How To Get An A In Chemistry

For students dreaming of becoming a doctor, pharmacist, engineer, concreter, painter or even a chef, you will have to be very familiar with Chemistry as it’s a subject that you will end up using on a daily basis in your chosen career. Chemistry forms the building blocks of life.  It is a subject that is traditionally viewed as difficult because of the complex nature of chemical reactions and the unfamiliarity of the new language. This is usually where students crumble in Chemistry but with the right tools you’ll be on the track to success in no time!

Chemistry is far more theoretical than most people imagine. The theory studied in Chemistry, particularly at a High School level, is the starting point to the practical work that will come as students transition into the careers that were mentioned at the start of this blog. Whenever a Doctor prescribes a drug, they will always consider the chemical properties of the drug and how it will interact with the human body. This is just one example of Chemistry in action! Through this subject you will learn how to view the world in a different light, and appreciate the complex nature of the world we live in.

So without further ado, put on your safety googles and let’s get started on how you can ace Chemistry at school!

Tip 1: Know the history of Chemistry

In order to grasp the theoretical concepts that are studied in Chemistry, it is important to understand the history behind them. One fundamental principle of Science is that every concept or idea that you learn is based on a ‘theory’. By a theory’s very nature, we cannot definitively say that we ‘know’ something. For example, the structure of an atom cannot be known for certain. The development of the theory on the structure of atom started in the early 1800’s by John Dalton, but it has continued to develop and change through scientific experimentation up until 1918 when Neils Bohr proposed the current theory that is still used and accepted today. That’s not to say that it’s not still being experimented upon though! Just like the structure of an atom, it is only through experimentation that we can devise a theory to explain ideas. This applies for many Scientific principles and is a common theme across  Science. Having a baseline understanding of Scientific history will allow you to know why scientists believe an atom has the structure it does, and maybe one day you’ll disagree and devise a ground-breaking experiment that wins you a Nobel Prize! Until you do, it is essential that you know to learn the theories that have preceded you!

Exam questions will often ask you to distinguish between the different atomic models by Dalton, Bohr and Thompson. Being able to describe the difference between these ideas is important and so is understanding how each model developed and extended or differentiated from another theory. Pay attention to the history, as it is only on the shoulders of giants that we can see further

Tip 2: Learn the Periodic Table using songs and mnemonics

Fundamental to your understanding of Chemistry lies the periodic table. Live it, love it, and learn it. Know what the different groups are. If you can memorise the first 20 elements of the Periodic Table, then this will aid you greatly. I used a funny song to remember it in Grade 9 and I still remember it now! Pay attention to the patterns within the Periodic Table, know your valence electrons and remember how to draw the shells.

The mnemonic that I use to remember the elements within the Periodic Table is, “Harry heard little Betty bought chocolate nibbles on Friday, near Nanna’s magical albatross. Silly people should clean around king’s castles.”

Every letter at the start of each word within this mnemonic corresponds to the first letter of an element. By knowing this pattern, you can arrange the Periodic Table on a scrap sheet of paper. Once you learn the columns of the periodic table and if it’s an Alkaline earth metal or a Halogen (groups within the periodic table), then you can determine the properties of the element, the valence electrons or determine if it will be an ionic or covalent bond.

Many people also use songs to recall the elements of the periodic table, particularly if they are not familiar enough with the chemical symbols. This song is useful if this is you! Remember that you will only need to memorise the first 20 elements (which is up to 0.29 sec in this video). Perhaps you can practice the song with a friend!

Tip 3: The secret to success is using formulas!

Conversion of known variables into the appropriate unit is one of the most common and disastrous errors I see students make. Even if you have correctly identified the correct equation and the variables, if you fail to use the correct units, then you simply won’t get the right answer! The easiest way to avoid this is to know what the SI units (International System of Units) are for each of the equations and keep track of them in your notebook. If in doubt, ask your teacher to explain the method of conversion or simply google the ‘SI units of equation XX’.

For example, if you are asked to calculate the force required to accelerate a race car that has a mass of 1.7 tonnes in a straight line at 1.8m/s², the equation is F = ma. Here, F = the force in Newtons (N), m = the mass in kilograms (kg), and a = the acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²).

If we calculate f where the mass is to be expressed in tonnes, the equation will be:

F = 1.7 x 1.8 m/s²

F = 3.06 Newtons

However, if we convert the mass into kg, then 1.7 tonnes = 1,700 kg. Accordingly, the equation will be:

F = 1,700 x 1.8 m/s²

F = 3,060 Newtons.

