Gifts of appreciation...

The chocolate boxes I received from tutoring parents in 2025

Since I am a part-time specialist teacher in a school, my contribution can definitely be forgotten. Whilst words of appreciation are sometimes received from colleagues for going above and beyond, direct thanks from parents can be rare. In short, parents don't really know of me and may not realise just how much I care about the education of their child. Sometimes students see their classroom teachers as the 'real' teachers and view me as a 'support' teacher who enters their academic life from time to time. It would be doubtful that I am mentioned at home apart from the odd after-school communication when a student stays back to receive intensive assistance from me. Over the years, I have stayed back after school or even come in on school days as a volunteer to provide students with additional assistance just because I care. It's this same level of dedication that I apply to MD Home Tutoring. The difference is that my efforts and extra time are usually appreciated, sometimes in the form of gorgeous gifts. I received a few generous gifts at the conclusion of 2025, for which I am extremely grateful. I don't know what it is about me that screams quality chocolate, but these treats certainly hit the spot after a busy year of researching, reading, preparing for, travelling to and tutoring students as part of my small business. - Mel

Some co-workers in schools

I recently read a quote that resonated with me: "What they hate in you is missing in them." I can certainly relate to this in terms of my work ethic within the school system. See, I came from an undergraduate experience that pushed us extremely hard. We were teaching small lessons to real kids in Week 3 of our teaching degree as 18-year-olds. We needed to attend uni 5 full days per week, starting at 8:30 in the morning. No sleep-ins for us; no relaxed days working from home; no earnings possible during work hours. Some lucky ones were able to plead their case and get Fridays off since some courses had been organised to squeeze into the first 4 days of the week. So when I'm pegged as being overly dedicated as a teacher, it's because many of my co-workers believe:

• school is for socialising and having a party as well as teaching;
• 'winging' lessons is good enough when you have the hubris to pull it off;
• working hard makes others look bad (I have been told this);
• hard workers are martyrs for the cause (I have also been told this);
• there are no prizes for finishing off tasks after school, so why bother?

My response to these attitudes is:

• some sharing and laughs are okay but not when it adds up to hours of time;
• decent planning should go into lessons to cater fairly for students;
• the salary is good overall, so working hard during school hours is par for the course;
• people who work hard are merely doing their jobs (they might need to go beyond due to a lack of funding or support);
• some teachers seem to think the 7.6 hours printed on their payslip is literal when in fact it is indicative of school-based hours only. There are many more hours that teachers are paid for (e.g. school holidays) that form part of their total hours.

I'm just so glad I recognised what teaching in schools was becoming a few years ago. I started my own tutoring business where teaching, and teaching well, is the sole focus. In fact, parents wouldn't have it any other way! The pay might be less, but my passion for teaching is still alive and well. - Mel

Blast from the past...

I recently spent a small fortune on Snatch n' Sniff stickers when I found out that Trend Enterprises, the creator of these quirky stickers, is saying goodbye after 55 years in business. It was rare to receive one of these stickers as a student, but I have never forgotten the novelty of the different scents such as dill pickle, cowboy boot, peppermint and popcorn. The scents aren't quite as powerful now, probably due to laws restricting the chemicals that can be used, but they're still a whole lotta fun. I'm hoping my tutoring students will enjoy receiving them for a job well done! - Mel

Building the foundations...

 

I agree with these observations by Brian Tolentino (a gifted educator btw - I strongly recommend checking out his website), but I feel powerless in my school-based role to change the current situation. While I can instigate change in some areas, overall, it requires a united effort across an entire staff to bring about tangible change. Fortunately, I run my own small business and I can conduct my tutoring sessions in the way I know works.

Whenever possible, my sessions involve:

• Short handwriting warm-ups (letter formation, spacing, pencil control);

• Stopping to review a spelling misunderstanding, highlighting patterns;

• Modelling editing aloud, showing how to spot punctuation errors;

• Pausing to highlight particular words or sentences during writing tasks;

• Constantly questioning to activate engagement and idea-sharing;

• Reiterating the purpose, meaning and structure of written texts;

• Reading aloud and rereading to solidify language patterns and fluency.

