Written by a qualified teacher with classroom and educational leadership experience. Rethinking Mindsets is a Sydney, NSW-based online tutoring provider supporting families nationwide.

When families begin tutoring, one common question is what tutors focus on first. Parents want to understand how the educator will identify academic needs and use session time carefully. At RM, this begins with relevant school information, discussion with the family and observation during teaching.

These sources inform an individual plan rather than a fixed starting program. Educators review that plan as the student demonstrates what they understand and where further teaching is needed.

Starting With Information and Observation

Schoolwork, reports and information shared by the family can help establish an initial focus. Educators also observe how the student approaches tasks and explains their understanding. Existing assessment information can be useful alongside these observations.

Early sessions may include:

• Noticing how a student manages multi-step tasks.
• Checking whether instructions need explanation or reframing.
• Observing how the student works with different levels of guidance.
• Listening to how the student explains their reasoning.

These observations help the educator decide what to explain, model or practise next. Our guide to choosing a qualified teacher for tutoring explains how classroom experience and curriculum knowledge contribute to this judgement.

Balancing Skill, Confidence and Readiness

What tutors focus on first is not based on skill gaps alone. Educators also consider confidence, organisation and how the student responds to a task. A student who understands the content but struggles to organise a response may need different teaching from a student who has not yet understood the concept.

Early priorities might include:

• Addressing a specific gap that makes current schoolwork difficult.
• Consolidating foundational knowledge through guided practice.
• Teaching strategies for task initiation or independent work.
• Clarifying classroom expectations and success criteria.

The level of guidance and challenge should reflect the student’s needs. At RM, sessions are individually planned, with teaching adapted to reflect individual school expectations. Our approach to tutoring explains how explicit teaching and professional judgement work together.

Using Assessment Purposefully

Assessment should help answer a useful teaching question. An educator might ask the student to explain a method, complete a short task or apply an idea to a different example. More formal assessment may also be appropriate when it provides information needed for planning.

Checks can occur within teaching rather than being confined to an initial test. Educators gather information, provide an explanation and check what changes with guidance. This allows them to refine the plan without assuming the first observation captures everything about the student’s understanding.

How Early Priorities Evolve Over Time

What tutors focus on first may change as understanding develops or school demands shift. Direct teaching may move towards guided practice and independent application, while another concept may need revisiting. Educators should be able to explain why a priority has changed and how it relates to the student’s current work.

Progress is individual and does not follow a fixed timetable. Families and educators can discuss what the student is demonstrating, where uncertainty remains and whether the current approach is useful. Confidence and participation should be considered alongside academic understanding.

For students using approved ADF EAS or DVA additional tuition funding, teaching priorities must remain within the approved scope. Our Defence and veteran tutoring information explains where RM’s role begins. We provide tutoring once funding is approved and also welcome families choosing private tutoring.