 

As you can see, there is a significant difference in the answers! It is important to always pay attention to the SI units when using an equation and to convert them before plugging them into the equation! A simple mistake like failing to do this, can affect your marks greatly!

Tip 4: Know how to write Extended Experimental Investigation (EEI) and Extended Response Questions (ERQ)

One of the biggest challenges faced by students while writing  an EEI or an EQ is the research component of the task. Before starting assignments of this magnitude, students should develop research questions to aid in their searching. This is just one of the many steps students should take to jump towards an ‘A’ grade. Many students lose marks because they struggle to 1) breakdown the question posed for the task and 2) struggle to develop research questions appropriately before narrowing their search down to a particular sub-topic. Before you start writing or experimenting, try to spend a day just breaking down your questions and reading as widely as possible before narrowing your search.

Remember, you need to see the whole picture before you can start putting the jigsaw pieces together! So read widely, watch YouTube videos on the topic and ask questions if you don’t understand something - peers, tutors and teachers are all excellent resources! Once you know your topic, it is much easier to decide where your findings should go in each paragraph, and how you should best structure and design your experiment for the most effective outcome.

Tip 5: Know different chemical reactions and avoid common errors

Responding to reactions is a classic question that you will likely find on a Chemistry exam and knowing this area of Chemistry will form the basis of most of the content that will be covered in the subject throughout High School. Often, you will be given either the reactants (starting material) or the products (the end result of a reaction) and be asked to fill in the blanks within the equation.

From my experience, students are generally confused as to how they are expected to know what the missing information is and how to answer questions of this kind. Just remember, there is nothing new under the sun! The reactions will follow predictable patterns which your teacher will run through in class. Decomposition, combustion, redox, and doubles displacement are all common types of chemical reactions that you will cross in your studies. You will most likely be expected to be able to identify these in an exam question. Knowing your Periodic Table and common compounds will really help at this stage! Before doing any calculations, it is always important to check the equation you are working with. Ask yourself: is it balanced? Do the amount of reactants equal the amount of products? If your answer is no, balance the equation first before moving on!

Firstly, count how many elements are on each side of the equation:

On the L hand side Fe = 2, O = 3 and C = 1

On the R hand side Fe = 1, O = 2 and C = 1

Since the numbers are not the same, we know that there are not the same number of products producing reactants. Equations are a scale. What is on one side of the equation, should be balanced on the other side.

To balance the equation, add numbers in front of the elements:

2Fe₂O₃ + 3C  ->  4Fe + 3CO₂

Knowing how to do this correctly will come with practice and there are plenty of helpful videos and practice questions online that you can use to help. Sometimes, this balancing act will form part of a question without expressly stating what you are required to do. Thus, it’s important to get yourself in the habit of checking the equations before you do anything with them

Tip 6: Sometimes, experiments don’t go to plan and that’s okay!

As students, and even as future scientists, it is important to acknowledge that we live and experiment in an imperfect world. Heat is lost to the environment, reactants don’t always fully react and sometimes, you just don’t have any idea about what’s happening! This is something that students need to keep in mind when completing assessment. When you’re doing an EEI, you start the experiment thinking you’ll be able to attain specific results and  that the data will show XYZ. This is not always the case. Knowing this early on will ensure that you plan appropriately for time when things just don’t go the way you planned them. It is important to do this to ensure that you are not under time pressure to get the report finished. Take a deep breath and look at what you have. Look at the formulas and see what is known and what is unknown. Ask yourself: can you calculate anything with the data you’ve obtained? Can you see where you may have made an error? If so, write about it! Acknowledge where the experiment didn’t work perfectly and where the limitations were present. Identifying these things within your assignment is really what lifts an experiment from a B to an A!

In the discussion of your EEI or practical report write ups, an important point to always include is how the experimental process could have contributed to the discrepancies in the expected results. Was it a result of human error in measuring out products? Did the temperature in the room affect the experiment? This should only form a few sentences in any report (unless otherwise stated by the teacher) but is a fundamental aspect to include to lift the quality of any report.

Tip 7: Work in teams and ask for help!

