. This means that there is a genuine and caring relationship where students feel like they are seen and heard by their tutor on a daily basis. (Ellie) 

The students must know that you genuinely care about them, and should feel comfortable sharing information with you. If they know you have their best interests in mind and will support them in all fairness, your relationship will grow stronger. I believe the role of a tutor is to be there for students, no matter what happens. (Axelle)

In my opinion, a good tutor is almost a parental figure. You need to have a close relationship with your tutees but have very clear boundaries about what is and isn't acceptable in your form / wider school life. A tutor needs to settle their students at the beginning of each day and ensure that they are mentally prepared for the classes to come. (Jamie)

I think the overriding objective is to ensure that pupils understand that they represent the tutor group around the school and you as a tutor represent them around the school in turn. This helps set expectations around their conduct in such a way that there is a "want" to have high expectations rather than out of necessity to stay out of trouble. In my head, I think of the role of our tutor group as a "home base" for them at the school and their first point of contact. This means that staying up to date with changes and events around the school is important. (Sid)

• What did you find most helpful when you first started as a tutor? How did you develop your skills and confidence as a tutor?

Do your homework on your students-  reading data on the students gives you an idea of the class dynamic. I personally spoke with previous teachers of the class to consult with them regarding seating plans and get background info on certain students (Sophia)

Shadow/observe those you struggle most with- in order for them to know I was interested in their progress and in improving our relationship. I would then have conversations with my tutees about things that I have picked on and would compliment them (beautiful handwriting, excellent work completed in a lesson I observe them in, great question they asked in a lesson, etc.) (Axelle) 

Show you are listening- It was useful to find small/easy ways to show the tutor group that you care about them and are listening to them. No matter what their skills or interests are, you are the tutor for all of them, and finding a way to relate to them helps build a positive relationship. A positive relationship is the foundation for me. (Sid)

Use the support around you- As an NQT, the support from the Year Coordinator as well as my DoL was vital to building the environment in my form. Without reaching out and using the support available at WA, my form group would not be as settled as they currently are. (Jamie)

• What are some of your most recommended start of year routines/tips/tricks?
• Making phone calls home in the first couple of weeks both positive and negative is also really effective. (Ellie)
• Students start reading at 8.25 as opposed to 8.30. Therefore, the students who arrive late and ones who are slightly more disruptive arrive to a quiet and calm setting. (Jamie)
• Using a tutor slide in the classroom projected on the board. It has daily notices but also a quote, word and news story for the week. Asking certain students to find this really helped me build those initial relationships and soon the whole class wanted to contribute! I also put a riddle or an optical illusion that seems to engage the whole class and build a positive and cohesive atmosphere. (Ellie and Michelle)
• Show your personality. There's a difference between being a tutor and being a teacher and when it comes to the tutor-student relationship I think it's important that they see more of your ''human" side. (Sophia)
• Be consistently positive. Say hello to every student. Be consistent even if their mood/attitude changes throughout the year. (Sid) Your tutees must feel equally important to you, with no favouritism or unfairness. (Axelle) 
• Establish routines from the start. Make sure you have clear routines and you stick to them for everyone. (Axelle) Are you going to get students to read each slide? Are you going to take volunteers to read? Make sure you're constantly checking equipment, if you check a lot during the start of the term you'll notice that they will maintain this throughout the rest of it (usually...) (Sophia). Show them that you care about uniform and equipment expectations. (Sid)
• Get to know students quickly. Be interested in the students' lives very quickly. What are they passionate about? If it's art, ask them to share it with you (drawing, playing an instrument, etc.). If they do a sport at school, go and see one of their games. It is really important for you to be interested very early in the academic year. (Sophia) At the start of term, having a birthday wall is a great way to make the classroom feel personable for your students. (Michelle)

• Can you give an example of a challenging scenario you had as a tutor and how you dealt with it?