After a while, momentum really starts to kick in. I also encourage students to make links between tutoring sessions and how they function in the classroom. These micro-tasks keep the tutoring highly interactive and instructive while directly building the foundational habits needed for school success. - Mel

Encouraging feedback...

It's quite a rare occurrence, but every now and again a parent will take the time to send me a simple message of thanks for my tutoring work. It makes it seem worthwhile when I know I'm making a small difference in one student's life. I have had students where the parents are very directive of me. It's very much a business transaction in their eyes. In those situations, I usually start to realise that it will be hard to make progress with their child. The tutor does need some agency. I am sometimes relieved when these clients discontinue tutoring. They often don't give a reason, but I suspect it's usually financial - they're very much about getting immediate results for their investment. You put in so much effort to help their son or daughter (sometimes hours and hours beyond what you're remunerated for), and their child never meets their unrealistic expectations. It's tough to witness.

A while ago now, I received the lovely message above from a grateful mother. One time, this parent wanted me to bill her for three hours rather than the two worked due to my preparation time, etc. (such decency is rare indeed). Of course, I didn't accept. If I was paid for every extra hour I have dedicated to teaching over the past 30 years, I would be a very wealthy woman indeed! - Mel

Teachers deserve to be valued...

 

I read quite a few anonymous posts on Facebook groups and so many teachers are dissatisfied with their jobs. It's easy to understand the frustration they feel. Many teachers are very altruistic. They're the kind of people who go above and beyond. On the whole, they are very giving people, generous with their time, knowledge and skills. There is a lot of unpaid work in teaching that the general public doesn't grasp. There is no real hourly rate even though seven or so hours per day are recorded on our payslips. I won't even bother outlining the additional tasks that go on in one's personal life, all centred around teaching. I prefer not to dwell on all the hours I've spent since 1993 when I first started studying to be a teacher. It's a rewarding profession overall and the holidays are a welcome period of respite. 

What's most disconcerting is the treatment that teachers face from some leaders, colleagues, parents and students. I learnt long ago that teaching is not as secure as some people think. Workplaces can be fickle, and full of politics, nepotism and cronyism. While not everyone is in a position to take charge of their own destiny, I encourage all unhappy teachers to make the sacrifices needed to keep teaching. Move if you need to; complete further study if you have to; find teaching roles that are edifying and enjoyable. Some teachers say, "Well someone has to do it. Someone needs to help those kids who are challenging and disrespectful." That's true, but it's not for everyone. Although teachers are social workers in many ways, they often did not enter the profession thinking that would be their main role. University certainly doesn't communicate that message often. 

Teaching is all about the love of learning - teaching students how to grow, think and be decent people. A disconnect is starting to emerge of late - teachers' goals are not aligning with families' worldviews. I'm sure this has always been the case to some extent, but more than ever teachers are finding it harder to actually teach. If this relates to you, I encourage you to seek positions that make going to work manageable. Life is too short to feel unappreciated and mistreated. Please don't allow people to bring you down when you're actually so talented, devoted and hard-working. - Mel

What are they doing now?

I've been tutoring students for quite a few years now and I still really enjoy it. Tutoring opportunities simply didn't exist in the Blue Mountains or I would have started my small business decades ago. The city of Sydney has a diverse range of parents, with different motivations for providing their children with additional academic support. Some are seeking a mentor for their child. Others are trying to boost their child's literacy and numeracy levels to improve school engagement. Still others are eager for their child build confidence and experience success at school.

I sometimes wonder what the students I have tutored are doing now. Some of my long-term clients have graduated from high school and are completing tertiary studies. From time to time, I've received lovely words of thanks, and even a bouquet of flowers from one student. After finishing his HSC, he was looking into entering a trade and beginning an apprenticeship. This is an extract from the reference I wrote him:

"[Name] is honest and sincere in his interactions with others. His good humour and easy-going personality supports his capacity to work effectively within a team. He is a mature individual with positive aspirations for his future. In the workplace, he will further develop the skills of self-initiative, problem-solving and resourcefulness. He is supported by a loving family, from whom he has developed a strong work ethic. I recommend [name] as a responsible young man who will pursue his further education and employment with determination.