You’re probably wondering how you’re supposed to identify all your errors, memorise the entire textbook and write an incredible report all within the short ten-week turnaround at school! Well, the biggest resource that you have has to be your peers around you. Even with tutors it can be difficult to really grapple with the concepts you need to know so studying in groups or pairs with your classmates can be effective. Identify someone that wants to achieve the same result as you and plan to work together. Sit together and make study notes or test each other’s knowledge with homemade flash cards. This helps with increasing your motivation to study and helps you identify gaps in your knowledge.

Ultimately, you should walk away from Chemistry understanding more about the world around you. Chemistry is interesting and fun, but it takes time, effort and dedication. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, many people have been where you are right now and pulled through!

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YEAR 11 STUDENT SOLIDIFIES SCHOLARSHIP AFTER GOING FROM C’s TO A’s IN 6 MONTHS

There exists this misapprehension that tutoring should only be sought if a student is failing. Parents, teachers and even students often overlook the obvious signs of a struggling student if they’re passing their courses because, “if they’re passing, they must be fine!” This assumption couldn’t be farther from the truth.

For some students, a pass is equivalent to their own personal failing. Students who were once ‘A’ grade students would be more than dissatisfied with receiving a ‘C’. These students have personal goals that exceed the ordinary and hope to achieve what others have not. Grade reductions only diminish their desire to go above and beyond the regular student.

We’ve encountered students falling from ‘A’ grades to ‘C’ grades more times than we can count. The struggle that follows is rebuilding the positive, growth mindset of these students to believe, once more, than they are capable of being ‘A’ grade students.

For Year 11 student Matthew Bungate, this fall resulted in him temporarily losing his academic scholarship before regaining it with the assistance of Academic Personal Trainer Keelan Hood. At the start of 2018, Matthew’s grades began to drop significantly which resulted in the withdrawal of his academic scholarship.

For Matt, he assumed that with ease, he’d be able to return to his former marks. However, in the weeks that followed he soon realised that his motivation and mindset were the pitfalls to regaining his previous admirable academic achievements. Concerned, Matt’s family sought the help of a tutor. At first, Matt was apprehensive and didn’t believe that a tutor was really necessary. However, this attitude soon readjusted itself after a few sessions with Keelan.

Matt started working with Keelan in January 2018 and since then, he’s exceeded the triumphs that he’d gained prior to receiving his academic scholarship. From the first tutoring session, the pair started with English being Matt’s lowest subject at the time and worked through the subject’s core elements: comprehension, proofreading and writing. Keelan was aware from the very beginning that academically, Matt was capable of achieving top scores in all of his classes but there was something outside of academia that needed to be the focus.

“With Matt, his greatest struggle was his confidence. Being awarded the scholarship only to lose it was detrimental to his self-esteem.”

Keelan recalls that most of the time spent in their sessions was dedicated to positive reinforcement and motivation.

“Constantly giving him positive encouragement made him aware that he could really retrieve his scholarship back. This made him really step up his game and overall improve his grades and attitude towards schooling.”

With the right mindset now in play, Matt’s transformation was underway starting with identifying what were Matt’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Matt’s mistakes included not studying correctly, not utilising his time management skills to the best of his ability and not being able to break assignments down where he needed to,” recalls Keelan.

Receiving ‘A’ grades in early high school years is a much simpler task than achieving ‘A’ grades in senior school and Matt had simply not adjusted to the transition and had not made this realisation. As a result, his mental space was not in the best form to be able to make the links between what had changed, and what had not.

With Matt being a primarily visual learner, Keelan was able to use the modules in the Creating A Students Program to work through barriers that most would not have turn their minds to: holding the right mindset, assignment and exam strategy, effective study practices and time management skills.

“The CAS program gave Matt an exceptional understanding of different ways to study and complete assignments and how to best manage all his time during the week.”

This, combined with using other strategies centred around visual imagery, Matt slowly began to respond better to studying again.

After Matt’s English skills began to re-emerge, the pair integrated other subjects into tutoring and began tackling assignments for Mathematics B & C, Physics and Chemistry. Not long after, Matt’s hard work and dedicated paid off and he found himself within the top 1% of students for each of these subjects! Matt’s perspective towards tutoring seemed to flip in an instant.

“School has gone from being a chore that I had to spend 30 hours a week at to 30 hours where I am putting my head down to achieve what I couldn’t before. Even on days where I have less motivation, I still put in work, seeing that it has paid off before, wanting to see it happen again,” smiles Matt.

“I learnt that I could achieve so much more with a better mindset and allowing people to help me than if I tried to do everything by myself. From regaining my scholarship and receiving better marks in class, it was great to see the hard work pay off.”