One student in my tutor group had quite a problematic internet history. Working with the head of year we had a meeting with his mum and provided some resources for her to do with him at home. I am calling her each week to check-in and getting feedback from his teachers. Whilst I don't speak to him directly about it in lesson, he is sat at the front so I can check in with him and I use a lot of positive praise. (Ellie)

I at one point had all of the core teachers of my tutor group complain about their behaviour and email me for a meeting. The issue was not with just one or two students but with the whole class. As a result, we devised a plan to monitor their behaviour closer (leaving the :) and :( on the board for Maths, Science and English which worked quite well to see who the recurring characters are. I also kept some students behind (just a few extra minutes) if their names were on the board under the negatives side. Even if it's only for 2 minutes the difference between seeing all their friends leave and they stay behind had quite an impact. We also (core teachers) ended up writing a list of students we wanted to target for phone calls and split them up between us. This I think is a useful strategy if you're having problems with more than 8 students as you can get support with contacting home (not feeling too overwhelmed). (Sophia)

I had a parent contact me regarding their child's worsening mental health and, in particular, anxiety. The parent was understandably very worried about their child's wellbeing and in order to allay any worries, I talked her through the support services that WA can offer. Following our conversation, I completed a WAIT referral. The student is now seeing the school counsellor and has been referred to CAMHS. This action has been very positively received by the parent and student. (Jamie)

When there was a pastoral issue between two students, I separated them in the classroom, had conversations with them separately about what is expected of them, and probably also adapted expectations for the whole class. It is important to judge when a strict environment is needed to maintain order and when it is appropriate to have lively discussions about topics in TTB. (Sid)

• What are some of your ultimate tips for being a great tutor in general?
• Be positive! I always think you don't know what their time at home is like and someone smiling and saying hello in the morning makes a huge difference. It also really helps me if I am feeling tired or stressed to smile! (Ellie) Make sure you end the day on a positive note, even if you think they have had a bad one. (Sophia) The classroom mood is often a reflection of your own! (Sid)
• Have a sense of humour- Don't take anything personally (Sid) 
• Work with the team- As a form tutor, you are not qualified or expected to handle each problem alone. From my experience, knowing who to go to for help is essential. (Jamie)
• Be a champion for your students- It is also important to celebrate your students' wins: sports matches, one of your tutees leading in the assembly, great feedback from a teacher, winning the line up, etc. (Axelle) I have recently been attending the Yr 7 Basketball games and the students really appreciate the support. (Jamie) Each week a student in my tutor group is the star of the week with their name hung up in the classroom for everyone to see. (Michelle)
• Prioritise parental questions- When parents / tutees have a question or an inquiry, I will make sure this is resolved extremely quickly so they know I will help them. In the case, this cannot be resolved quickly, I will make sure to keep regular contact with the family so they still feel supported. (Axelle)
• Make the most of unexpected teaching moments- Make sure you take those questions in TTB that may seem a bit off-topic but can be teaching moments that the students may not be getting in other lessons (prime example would be questions about LGBT in pride month) (Sophia)

Thank you all for such fantastic ideas! If you have any you’d like to share, please get in touch

Bitesize Research: Impact Of Lockdown On Children's Communication Skills

By Jaya Carrier

I hope everyone has had a great week so far - eyes on the prize for the summer holidays! This week I was interested in reading a report from communication charity I CAN on the impact of lockdown on children’s communication skills - see here for access to the report: https://ican.org.uk/speaking-up-for-the-covid-generation/ Objectives: To evaluate the impact of lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 on children’s communication skills Summary:

The key findings were:

• 1.5 million children are struggling to speak and to understand what people are saying to them as a result of the pandemic.
• The research suggests the two biggest reasons why children are struggling with speaking are firstly not being able to talk face-to-face with their friends (70%), and secondly the overuse of tablets/phones and computers (69%).
• These children are at significant risk of being left behind, and this also has a significant impact on primary to secondary transition.
• 60% of secondary teachers who have pupils behind due to the lockdowns believe that those pupils will not be able to catch up, despite funding efforts from the government

How does this impact me and my practice?:

Some reflection questions arising from this that might be helpful to consider are:

• How can I promote oracy and speaking in my lessons? Am I familiar with frameworks to support this, such as the School 21 oracy framework?
• How am I currently using peer-to-peer talk in my lessons? How can I develop this further?
• How can I ensure effective support for YR6-7 transition in my lessons that look to promote and support speaking and understanding?

If you would like to discuss this further with me - please let me know! I’d be delighted to open up these discussions and conversations.