Whatever my former students are doing now, I certainly hope they are happy and thriving. - Mel

A rare leader in education...

 

Every now and again, you meet a truly remarkable educator - someone with passion, wisdom and the skills to inspire. I find that these teachers are becoming increasingly rare, which saddens me. Jenny, your leadership is greatly missed. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words. - Mel

Dear Melanie,

I hope you have a year where you feel challenged and given scope to forge your wonderful talents. The students benefit enormously from you because you know your subject so well and have the depth of intelligence and curiosity that makes students feel confident and trusting of you. I now view so much through the prism of what I'd like for my granddaughter and grandson, and my wish would be for them to have teachers like you. Treasure your career; you are so capable and have so much more to give.

Jenny xx

Using AI for writing tasks in the classroom

It's hard to imagine the long-term effects of the use of AI on students' writing development. Many argue that the composition of unique text is no longer a necessary requirement for most people. This is probably true in numerous professions, where communications, emails and other texts aren't highly specific in nature.

But what concerns me most as a teacher is the gradual inability of students to think for themselves. Using AI for text composition has the potential to extinguish novel ideas and discourage personal insights.

The process of writing requires students to synthesise ideas and make new connections. It is through this arduous and challenging process that deep understandings can develop. I like to think of writing as 'the construction of thought'. Concepts will never be fully understood by students who can't authentically work through them and assimilate them with existing knowledge. 

Therefore, in order to teach students the skill of articulating their own thoughts, we need to become more inventive as educators. We need to redesign writing tasks to ensure that students have ample opportunities to consider possibilities without the influence of AI-generated brainstorms. 

I believe students should engage in daily opportunities to record and explain their ideas. I prefer for this to be done collectively, recorded in books or on sheets of paper. This improves student creativity and encourages risk-taking (i.e. no idea is a bad idea - it's all part of the process). Furthermore, a focus on formative assessment of the writing process, which includes outlines and rough drafts, places less focus on the final task in determining grades.

Writing should never be about the regurgitation of other people’s ideas to prove understanding. It's a highly rigorous process that gives students the opportunity to create new ways of thinking and knowing. - Mel

MD Home Tutoring

It seems like an age ago, but I used to run a small craft business. I had a break from teaching to expand my creative side (quelled in childhood, it had been waiting to emerge for decades). Photography, digital imaging and graphic design were everyday tasks as I interacted with members of the public in every state and territory via my two online stores. I still like to explore my creative side when I make resources, write lesson plans or design worksheets. Recently, I spent some time improving my online presence for MD Home Tutoring. Love a customised word cloud! - Mel

Clarity through Writing

More and more, students are asking me: "Why do I have to learn how to write a paragraph? Generative AI can do it for me." As an educator, I am always thinking about how I will reply to these and other similar questions. I often find that students are merely seeking some confirmation that I know why I am asking them to do certain tasks. Is it appropriate for a student to question a teacher's intentions? Perhaps not - as a student myself, I simply trusted the process. But we are living in a rapidly changing educational context, and I find I always need to be ready with a clearly stated response, such as, "Because in daily life, you need to be able to THINK. Paragraph writing is a reflection of your organised thoughts. I want to see that your thinking skills are developing." Students normally reply with a "fair enough" or "makes sense." It's up to us as educators to always be a step ahead, to be conscious of the tasks we're setting and to expect authentic engagement through creative instructional design. - Mel

Teaching bilingual students...

MD Home Tutoring offers personalised support to bilingual learners to strengthen language confidence across all areas. My sessions emphasise clear, accurate expression, both spoken and written. Grammar usage is always taught in meaningful, practical contexts. All students are encouraged to expand their vocabulary and develop greater fluency when communicating. My approach is patient and responsive to each student's unique linguistic background and learning goals. - Mel

Maths Tuition

Although I am a specialist teacher of the English language, Maths was actually my best subject in high school! Lately, I have gained so many students who need tuition in Maths. Oftentimes, they don't see the point of this subject and part of my role is to convince them that it is vital for the development of financial understandings, logical thinking, attention to detail and problem solving strategies (just to name a few!). - Mel

Recognising your significance...