Reflecting on the tutoring experience, Keelan has found that Matt’s situation differed from other students that he’s crossed in the sense that content knowledge was never at the forefront on their to-learn list.

“The toughest past about tutoring Matt was not helping with his assignments, reading or preparing him for exams, but actually making him more confident to go through Year 11 with a positive outlook.

After six months of tutoring, Matt has been re-awarded his academic scholarship and is soaring above his other classmates. With his confidence and grades restored, he endeavours to graduate Year 12 and gain entry at university to study a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering.

Matt’s story is a testament to perseverance and that the greatest climb that one has to experience is the climb after the fall. That doesn’t mean that you should be deterred though, because success is ensuring that you get up and dust yourself off more times than you fall. Knowing his resilient nature, we have full confidence that Matt is sure to succeed in any activity or course that he undertakes.

The post YEAR 11 STUDENT SOLIDIFIES SCHOLARSHIP AFTER GOING FROM C’s TO A’s IN 6 MONTHS appeared first on A Team Tuition.

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Introducing Australia’s First Academic Gym!

After almost a decade in the industry, we’ve been exposed to the faults that currently exist in the education system. Australia was ranked 39 out of 41 countries for achieving quality education in 2017 by the United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) which analysed the performance of students in reading, maths and science. As a first-world nation that usually ranks within the highest percentile for child well-being indicators, the data may come as a shock to Australians. However, the data reveals stark findings about our education system that have seemingly been ignored over the last decade. From jam-packed classrooms with an average 1:30 ratio, an over-reliance on standardised testing and a one teaching method fits all approach, there’s no wonder that Australian students are lagging behind their international counterparts.

With other countries adopting leading European teaching styles which focus on promoting self-directed learning (such as Finland which ranked #1 within the group), we believe we’ve found Australia’s solution. Our personalised program, Academic Personal Training, has seen 87% of our students soar from D/C grades to A/B Grades. Now, we’ve upgraded. We’d like to introduce you to an UNLIMITED tutoring experience through our ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE CENTRE (APC) or as we like to call it, Australia’s very first Academic Gym!

Why an Academic Gym?

With education being the leading pathway for students to establish their futures, Australia’s rankings are presenting a worrying trajectory. Our founder, Hayden McEvoy, has discovered after working with over 5000 families, students and multiple schools there’s a massive need in the market for individuals who can’t afford the hefty costs of tutoring or the high-tech resources and computers that wealthier families can afford. UNICEF found the same problem is urging the Australian Government to address this inequality that exists. With such a diverse wealth gap between families in Australia schools, we’ve decided to come up with a solution for those who cannot afford our one-on-one tutoring service.

This solution involved turning our one-on-one program into a group learning environment where our Academic Personal Trainers are coaching multiple students at once. We’ve been able to incorporate a similar program that centres around our Creating A Students Program into boarding schools across Queensland, and we’ve seen the results firsthand. Our vision for this next project is to create a facility that provides every student with every single possible resource that they need to achieve ‘A’ grades. We’re offering UNLIMITED tutoring through the purchase of a small subscription fee which also allows students to access state-of-the-art dual screen computers, laptops, textbooks, practice exams, worksheets and more from as little as $44.95 per week.

The creation of an Academic Gym has never been done before within the Australian education system, yet its value is unquestionable. As students’ workload increases with each year level that they pass, consistent training of the neural pathways in the brain is necessary for students to adjust to the added study time and to sharpen their mental abilities for ideal performance. The development of one’s neural pathways determines the brain’s performance ability and just how much information may be absorbed at any given time. Continual exposure to learning increases the frequency and strength of the neural pathways in the brain. Consider this in terms of a hiking trail. At first, the trail will be overgrown with trees, and the pathway itself would be quite rocky. However, the more you walk across the pathway, the flatter it becomes, and the overgrown trees will gradually grow in a different direction making the journey easier. So, in simpler terms, if a student studies frequently and effectively, their brain will adjust to retaining and storing new information, making comprehension more evident which leads to a student receiving higher grades.

The same process applies for an athlete training for a marathon. To increase the strength of their muscles, weekly gym sessions are a necessity to be able to withstand long periods of physical activity. How do students learn to play a musical instrument? Through a practice routine that keeps them plucking at guitar strings and banging the drums for hours on end to the distress of many parents.