Bitesize Research: How Can Primary To Secondary Transition Be Implemented More Effectively

  By Jaya Carrier

I hope everyone has had a great week so far! This week, as we get closer towards the holidays and towards our YR6 into YR7 summer school, I was interested in a report published by the UCL Institute of Education about primary transition. This was published in April 2021 (accessible here: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10126990/7/Leaton%20Gray_UCLIOEMoving_Up_Report_FINAL.pdf) Objectives: To understand how primary to secondary transition can be implemented more effectively. Summary: The key findings were:

• Existing research literature suggests that a smooth transition between KS2 and KS3 is an essential and important part of the general development of young people as they move towards adulthood.
• The primary-secondary transition should be more than just an initial induction - it should be over at least one year.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted this process and has significantly fragmented learning for children undergoing this transition.
• Many YR6 children reported feeling more anxious about their education and their relationships with their peers.
• The authors suggested that improving the quality of breaktimes, dedicating areas of the school to younger students and support with quality technology for learning are likely to be key for transition success in the post-pandemic world.

How does this impact me and my practice?:

Some reflection questions arising from this that might be helpful to consider are:

• How can I support effective transition processes in my classroom and whilst on duty?
• What can I do to support the anxieties of new YR7 students?
• How might I look to support and alleviate their potentially fragmented learning? What do I need to establish when they arrive to do this successfully?

If you would like to discuss this further with me - please let me know! I’d be delighted to open up these discussions and conversations.

What Happens Next? Teaching Students To Explore Subjects Beyond The Curriculum

By Esin Akdogan

Students come to the end of their mandatory, full-time education after year 13, which is a scary prospect for many. Most students, especially those at Westminster Academy sixth form, will go on to study a subject of their choice at a British university. Of course, others who prefer a more vocational route progress into apprenticeships and other jobs. It is therefore important to plant the seeds that will help students explore subjects beyond their curriculum. In the context of WA, many students have parents who did not go to university which means higher education may not be a part of the normal discourse at home. Whilst this doesn’t seem like a big deal, the anecdotes guardians tell their children about their experiences at university at home is an important part of shaping their understanding of what higher education is like. As such, teachers play a crucial role in bridging the gap for students who have not been exposed to the ‘university talk’ at home. The most obvious way of getting students to start thinking about the next steps is in school. Of course, every student will have different needs and hence need individualised support which is provided to them when they reach the sixth form. In the meantime, I have listed some things staff could be doing in the classroom to get students to explore subjects beyond their curriculum. Whilst this list is not exhaustive, it is definitely a good place to start.

What does the Sixth Form team do already?

We have already kick-started the UCAS process for year 12s with an assembly explaining what university is, whether it is suitable for them, what to consider when making their choices and how to narrow their choices down. Later this term we will have students start writing their first drafts for their personal statements. Aside from this, WA is also great at providing sixth form students with extra and super-curricular opportunities, by posting frequently on Managebac and promoting it during tutor time. Westminster Academy is also the hub school for OxNet and the London Centre for Languages and Culture (LCLC), two unapologetically academic access and outreach schemes, with the aim of raising aspirations for students who are interested in attending Russell Group universities or doing languages at university.

How can you help? Inquiry-based learning: inquiry-based learning essentially flips the concept of learning on its head. Rather than teaching students to memorise information, inquiry-based learning encourages students to become more invested in their subjects and spark their curiosity. The IB is already great at teaching students to ask questions, with the help of their Theory of Knowledge lessons and Extended Essay research projects. This gets students into the habit of expanding their learning outside the classroom which might lead to them discovering an area of interest they might want to explore further at university. Teaching students to be inquisitive essentially does the job for you. Exposure: talking about your own academic and social experiences at university is a great way to ‘plant the seed’ in their minds. I noticed that speaking to students about my university experience during TTB meant that they were also talking about it amongst themselves during break and lunch. The more they are exposed to other peoples’ first-hand experiences, the better their understanding will be of what is expected of them before they start. Resources: you should spark interest in students to want to research and explore new topics in their free time. Giving them reading suggestions or even links to YouTube videos, based on a topic you have covered in class gives them the chance to explore topics that relate to but how above and beyond their curriculum. Talking about your favourite part of your own subject with them will also spark an interest that will encourage them to put the work in to discover subjects beyond their curriculum.