Sometimes it can be difficult to see any significance in what you do. You work hard, try your best, give it your all. You try to better yourself, learn more, give more. You do it to share your skills, your understandings, your life lessons. Sometimes, however, your reach seems so limited and your efforts worthless. At this point, it becomes harder to see your purpose in this world. I'll always remember a priest who spoke at a Sydney youth festival: "A lot goes into a person." It made me reconsider what my parents wanted for me and some of the conscious choices they made.

Each one of us is unique, the product of a myriad of experiences, teachings and interactions. Each one of us has so much to share, but sometimes the opportunity to do so is lacking. I've worked hard in my life to learn new things, improve my knowledge, be the best teacher I can be. But, I've spent too much time trying to help the wrong people. Only now have I come to recognise my worth. All those public holidays spent working to be the best teacher I can be. The all-nighters spent planning the perfect sequence of lessons when many of the students simply didn't care. The intricate report comments that were barely read by students or their parents. 

However, all of this time and effort hasn't amounted to nothing. The product is a teacher who thinks critically and who has something of worth to share with her students. I have been very fortunate to receive fantastic feedback in recent years from parents whose children I tutor. For the first time my teaching is being witnessed in people's homes, its merits evaluated. In schools, limits are set on what I am able to contribute, but outside of that context, the sky is the limit! - Mel

Dream a little dream...

Seconds after taking this photo, the butterfly dropped away from its chrysalis

and started to flap its wings. It was such a wonderful sight to see...

Photo taken at Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam

"Dream with me, escape with me, fly with me, imagine you are everything you've ever wanted to be. Dream, dream, dream..."

This is an excerpt from a song I remember vividly from a Shopfront Theatre musical I was in as a child. The world can be a harsh judge and it can laugh in the face of 'silly' dreams. It saddens me that people in our culture judge a person's worthiness by their occupation. Even as a school teacher, and an extremely dedicated one at that, people often ridicule the profession. When I had a break from it for five years, I lived my dream to be creatively employed each and every day, However, it was crazy to witness just how many people criticise teachers. The biggest shock was the appreciation I received from customers such as brides, grooms, parents and makers for my commercial creations. Why aren't words of wisdom and innovative teaching strategies as highly prized by the average citizen? Truly bizarre society we live in...

Nevertheless, I still love teaching and I can remember many wonderful interactions I've had with students. I fondly remember a casual teaching day I once did at Caringbah Public School in 1998. This wonderful little Year 1 class just loved their day so much. Out of their own accord, during lunchtime I presume, a number of them got together and wrote little notes for me, which they presented at the end of the school day. I was just one random teacher in the scheme of many they must've met, yet their display of kindness for my efforts to give them a unique day whilst their regular teacher was sick just astounded me. I still have those notes...

Since going part-time as a teacher and starting my own home-tutoring business, I must say that my life has been calmer. I have been able to focus on what really matters in life: savouring special interactions with people and being an encouraging presence...

Significantly, I have had more time to look around me and appreciate just how lucky I am despite not leading the perfect life, materially, that some Aussies strive for, and despite my lack of worldly success. Because life is not measured by our external representations, but by who we really are as people. I encourage you to appreciate the beauty of life, rather than gripe about the dreams that you haven't yet been fulfilled. I know that this change in mindset has completely changed my outlook on life, and definitely for the better :) - Mel

Benefits of Home Tutoring

What are the benefits of MD Home Tutoring?

• Face-to-face teaching in a familiar setting where distractions are limited;

• The opportunity for me to quickly identify gaps in learning and personalise activities to promote engagement;

• Constant interaction, clear explanations and visual demonstrations that are not always possible in other educational settings.