However way you view this, the common feature across these examples is practice. This is the cornerstone feature of the APC. We want to provide a service – comparable to a gym - where students can develop the neural pathways in the brain through consistent learning.

How does it work?

The way the APC functions is simple. We offer UNLIMITED tutoring through the purchase of a small subscription fee. Students will have access to state-of-the-art dual screen computers, laptops, textbooks, practice exams and worksheets just like you would if you accessed equipment at the gym. The only items that students should bring are their assignments or homework to complete in the session. We’re aiming to create autonomous yet inquisitorial learners who consider the program a ‘resource’ to aid in their learning. Through this approach, students can identify the learning styles that work for them and utilise their Academic Personal Trainers to guide them through their assessment pieces. This method has seen Finland’s literacy rate skyrocket to 100%.

In addition, specialised classes will be provided on Academic Strategy (such as Goal Setting, Time Management, Assignment Strategy and Managing Stress and Burnout) which incorporate the principles that underpin A Team Tuition’s Creating A Students Program. Senior Students can receive the bonus of real-life skills workshops designed to aid in the crafting of resumes, cover letters or university applications throughout school holiday periods.

Our first APC, located in Varsity Lakes, is equipped with our best and brightest Academic Personal Trainers available across five days of the week between the hours of 4pm-8pm. Students work in a group setting with a 1:7 tutor to student ratio to allow students to receive added attention and support outside of the typical 1:30 teacher to student ratio that schools currently offer. This provides students with the option to work in small groups based on subject or learning language preference, or to complete work independently in a quiet area.

The APC provides the optimal environment to foster student transformations by being designed for students to take control of their learning. This also allows us to tailor your child’s tutoring experience to the content that they are learning at school while also creating independent learners who are ultimately responsible for the outcomes of their learning.

To distinguish ourselves from other tutoring companies, A Team Tuition offers expertise in any subject across secondary school including rather than just Maths and English. Our subject offerings include:

• Maths A, Maths B and Maths C,
• Physics, Chemistry and Biology,
• English, English Extension, Modern and Ancient History, Geography, and
• Business, Accounting, Legal Studies and Economics.

Currently, this service is for students in Year 6 and above but stay tuned – a primary program will be on its way soon!

How do I book?

To book a session, head to ateamtuition.com/academic-performance-centre/ to review the subscription options which range from 3-12 months or a NO-LOCK in contract option! Fill in the online form to complete your membership and head to our booking system to select your preferred days and time. Our staff are contactable on (07) 5526 0351 to assist with the booking. Payment options are quick and easy through our direct debit payment system, credit card payment through the online portal or the option to pay over the phone with one of our friendly staff members.

With the APC being in its early days of establishment, stay tuned for the launch of a formalised centre to be located in a separated facility from our head office. For more information, head to our website!

Quality education doesn’t need to empty the wallet, but a small fee for tutoring is an investment in your child’s future and for future generations to come. UNICEF’s rankings aren’t just an eye-opener for the Australian education system, but also for students and parents. Building a student’s learning capabilities is a small step to opening the door of opportunities for them, and our Academic Performance Centre is designed to bridge the gap that exists between learning and success.

12 MONTH MEMBERSHIP

$4495/weekly

• Unlimited Tutoring Days
• 2-Week Break
• No Sign-Up Fee
• Unlimited Access To All Resources

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Meet the Winners of A Team Tuition’s $5,000 Tutoring Scholarship Program!

One of the first questions that every child is asked when they walk through the school doors for their very first day of prep is “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Answers range between astronauts, zoologists, Olympians, doctors, lawyers, builders and actors/actresses. However, these answers tend to change as students progress through schooling. Students who once dreamed of being doctors are disheartened by their average grades and opt for something else instead that’s a lot easier to obtain. The most heart-wrenching part to this process is seeing this follow through, especially when all that is holding these students back is the attainment of a few ‘A’ grades. At A Team Tuition, we want students’ first answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up” to be what they actually achieve.

Students who pass through our doors are all in the same predicament. We have students desiring to be veterinarians but are just scraping 'C' grades. This is just one of the many reasons why we started our Project Limitless Scholarship – a program dedicated to transforming struggling students into ‘A’ grade students so that they can fulfil their dreams of becoming aspiring doctors, lawyers, teachers, vets and engineers alike.

