Julian C.

In the classroom, I use a variety of strategies and encourage students to engage in discussion work to explore new ideas and concepts. In tutoring my methods are slightly different. The focus is exploring what the students know and building from this base to enable them to quickly develop in areas where they may be weaker. The goal is to encourage students to become independent learners who have the skill set to tackle the IB assessments with confidence.

In the first session with students, I would use guided questions and traffic lighting to find out how students feel about their knowledge and understanding of key concepts and skills in the IB programme. Then we would develop a plan together of where they would like me to focus their time and on obvious areas that have been highlighted in the traffic lighting exercise. Finally, I would set them a short skills task and a written exercise to gauge their current level of understanding and their writing ability. This will provide me with a wealth of information to determine their level in Geography or TOK and how I can best support them in future lessons.

I would do this by establishing the areas that the student needs to focus their time on and developing a realistic plan in order to reach their goals. A useful strategy is to break the learning objectives down into smaller bite-size pieces so that students don’t become overwhelmed. Another useful technique is to encourage students to bring to class a current news article or interest piece that relates to a topic area under discussion. This focuses the student to think around the topic, apply it to the real world, and offers a useful discussion point for the next tutor session. As a tutor, I will then show how this fits into the course and how the student can apply what they have read to actual IB assessment tasks.

I like to focus on what students know and build knowledge from this base. Geography and TOK are brilliant subjects for engaging with the world and real-world issues and there is always something that is happening which is of interest to my students. Work in tutor sessions is always focused on the topics that are directly relevant to them whether that be their IAs. EEs or upcoming examinations and ensures it maintains their interest.

It is important to establish what the student does understand and build from this base. I have a range of different techniques to engage students and to build understanding and confidence in new skills and concepts. Sometimes though it is better to leave an idea if a student is really struggling and circle back to it later when students have other hooks and tools with which to build new knowledge and understanding.

Geography and TOK are both subjects with considerable specialized vocabulary. It is important to ensure that students have access to this language and are confident with the command terms of these subjects. Reading should be scaffolded where appropriate to help students access more difficult texts and I provide abridged versions or useful summaries for those students who need some extra support. I don’t believe in shielding students from the more difficult text but given the right support believe they can access it appropriately.

Preparation is very important when working with a new student to build confidence that I will be able to support them with their needs. It is very useful to spend some time getting to know the student and understanding what they like about the subject and what they find more challenging. Building a positive relationship and working with their strengths and guiding them through their weaknesses with a structured plan helps to quickly build confidence with the student.

I like to break more difficult work down into smaller bitesize steps that students can engage with more easily especially when they find a topic a bit overwhelming. A positive focus with the students is really helpful and showing them my excitement for a topic will encourage them to engage more enthusiastically with a topic. It is important to show the student why they need to know a particular topic they are struggling with, why it is important they know this, and how it fits into the course.

I like to use short low stake quizzes and practice questions to help students and myself judge where they are with their understanding of the material. The IB has a huge range of assessment resources and I like to use parts of these to check to understand, this also builds confidence in the students for taking their final exams.

I will do this on a regular ongoing basis. A useful starting point is to ask students what help they believe they need. Short regular assessment tasks which can be written or oral are another invaluable way to find out where students need greater assistance and where they are firmer in their knowledge and understanding.

Creating baseline assessment is important in determining where the student is. It is also vital to ensure I understand where the student is on their education journey and where they want to get to. Then we can create a plan together to help the student get there. I can then adapt my teaching towards these goals so that everything is focused on their success.

I have a large range of resources that I have written which are specifically adapted to the IB course. Knowing the syllabus for Geography and TOK very well, I can use these materials effectively with the students. For instance, I have written a complete set of companions for the IB Geography course which students find invaluable as a detailed interactive backup of the IB course. My tutor sessions are very interactive and use the latest resources and materials which are invaluable in a fast subject-changing subject like Geography.