Tutor Talk: Metacognition for Remote Learning

Metacognition is a key area of focus for Tempus Tutors in 2021, and one that I am keen to discuss with my own clients and with parents who are battling home learning during COVID. Given the current situation, it is more important than ever that students of all ages are developing skills needed to work independently; education psychologists regard metacognition as a key part of this cycle of self-regulated learning.

What is metacognition?
Metacognition is “the ability to think about and manage one’s own thinking” (Branigan & Donaldson, 2020). In a nutshell, this means the ability to step back from a task, order our thoughts and figure out a strategy to complete that task on our own. This might sound wishy-washy or even obvious: isn’t this ju

st what we do naturally? In short, not necessarily – we know that pupils vary widely in their ability to think objectively about what they are doing. Consider this example:

Two students are set the same remote learning task: write a short story about a boy called Tim who has a pet rock. Both have written many short stories in school – this is a task the teacher therefore considers that each can accomplish. Now consider these two streams of thought:

Child 1: I don’t know what a boy called Tim would do with his rock! I have no ideas. I can’t think of a storyline at all. How can I write a story?

Child 2: I don’t have any ideas yet. Making a story plan has helped me in the past. I’ll plan a beginning, a main event in the middle and then an ending. I can check the stories I have written in the past, or some books, to get ideas about how to start.

These differences are clearly extreme. They may also seem oversimplified, but these two patterns are far more common than you might think. As tutors working with individual children, we see this difference over and over again. Unsurprisingly, Child 1 is the more likely to feel daunted by the task, because they are unable (yet) to make a plan that will break the task down. They are likely to procrastinate and feel overwhelmed by the blank page. Predictably, they are unlikely to enjoy English lessons – a cycle that is likely to continue until they are actually taught how to organise their thinking. No amount of SPaG drills will help this child be better able to write a story about Tim and his rock.

How to develop metacognition
There is a quick way to help Child 1. This is called scaffolding – the fancy educational term for providing a structure in which to work. If a teacher provides a planning template to prompt children to think about characters, setting and structure, this is scaffolding. Scaffolding looks different in every subject.

Scaffolding can definitely help Child 1 over the finish line, as most of the planning stage is managed for them. However, there will come a point when the teacher will take this scaffolding away and expect children to do this planning on their own. The nurture / nature debate is rife at this stage – some children will certainly seem to have learned by osmosis. Like Child 2, they will probably replicate the scaffolding techniques that have been modelled for them. Others, like Child 1, will struggle to make this step. This, finally, is where metacognition is really important. If a child has been encouraged to think about their own thinking, they are more likely to be able to plan and strategize effectively. If, each time they completed a story plan, they were prompted not only to complete the task, but to discuss and recognise the importance of what they were doing, they would stand a better chance of replicating this on their own in future, and be more able to complete tasks independently as a result. Scaffolding alone does not teach metacognition. Using scaffolding and drawing students’ attention to how the scaffolding is helping them will teach metacognition.

Metacognition is often taught badly. Tasks that require children to “set targets” or “discuss what they did well and badly” are increasingly used by teachers to try and encourage metacognition. These are often despised by students, and with good reason: they seem pointless. These tasks only add value when students are actually taught about metacognition, its value, and that they should replicate these steps independently. This is where private tutors have a distinct advantage: not only can we address the needs of each child individually as to the extent of scaffolding and metacognitive teaching required, but we also have the capacity to discuss these strategies with each student and actually make sure they are gaining value from them (as opposed to just filling out a self-reflection form with no benefit).

Taught properly, in consistent chunks, metacognitive ability allows students to break down tasks into accomplishable steps even when the teacher, or their tutor, is not there to help them. This is the kind of lifelong skill and perspective that we value so highly at Tempus.

Finally, if you are looking for high-quality tuition from a qualified Oxford graduate in 2021, or know of someone who is, contact me today. I can offer subject-specific help, generalist tuition, Oxbridge preparation, interview practice and more. You can also forward this article to anyone who is in the process of finding a reputable tutor.