In April of last year, we awarded the first Project Limitless Scholarship, by partnering with local Gold Coast school Miami State High School, to Skylah Rhambold and Waide Carson who both soared from C-‘s to B’s and A’s by the end of the school year. Early this year, we embarked on the second instalment of the scholarship series and awarded an even bigger prize equalling $10,000 to Brisbane sisters Esther Abiya and Sarive Zena. Within one term, the impossible had occurred once more with Esther receiving A’s in 3 of her subjects and Sarive jumping from C’s to B’s! Now, A Team Tuition is elated to announce the winners of the third instalment of Project Limitless…Jake Budiasa-Moon and Talia Brown!

On Thursday the 26^th July, A Team Tuition had the pleasure of gifting these two beyond deserving students with a life-changing prize; another $5,000 transformation scholarship! After the announcement of his name, Year 9 student Jake couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. Unfortunately, our second winner Talia was unable to make the announcement due to a Year 10 science excursion, but her Mum was just as excited to accept the prize on her behalf and perhaps showed even more excitement than Talia herself!

 

How were the students selected?

Handpicking the winners for this scholarship extended over 2 months and involved a rigorous selection process. Just like the year before, our CEO and Founder Hayden McEvoy presented the idea to the eager-eared Miami SHS student cohort. The response once again, was overwhelming with a total of 50 applications submitted! Students were asked to respond to two simple questions within their applications:

• What would this scholarship mean to you?
• What do you believe creates success at school?

Senior representatives from A Team Tuition were then afforded the difficult task of creating the Top 10 short-list from 50 applications. In collaboration with Deputy Principal Jason Cross and Public Relations and Event Manager Catherine Crow from Miami SHS, the Top 10 applicants were ranked according to a set criterion (dubbed by A Team Tuition as the factors that make up an ‘A’ student) which assess a student’s:

• Open-mindedness,
• Resilience,
• Grit,
• Motivation and Drive, and
• Eagerness to Learn.

In particular, we placed added emphasis on the attributes of ‘resilience’ and ‘grit’ as these traits encapsulate students who strive when faced with a challenge and who would not give up easily when overcoming set-backs. These characteristics were what ultimately determined the selection of the Top 6 students.

The final stage in the application process required students to sit down with a panel of interviewers comprised of Miami SHS and A Team Tuition staff. However, A Team Tuition did not set out to simply interview the students. We wanted to interview students’ parents/guardians and teachers who could provide an all-round view on each individual applicant. This allowed us to corroborate our findings through the application process and gain a more personal insight into each students’ motivation for applying and to ensure that we were selecting the students who truly saw the potential of the scholarship.

Talia Brown

Subject: Maths

Starting Grade: D

In the interview, Hayden recalls how captivated he was by Talia’s bubbly and positive aura as well as her desire to learn.  Her desire to do well in school was evident through her consistent participation extra-curricular activities such as in Tournament of Minds since Year 5 as well as in the school band playing the Trombone. After hearing how involved Talia is both in and outside of school and witnessing firsthand her contagious drive, we were surprised to find out that she was failing Maths. With high hopes of one day becoming a Neurosurgeon, it was evident that Talia already had the growth mindset to become an ‘A’ student but her grades just weren’t up to par.

Karen Brown, Talia’s mother recalls that she’s dreamed of becoming a Neurosurgeon since she was three and a half.

“We took her to a family doctor and there was a model of a brain and she asked what it was and if there was a doctor trained specifically to treat brains. Then when she was in Prep, her teacher asked her ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’

She drew a picture of a doctor treating a patient. She’s always wanted to do that, but she just knows that her current grades won’t get her there.”

Karen is also aware that Talia has struggled a bit in Chemistry and Physics, both of which are prerequisites to be able to study in this field and is hoping the scholarship will have an accumulative effect on most of her grades. Her teachers are confident that by applying the right strategies, she most certainly could boost her marks in all of these subjects.

Karen is hoping that Talia will become more confident and realise that she does have the potential to reach an ‘A’ grade in these subjects prior to her starting her senior schooling.

“She has it in her, but she struggles to find it. Not only that but I want her to have pride in her work and to feel chuffed because she’s got something right finally. I just want to see her happy and feeling smart.”

When asked what it means to her as a parent seeing her child receive this scholarship, Karen couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s just unbelievable, things like this don’t happen. For someone who has tried so hard to get her grades up but just can’t seem to make sense of it, this is huge.”

