M- Milestone: To get to know most people who are in the same POD as me, and develop relationships so that they can seek help when needed.

P- Practice (Micro-habit, 2–3×/week):

• Talk to new people around the school and in my POD class.

• Improve my teaching ability by trying to teach new concepts to myself to see if I actually understand them, then applying these methods when explaining to others.

• Make resources

A – Anticipate Obstacles (If/Then Plan)

• If students are shy, don’t know me, or hesitate to interact

  • Then I will be open, start with friendly small talk, and show them that I can be trusted.

• If students don’t understand what I am trying to teach them

  • Then I will make things simpler, break them into smaller steps, and let them explain the concept back to me to check understanding

C- Check-in Plan:

• By Check-in 1: Get to know at least 5–7 students and have conversations with them about their work, explaining any questions they bring up.

• By Check-in 2: Do a survey which I send to several students to get feedback on my approachability and tutoring techniques (e.g. too confusing, pacing), and aim for at least a score of 5/10.

• By Check-in 3: Run a short structured tutoring sessions for small groups or individuals. Give each student a 3-5 question mini-quiz before and after the session to measure learning. Aim for an average post-quiz improvement of at least 20% or a 1-point increase in self-rated confidence. Log all sessions, note what worked, and gather at least two written student comments on my clarity and approachability.

T- Transfer:
At the end, I will show my growth by:

• A one-page summary including:

  • Number of students I connected with during the term.

  • Survey averages from Check-in 2.

  • Mini-quiz improvement data from Check-in 3.

• A small bank of resources I created for peers (formula sheet, two worked examples, tip sheet for common mistakes).

• A short paragraph from a teacher or POD leader verifying that I consistently supported others effectively.

• My own reflection explaining how my ability to initiate conversations, build trust, and adapt explanations has improved, and naming the two main tutoring techniques I now use by default.

Sen Chenz= Chen

Chris= Chris

Daniel= Daniel

Absz= Abuzar (Me)

I got feedback on my colloquial approach of teaching them through the chat and nearly everyone said that it made learning much more relatable and "chill". One person said that it would probably be better if I could actually write some things down and send pictures; and this is what I aim to do next time, so rather than concepts I would also just SHOW a quick example

How would I improve your approach to be more personalised to individual student needs
I would take more time to check how each person was going rather than just moving on. Using quick questions, real examples, or letting people try things on their own would show me who needed extra help. I’d also mix up how I explained things, like using diagrams for some and step-by-step words for others.

What motivated me to teach concepts to your friends, and how did you overcome challenges, if any
I was motivated by wanting my friends to actually understand, and also because explaining it made me more confident in my own learning. When someone didn’t get it, I broke the idea into smaller parts and used simpler words or examples. If repeating it didn’t work, I asked guiding questions instead of just telling them the answer.

How did I find the learning techniques for what you taught to yourself, and do you think there are newer strategies that could better improve your ability
I found that putting things into my own words and practising examples worked best for me. It helped the ideas stick. But I think I could improve more by using active recall, like testing myself without notes, and by spreading the practice out instead of cramming. That would make it easier to remember things long term.

Josh

Zarif (from 02)

I have been collating some resource guides such as the Youtube channels mentioned and have been providing them to students. I have recieved qualitative feedback and verbal and texted expressions of happiness in which they expressed several thoughts such as:

" OMG tysmmm I rlly appreciate ittt."

"Bro you saved me I was so cooked"

"This yt channel is cracked"

"This guy explains it so well (in regards to the video)"

"I actually won't fail my maths test on friday now"

I tutored the same person today. So this time, I had a google doc which I made the night before. I planned the session out before it even occurred so the student would not feel like I am unorganised. I asked which topics she was struggling with and made a step-by-step guide which can be followed. I also walked through practice problems using the aforementioned step-by-step guide and then handed off to the student to do practice problems, reinforcing correct steps and working and nudging in the correct direction when needed. I also gave the student the worked solutions book so that she can see the different steps that the workbook gives to check her answers and double check what I taught and this session went much better than before

I began by drawing a basic parabola and gradually showed how changing the equation affected its shape and position. We explored how the term (x + a)² + b relates directly to the vertex form, and how this makes sketching quicker. I encouraged them to predict the movement of the graph before checking on Desmos, which turned it into an interactive exercise. Their confidence grew as they began recognising patterns; especially when they realised that the vertex’s coordinates always matched the numbers in the equation.

Mid-session, the student hit a wall trying to expand and simplify (x + 3)² – 5, so I demonstrated the distributive pattern step-by-step, then handed the pen back for them to finish. This moment felt like the turning point; instead of passively listening, they began verbalising their reasoning and correcting themselves.

By the end, the student successfully completed two full questions without assistance. I ended the session by summarising their main progress points and setting a short practice task to consolidate the skill. Reflecting afterwards, I realised how important it is to anchor abstract algebra in visual meanin. The experience reinforced that good tutoring is not about rushing through content but about adjusting pace, reading the student’s mindset, and finding the explanation that makes the concept click.