Chloe

 

Tutor Talk: How to spot conscientious tutors.

Not all tutors are created equal.

It is well documented that private tuition is on the rise. The Guardian and Telegraph are among those reporting an increase in tutor requests, fuelled most recently by concerns over quality and continuity of learning during lockdown. While the tutoring sector was flourishing well before Covid-19, the emergence of so-called “Zutors” highlights how more families than ever are taking action to ensure their children don’t get left behind.

Inevitably, this has resulted in many new tutors jumping on the bandwagon. Tutoring can be especially enticing to those who want to make some quick money on the side: turn up online with an (e)-textbook, spend and hour talking through exam problems and voila, a side-hustle is born. I wish there were an easy way to prevent such slapdash practices. However, tutoring is an unregulated industry: consumers need to be informed and ensure they spend their time and money wisely on a tutor who will actually bring a benefit to their family.

If your tutor gives you an hour of their time and then clocks off, that is not good enough. Click To Tweet

Ask your tutor what support they will be providing alongside the tuition time itself. Experienced and high-quality tutors will be clear and upfront about this, because they understand the value of time, as well as the holistic nature of work required to make progress. To get good results, tuition needs to be carefully planned, so that you are actually paying for: preparation time (creating resources and tailored lessons for your child), the lesson itself, and any agreed follow-up activities (marking homework). Good tutors can assess what your child needs, realistically tell you how much time they will be able to invest in their tuition, produce what is needed to help them, communicate this plan clearly, and provide regular progress updates.

This personalised, dedicated time given to your child is exactly what gives private tutoring the potential to work wonders for esteem, confidence and attainment. When tutoring fails to be personalised and bespoke, you’re just paying for another hour of generic teaching, laden with the same compromises seen in whole-class tuition.

This is the first in a series of posts about finding the right tutor(s) for you and your family. These tips will be a useful checklist for you, regardless of whether or not you chose my own company (Tempus Tutors) for tuition. Make sure you see future posts by connecting with me on LinkedIn. Alternatively, subscribe to receive news updates from Tempus Tutors.

Your tutor needs to go the extra mile for you and your family, informed by good practice. The same principle applies whether your child is 8 or 18. Above is an example of best practice: at Tempus, A-Level students are invited and encouraged to complete additional essay plans outside of lesson time, which they are motivated to complete by our inspiring tutors. Unlike school teachers who have umpteen essays to process and mark at any one time, tutors at Tempus have the capacity to provide individualised feedback, linked to the specification, with personalised advice for further learning. It may look simple, but such high-quality feedback can take up to an hour to create, per pupil.

At Tempus, I (and the handful of carefully selected tutors I work alongside and manage) go the extra mile to create a bespoke tuition plan for each child. If you are looking for high-quality tuition from a qualified Oxford graduate in 2021, or know of someone who is, contact me today. I can offer subject-specific help, generalist tuition, Oxbridge preparation, interview practice and more. You can also forward this article to anyone who is in the process of finding a reputable tutor.

Chloe

Chloe Bradshaw BA Hons (Oxon) MA

Tutor Recommends: 3 Valuable Festive Learning Activities

This is a magical time of year, and I love recommending genuinely fun learning activities. Here are three festive recommendations for the whole family to enjoy together:

1) Watch The Muppet Christmas Carol
This is already a tradition in many households, but I cannot recommend this version of Dickens’ classic enough! Not only are the characters fun and memorable, but the script is also surprisingly faithful to the original language of the novel.

To really make the most of this, I recommend pointing out the Christian morals taught in the book (even in secular households, a foundational knowledge of Christian morals makes classic Western literature much more accessible), and also talking a bit about Victorian society.

2) Read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas together
No one is too old to enjoy this classic poem, and the more positive experiences of poetry that we can gift children, the better for their literary development. You can print or view the poem here, or watch a cosy narration of the poem by Michael Bublé on YouTube.

3) Learn the origins of Christmas traditions on YouTube!
Channels like the National Trust create beautiful videos about festive traditions through the ages, from creating puddings in a Victorian kitchen to the origins of our favourite Christmas carols! I have put together a playlist for the whole family, which can be found on YouTube.