Jake Budiasa-Moon

Subject: English

Starting Grade: C

Hayden was immediately impressed by how well-spoken Jake was in his interview and described him as a “high motivated, altruistic individual with an old soul” with quite the strong handshake. After the panel heard about Jake’s sporting successes, it was evident that Jake exhibited the level of commitment that would help propel him towards higher grades when combined with learning the right study strategies.

Jake’s motivation for applying for the scholarship was based on his desire to improve his grades in order to continue his studies at university. Jake has been inspired by his very own humanities teacher, Mr Vine, to study teaching in the hopes of one day becoming either a Languages or Physical Education teacher. As an avid lover of all sports, including football, tennis, basketball and even golf, it comes as no surprise that Jake would love to pursue a career in doing what he does best!

However, while Jake knows that his sporting ability is up for the challenge, he’s concerned that his grades will be his downfall and is hoping the scholarship will not only boost his grades, but provide him with confidence during exams and tests while learning how to study at home without getting side-tracked. Noting that Jake is primarily a kinaesthetic learner, it’s simply a matter of incorporating study strategies that will work best for him!

For Jake, receiving the transformation scholarship means that he can be guided towards reaching his potential.

“I do well in class but when it comes to a test I realise ‘OMG’ I don’t know what I’m doing! I want to be able to push past this and get an A.”

 

Tutors

Narrowing down 110 tutors within the company to just 2 was no easy task for the management team here at A Team Tuition with many tutors being suitable candidates to work alongside the scholarship winners. Ultimately, selecting the two Academic Personal Trainers to assist our latest scholarship winners was based on personality compatibility, subject expertise, tutoring experience as well as career aspirations. Without further ado, the tutors are…

Talia’s Tutor: Miss Jessica Chew

Jess is completing a dual degree of a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce at Bond University. When she isn’t out on the water rowing, she’s involved in many non-profit organisations to raise awareness for issues extending both within the local community and abroad. Jess is no stranger to working with younger students – she even has a younger sister of her own!

As a maths enthusiast, Jess is eager to work with Talia in improving and excelling in her first year of Senior Maths. They will be focusing predominantly on algebra this term, and taking the A’s from the equations and back into the report card!

Since Talia is in Year 10 this year, she will be part of the first cohort in Queensland to complete senior schooling through the ATAR system. So, along with helping with her Maths homework, Jess will be introducing Talia to how ATAR works.

Jake’s Tutor: Miss Makaela Fehlhaber

Makaela, or ‘Mak’, is also studying at Bond University and is completing a dual degree of a Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of International Relations.

Her passion for education stems far beyond tutoring at A Team Tuition and she has been involved in many non-profit organisations including participating in One Girl’s Do it in a Dress campaign to raise money for scholarship bursaries for students in Sierra Leonne and Uganda as part of her role when on the United Nation’s Student Association.

Mak is no stranger to A Team Tuition’s Project Limitless Series and has been helping Brisbane scholarship winner Sarive Zena in her humanities subjects and on her journey towards achieving those ‘A’ grades in her senior year.

As an English Enthusiast, Mak is excited to kick-start Jake’s transformation with a Shakespearean Unit focusing on Romeo and Juliet where he will be revisioning this timeless tale into his own narrative.

The Transformation Plan

Project Limitless is scheduled to begin the week of the 6^th August in week 4 of the school term. Students, parents and tutors have all been introduced and now it’s time to hit the ground running. Last week, both Talia and Jake attended the orientation luncheon where they were briefed on the plan going forward. Both students received an overview of what to expect over the next few months as well as listening to a presentation by Hayden about the Creating A Students Program and what their tutors will be covering in their subsequent sessions. Each student will work with their assigned tutor for an hour and a half each week for the rest of the school year.

Project Limitless was designed to prove that with the right drive, attitude, mindset and persistence, any student can become an ‘A’ student and we have full confidence that this pair will be no different than the students before them! Most importantly, we want to help both Jake and Talia fulfil their primary school dreams that they’ve held since the day they were asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?”

Keep up to date on our social media platforms for updates on Jake and Talia’s progress and their journey to becoming ‘A’ level students in no time! Watch this space.

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Year 6 Student Goes From C’s To A’s In Just Five Weeks

You’d be surprised to hear that the learning of facts is not how education works. Rather, the composition of learning is the training of one’s mind to think, but to think about how their mind works. Never a truer word has been spoken by none other than one of the most influential physicists, Albert Einstein. Einstein believed in the principle of differentiated learning and is most famously quoted for drawing an analogy between judging a fish to climb a tree and expecting others to learn the same way.