Thoughts From An ECT: Life Under The Early Career Framework

By Nazik Ahmed

The Early Career Framework (ECF) is a two-year induction programme for all Early Career Teachers (ECTs- n.b. the term ECT replaces the term NQT) after QTS has been achieved. The ECF is being formally rolled out across all schools in England from September 2021, however all NQTs at WA this year took part in an early rollout of the programme. As part of the programme, we studied six modules pertaining to classroom practice and management delivered via TeachFirst webinars, self-directed study and discussions with our mentors and induction tutor. What are your reflections of the ECF so far? When I was told that WA was participating in an early rollout of the ECF, I was both a little apprehensive and relieved. Apprehensive because I worried about the workload that was likely to come with the programme and balancing it with my other teaching duties and obligations. Largely though, I was relieved because I knew that there would be a framework to support me in my early teaching career, especially given a disrupted training year due to the pandemic. I enjoyed working through the modules with the support and guidance of my mentor, particularly to contextualise general modules, for example, our second module, titled ‘how do pupils learn?’ to my subject. As we explored this module, I had the opportunity to really pause and reflect on how my students actually learn and consider the factors that can inhibit their learning, both inside and outside my classroom. As I worked through this module, my mentor, Conor, really encouraged me to consider how to introduce new knowledge to pupils, and together we thought about how we could break down complex ideas into smaller, manageable steps that would help us avoid overloading our students' working memories. The slide below is taken from the first lesson of our Year 7 unit on the Criminal Justice System, the students are already familiar with the concept of laws and rules in society. Based on this knowledge, we decided to pose this question to our students - this gave our students an opportunity to pause and reflect on their prior learning and also presented an opportunity for them to make links between different units that they have covered this year. Moreover, this activity allowed us to identify any misconceptions or gaps in learning before introducing any new information or concepts to our classes. How have you worked with your mentor to develop your practice? Throughout the year, I have worked closely with Conor to develop my practice in a number of ways: formal feedback, informal feedback, mentor meeting discussions, engaging with CPD and recommended readings/podcasts or videos. The nature of my mentoring experience as an ECT is very different to my experience as a trainee last year, where I mainly developed my teaching practice and skills through watching my mentor teach all the time (classic rote learning in action here). During the course of the ECF programme, I discussed my thoughts and shared my reflections on the programme with my mentor, which really allowed us to focus on modules that mirrored my personal development targets. Any tips for how to be a good mentor from your perspective?

• Protect your mentor meeting time and stick to it.
• Share tips of the trade - give your ECT the tips you wish you knew at the start of your journey.
• Work as a team - at this particular stage, I think it helps to have a mentor-mentee relationship that is more flexible and feels like a partnership than a rigid mentor-mentee one.
• Trust your ECT and give them room to make mistakes, learn and grow.
• Keep an open, transparent and honest channel of communication with your mentee.

Tips for a mentee/trainee to make the most of it?

• Observe your mentor whenever you get the chance, especially if you’re both teaching the same lesson or the topic is new to you.
• Ask for help or support when you need it - your mentor wants you to do well, they also know you best and can suggest strategies that may work for you.
• Be honest and reflective about your teaching practice and share successes and failures with your mentor.
• Keep an open (and honest) channel of communication with your mentor.

Bitesize Research: Understanding The Nature Of Debates In Educational Research

 By Jaya Carrier

I hope everyone has had a great week so far! This week, I was interested in a paper published by the University of Cambridge about the nature of educational research discourse on social and traditional media in the UK and Australia. This was published by Globalisation, Societies and Education in February 2021. Objectives: To understand the nature of the debates in educational research in the UK and Australia and how this shapes educational policy. Summary: The key findings were:

• Education debates in the UK and Australia show evidence of ‘micropopulism’. This is not quite populism in the sense of Brexit or Trumpism, but has salient features of populism insofar as it is deeply divisive, and looks to pit the ‘underserved’ against the ‘elite’.
• In particular, it looks to position those with more traditional views on education against more progressive ones, wherein traditional educators may claim that they are forced by more progressive educators to adopt student-centred teaching methods that have very little basis in educational research.
• The paper suggests that this kind of polarisation does not reflect the true reality of classrooms, which is usually a purposeful mixture of the two.
• These debates, in turn, are influenced by broader so-called ‘culture wars’ on social media and appear to be able to influence policy.
• The authors argue that educators need to be aware of how their own participation in such debates may inadvertently support ‘micropopulist’ tactics that influence policy.

How does this impact me and my practice?: Some reflection questions arising from this that might be helpful to consider are:

• How do I interact with this debate on traditional or social media? What do I think about this?
• How does my teaching fit within this debate? What do I think about this?

If you would like to discuss this further with me - please let me know! I’d be delighted to open up these discussions and conversations.