I hope these suggestions bring joy and learning! If you or someone you know is looking for bespoke, well-managed and structured tuition from a qualified Oxford graduate in 2021, contact me today. I offer subject-specific help, generalist tuition, Oxbridge preparation, interview practice and more.

With best wishes for the holidays,

Chloe

REALISTIC free educational activities for children during isolation

Finding genuinely enriching activities that children will engage with can feel impossible when there are infinite video games to be played and films to be watched during isolation. I have been recommending individual activities to the parents of my own students, and the three key considerations are:

  1. Choose activities that are a bit different to what they would be asked to do at school, so that they feel special.
  2. Explore topics and subjects that aren’t included in the main school curriculum, but would still benefit them.
  3. Don’t overload them with options – one main activity a day will be more memorable and meaningful.

I have recommended three tasks below, which can be adapted to meet individual interests and levels.


ACTIVITY 1: ARTISTIC reading  – audiobooks plus DRAWING

This is a good one for children who like to draw and who would benefit from extra reading/story time. Audiobooks allow children to hear wonderful stories and improve their vocabulary, especially when there is a good narrator. While independent, silent reading is brilliant, it is just as important for children to hear words spoken correctly and with the right intonation to learn to love language.

How to do it:

  • The app/website Audible has made a selection of stories FREE, without the need for an account. Head over to https://stories.audible.com/discovery to access these.
  • Ideally, choose an unabridged story and ask your child to read along with the story by downloading the book online. This will let them follow the vocabulary and see how the narrator emphasises words to give meaning.
  • However, for a completely free version, or if your child is reluctant, they can simply enjoy the words without the text.
  • At the end of each chapter or listening session, simply pause the audiobook and have fun drawing the main characters and events. Cartoon comic strips can be particularly fun to create. As well as being a bit of fun, doing this really encourages children to visualise stories, which is important for comprehension.


Activity 2: Learn to code for free

No one can deny that this is an increasingly important skill for children to learn in our tech-centric world. Schools do now teach some basic coding, but there has never been a better opportunity to invest a good amount of consistent energy into this. Coding also teaches children to think logically and break actions into chronological steps. Parents should sit with their children while they learn to navigate the site they choose, but within no time their children will be able to complete the tasks independently.

How to do it:

  • There are lots of different websites that teach children how to code. For beginners, I suggest starting with Studio Code, which has created amazing guided Hour of Code lessons. Children learn to code a project in an hour, such as a Dance Party animation to share with friends or a Frozen themed game. The beauty of the site is that children should be able to follow the steps independently. Head to https://code.org/learn for their full options.
  • For more experienced coders or older children, there are other websites to explore. I recommend Code Emoji (https://www.codemoji.com/) and Scratch, which was developed by MIT (https://scratch.mit.edu/ ).

Activity 3: Do something musical!

Music has innumerable benefits for brain development, despite being sadly underrepresented in the average school timetable. If your child has instrumental lessons already, it’s a good opportunity to encourage them to practise more. If not, encourage them to get creative. Either way, to make this activity realistic, it’s important to emphasise fun possibilities, rather than instructing them to do repetitive rehearsals they will resent.

How to do it:

  • For children who already play an instrument: They can try to figure out the notes to songs they already know, make up their own music or make a video diary to monitor their progress. Without school, they have more time to be creative, so they don’t just need to repeat the ‘bare minimum’ their instrumental teacher asks for each week. You can also find free ear training exercises (useful for ABRSM aural preparation) at https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercise/215/interval-identification-ear-training/
  • For everyone: get singing! There are plenty of karaoke versions of popular songs on YouTube, which they can commit to learning off by heart and performing for family, or for a video diary.
  • If you have an unused instrument gathering dust at home: Dig it out and get googling some free tutorials – there are lots of free lessons available for every instrument imaginable!

At Tempus, we are helping our students and parents through the Coronavirus isolation. You can find out more about how online homeschooling help works on our method page, and get in touch if I might be able to help.