What this simply means is that all our brains are wired differently. When learning something new, some of us are more inclined to draw diagrams than copy content verbatim. Others are more inclined to craft catchy chants to recall information than colour code their study notes prior to an exam. Studies over the years have found a potential 30 learning types all of which can be categorised into three main classes: visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. The point is, everyone learns differently and using our intuition to determine how we learn best, makes a world of difference.

For Year 6 student Tyge Maloney, identifying his learning languages allowed him to soar from C’s to A’s in English in only five weeks! For years, Tyge sat on constant C grades in English and it wasn’t until he started tutoring with Academic Personal Trainer Rimaz Ibrahim Toto did the puzzle pieces start to fall in place.

Rimaz recalls that from the outset, Tyge was such a happy and vibrant student with an eagerness to learn. His main struggles were his lack of correct grammar and punctuation skills. As an integral part of succeeding in English, Rimaz set out to address these weaknesses first.

“The strategies that I used to address Tyge’s struggles and problems were centred around teaching him the basics from the beginning and allowing him to choose how he wanted to study.”

Rimaz observed that Tyge appeared to be a primarily kinaesthetic learner and thus, the most productive way of teaching was to incorporate movement and physical activity into sessions. One of the ways in which this was achieved, was creating games designed to involve movement. To teach Tyge the punctuation points, Rimaz printed off pictures of each punctuation mark as well as a list of words. Tyge’s task was to unscramble the words to form a coherent sentence which was correctly punctuated! With each question successfully answered, Rimaz would present a more complex challenge.

This wasn’t the only method that Rimaz stuck to and as she continued to work with Tyge, she realised that Tyge also responded well to activities that required a strong visual element. The fact that Tyge appeared to be both a visual and kinaesthetic learner is not uncommon. Certain brains don’t function effectively in isolation and they instead require stimulation of more than one learning language. A teacher explaining a concept using a whiteboard is not simply targeting visual processing. It also requires us to listen to what the teacher is saying when explaining the diagram that she’s drawn to make the most of the visual in front of us. Thus, Rimaz incorporated a visual component into the one-hour weekly tutoring sessions and used online educational platforms such as IXL as her aid.

The pinnacle point of Tyge’s transformation occurred almost immediately and Rimaz pinpoints this down to the fact that he developed a mindset where he became confident in his ability to complete assigned work.

“Tyge flourished and became more confident in every aspect of his life. He developed a positive and ‘can do’ attitude that benefitted him in many ways,” recalls Rimaz.

When it came time for the pair to start work on Tyge’s first assessment piece since starting tutoring, a persuasive speech, techniques targeted towards kinaesthetic and visual learners were what really caused Tyge to transform into an ‘A’ standard student. To teach speech techniques, Rimaz presented the structure in a visual format and had Tyge practice his speech using appropriate eye contact, gestures and tone.

Throughout the entire process, Tyge’s mother Joanne Maloney, had nothing but praise for Rimaz and her techniques.

“Rimaz is a wonderful listener, thoroughly organised, firm but fair. She makes learning fun which makes Tyge learn so much more!”

Tyge’s achievements didn’t simple stop after his ‘A’ in English! Just a few weeks later, Tyge received an ‘A’ on his Japanese test followed by being named as the recipient of the Principal’s Award for excellence based on his grades from his Semester 1 report.

When reflecting on her work with Tyge, Rimaz was full of admiration for the eleven year old.

“Tyge has honestly changed my life, he has allowed me to appreciate my love for helping people. He has helped me to grow and understand that wanting to help someone doesn’t have to involve a significant change but can be as simple as helping someone be more confident. Type has allowed me to grow as an individual and become a more compassionate person and for that I will always remain grateful.”

Tyge’s Mum couldn’t be prouder of her son, his achievements and the leaps and bounds he’s made and only wished that she’d started tutoring 12 months ago.

“As a parent, I’m happy because Tyge is happy and we haven’t had that feeling for a long time.”

Now that Tyge’s English marks are up, Rimaz is redirecting their focus in sessions towards enhancing his maths skills. Using the same successful strategies that she used to improve Tyge’s English skills, Rimaz is once again incorporating activities which require movement into sessions. So far, this has included having Tyge write his timetables on a whiteboard and in different colours. Seeing how quickly Rimaz helped transform Tyge’s English marks, we have no doubt that Tyge will be a little mathematician in no time!

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