We began by reviewing one of their old reports. I asked them to highlight where they’d explained what happened versus why it happened. Most of their writing focused on describing the trend, so I introduced the idea of cause and effect which relies on identifying patterns, explaining the science behind them, and linking back to the aim. I modelled a short example using enzyme activity: instead of writing “the rate increased,” we discussed how temperature affects kinetic energy and enzyme–substrate collisions. I simplified this so they would understand. Seeing that connection made the difference clear.

Halfway through, I had them rework a paragraph using the structure: result → scientific reasoning → link to hypothesis. At first, they hesitated, but after a few nudges, their writing became sharper and more precise. They started naturally using terms like “supports the hypothesis” and “suggests that,” which showed real progress in scientific communication.

In the final part of the session, we practised identifying sources of error and improvements. I challenged them to move beyond simple statements like “human error” and instead specify what could be done differently, for example, “using a water bath to maintain constant temperature.” By the end, they were producing thoughtful, concise explanations that reflected real understanding.

We began with a blank cell diagram, and I asked them to label each organelle and explain what it does. When they got stuck, I guided them by asking connecting questions like, “Where do the proteins go after they’re made?” or “What gives the cell energy to do that?” These small prompts helped them link the nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, and Golgi apparatus as parts of one system instead of random pieces.

To make it easier to remember, I compared the cell to a small city: the nucleus was the “mayor’s office” controlling everything, mitochondria were the “power stations,” and the cell membrane was like the “city gates.” This made them laugh but also helped them visualise the relationships clearly.

By halfway through, they were confidently describing how each organelle’s role connected to the others.

We ended with a few short-answer questions from past tests. At first, they struggled to use full scientific terms, but after some practice, they started saying things like “the mitochondria produce energy for cellular processes” instead of just “it makes energy.” That showed real progress.

We began by breaking down the simple interest formula, I = PRT, and discussing what each letter means in real-life terms such as principal, rate, and time. I used a basic example of saving $1000 in a bank account at 5% interest per year. Seeing how the money grew step-by-step made the idea of “interest” tangible. Once they grasped that, we compared it to compound interest, using the same scenario to show how interest builds on top of previous interest. I could tell they finally understood when they said, “So it’s like earning interest on your interest.”

To reinforce the concept, we calculated examples using both methods and plotted the growth on a graph. This visual clearly showed how compound interest curves upward while simple interest stays linear. By the end, the student could explain not only how to use the formula but also why compound interest grows faster.

My genuine growth is shown through how much more confidently and efficiently I guide students now. Earlier sessions were heavily structured and a bit rigid, but my recent reflections show I adapt explanations on the spot depending on the student’s confusion. That flexibility demonstrates real progress in understanding how different people learn. The gaps, however, are in pacing because I sometimes spend too long clarifying one concept instead of moving on, which limits how much we cover in a session.

From the evidence you’ve collected, which piece would you defend as the strongest demonstration of your growth?

The strongest evidence of my growth is a reflection from a recent tutoring session where a student explained a concept back to me accurately after I re-taught it in a different way. That showed me my communication has become clearer and that I can shift my approach when my first explanation doesn’t land.

How would you critique the strategies you used so far? Which would you recommend continuing, and which would you abandon?

My main strategy has been over-preparing before sessions to make sure I know every detail. It’s helped me feel confident and reduced hesitation, so I’d keep that. But I’d abandon trying to stick too tightly to my pre-written plan, because real sessions don’t always follow the script. Instead, I’d continue building flexibility and questioning techniques so students can discover answers rather than being told them.

Green= My writing

Black= Student's writing

Yes, I’ve met most of the goals from my check-in plan. I’ve gotten to know a large number of students in my POD and have built consistent communication with many of them. I’ve run several short tutoring sessions and created a few study resources like worked examples and quick reference sheets, which have helped other students during revision. I haven’t fully completed the second formal survey yet due to time constraints, but I’ve gathered informal feedback from students who said my explanations have become clearer and easier to follow. Overall, I’ve achieved the intended growth in approachability and clarity, though I still want to refine how I adapt explanations for students at very different ability levels.

What has kept you motivated to tutor these students throughout the semester?

My main motivation came from seeing students actually understand a concept after struggling with it. That moment when they suddenly “get it” is really rewarding. It also pushed me to deepen my own understanding, since teaching others often exposes small gaps in my knowledge. Beyond that, I found that tutoring strengthened the sense of community in the POD and made me feel more connected and useful, rather than just someone doing their own work.

What has been the most challenging aspect of tutoring so far, and what strategies did you implement to overcome these challenges?

The most challenging part has been balancing tutoring commitments with my own workload. There were times when managing my studies and preparing explanations or resources for others felt overwhelming. I found it difficult to divide time between improving my own understanding and supporting students who needed extra help. To manage this, I started setting specific tutoring blocks instead of helping spontaneously throughout lessons, so I could still focus on my tasks. I also refined my teaching approach by simplifying explanations and using analogies or diagrams that could be reused across topics, which saved time while staying effective. Over time, this helped me maintain balance.