Chloe

Support with remote learning during Coronavirus

It looks unlikely that children will be returning to schools in the UK any time soon, as is also the case for many Tempus international students. The support we are offering falls broadly into two categories:

Remote learning check-ins: 30-60 minute sessions to help children recap school work and clarify any issues their teachers cannot respond to individually. It is often more efficient and effective for an external tutor to take on this role, preventing fall-outs from children playing up for parents.

Focussed subject support: a regular slot to work on specific subjects. Many people are requesting Maths and English sessions to ensure their children continue to improve in these core subjects. However, we are still offering support cross all subjects, from Geography to French.

If you want to discuss online tuition, get in touch. I have interviewed and brought on an increased range of tutors across academic subjects and hourly price points to help with increased demand. I personally vouch for the ability and reliability of each tutor, and where there are multiple subjects being tutored, I oversee the whole programme for ease of communication and planning.

Chloe

Corona: Your child might still have to take their GCSEs or A Levels.

Last week, the UK government announced that GCSEs and A Levels would not be taking place as usual in June 2019. However, much still needs to be clarified at this stage, and I am worried that the message has been oversimplified in the midst of the daily news coverage and updates. I would caution Year 11 and 13 students against dropping their textbooks prematurely.

WHAT WE KNOW

Students’ grades will be set by their school teachers in accordance to marks gained in mocks and internal assessments. This may disadvantage students who were relying on a ‘final push’ to the finish line. Secondary to this, the government is clear that students who are not happy with their grade will have the option of sitting their exams ‘early in the next academic year’. This is the message that has been largely missed in the media: some GCSE/A LEVEL students may still need, or choose, to take their exams next year. At this stage, I would personally encourage parents to ensure that their child completes their specifications and has completed good revision notes. At the very least, this will stand them in good academic stead for whatever they choose to do next; for some, it will be a vital part of preparing to sit the exams next year.

If you want to discuss online tuition, get in touch. I have interviewed and brought on an increased range of tutors across academic subjects and hourly price points to help with increased demand. I personally vouch for the ability and reliability of each tutor, and where there are multiple subjects being tutored, I oversee the whole programme for ease of communication and planning.

Chloe

Online tuition during Covid-19

This is a concerning time for many parents, as children are likely to miss out on at least a term’s worth of their formal, structured education. Many schools have announced a switch to online learning platforms, but my observation of remote work set by schools so far has been that the standard of work is notably lower than would usually be expected. This could prevent students reaching their academic potential. In addition, while I believe that remote learning could encourage greater academic independence, the reality is that many students are struggling to achieve the same level of focus and learning as they would at school. There will inevitably be an enormous amount of pressure on students and teachers to ‘catch up’ when the current restrictions lift and schools resume. News outlets are now also reporting that restrictions may be cyclical, which would result in a lack of stability for students should schools need to switch repeatedly between physical and remote learning. All things considered, it is understandable that many are worried about maintaining the quality of their children’s education.

 

I have received an enormous increase in demand for online tuition over the past two weeks. I have summarised the services available below:

 

Tempus Tutoring Services

  • Subject tuition: Coverage of KS3 topics, 13+ or (i)GCSE/A Level/Pre U exam syllabuses. This is especially recommended for Year 10/12 students who may miss several terms of schooling before sitting their examinations next academic year. Note that some Year 11/13 Students may still need to sit their examinations in the UK.

  • Skills tuition: Tuition in reading, writing, science or maths to ensure that children do not fall behind, and that their ability continues to improve.

  • Support with remote learning: Many schools are switching to remote learning platforms. We can provide support with this, such as helping students keep on top of their work or providing weekly assistance to clarify topics that would ordinarily have been revisited in class.

As you and your family settle into a new school routine, do reach out if I can help. I have interviewed and brought on an increased range of tutors across academic subjects and hourly price points to help with increased demand. I personally vouch for the ability and reliability of each tutor, and where there are multiple subjects being tutored, I oversee the whole programme for ease of communication and planning.

Chloe