Please get in touch to initiate an exciting educational journey for your child/ren. - Mel

Teaching students who are 'New Arrivals'

It was a huge year in 2022, but a very rewarding one. A particular highlight was the opportunity to work with students who had recently arrived in Australia. Every session involved teaching speaking, reading and writing skills, as well as the mathematical language needed to access the Australian curriculum. All the time and effort spent making and selecting the very best resources was definitely worth it! - Mel

Reflecting on 2021

It's certainly been a crazy year. On the one hand, it has seemed ridiculously long, and on the other, it's as though it never really got started. I was sent an email today that encouraged me to do some reflecting and I thought I would share my responses online (this is more for my own benefit than the internet's).

What are your biggest wins of the year? What made you proud?

One of the biggest wins was being able to connect with students via Zoom during the lockdown period of around 16 weeks. Even though many students were 'missing in action' during this time, I was able to conduct some effective sessions with students I hadn't formally worked with before. For those students and parents who were keen, the interactions were worthwhile and productive.

How did you take care of yourself this year? What did you learn about your needs?

I really haven't done a good job of this at all this year and the lockdown didn't help. I've neglected my health and have developed a medical issue that I'm still trying to get to the bottom of. Hopefully I will be able to find out soon as it's painful and concerning.

How did you help your family this year? What relationships did you cultivate?

I've zoomed online and had some rather long phone calls with family members. It has reminded me that I need to prioritise my time better. Family is more important than any job or occupation. Who are you really if you're not supporting those closest to you?

What changes (big or small) did you make to help the environment? What do you want to do more of? Remember—all the small actions add up, even expanding your awareness is action. It all makes an impact.

I started recycling soft plastics for the first time. I have always been an avid recycler and do what I can in the home (because my workplaces are terribly irresponsible when it comes to recycling). The volume of these soft plastics really adds up! I think everyone needs to give it a go to place pressure on the system to develop better infrastructure. I choose to believe that my efforts aren't simply ending up in landfill. The more people participate in these kind of programs (e.g. REDcycle), the more they will develop. [2023 edit: This paragraph didn't age well!]

What goals did you set for yourself this year and what actions did you take to get closer to achieving them? Were there any barriers to achieving your goals? Are your goals still meaningful?

It's been a tough year because I sensed the job I had heavily invested my time into over the past 6 years was going to come to an end, and it did. Overall, I think I dealt with the situation well. Since most of my superiors were devoid of warmth and the attributes of true leaders, their communication was perfunctory and impersonal. I needed to grit my teeth and carry on under their unfair leadership. Despite this untenable work climate, ameliorated a little by the lockdown situation (there are silver linings!), I ensured that my teaching was not affected in any way. Never let anyone else kill your passion.

What were some of the biggest challenges this year? How did you overcome them, how are you working on them and what did you learn from them?

One of my biggest challenges this year has been time management. This is always a challenge for me, but it has been an even bigger hurdle this year. I had a single day per week at at one workplace and I was determined not to let it take over other days of the week. It still did, but not as much as it had in the past. I kept reminding myself - imagine this day as a casual teaching day: Would I be required to work extra days for one day's pay? No. This mindset assisted me to prioritise other areas of my life, such as my home-tutoring business. I was still hounded from time to time via email on days off, but I didn't let it get to me.

Who/what helped get you through this year? Who did you help get through this year?

My husband - amazing man - that's the long and short of it! In terms of me helping others, I'd like to think I have been an encouragement to some of my colleagues, as well as my students. I have also helped my husband in return by proofreading every piece of writing he has composed this year: newsletter articles, yearbook reports, job/ scholarship applications and assignments for uni. He was been rewarded with a fantastic job and his first High Distinction in a postgraduate subject. It's not over yet since he has elected to get ahead by studying a subject during summer Session. Oh, happy joy!

How did you surprise yourself this year?

I surprised myself by planning and implementing some very effective online lessons, conducted with children as young at 7 and students as old as 17. It's not my preferred method of teaching but I tried to make the best of a bad situation. Teaching online is very slow compared to face-to-face interactions. It made me realise how much I had underestimated the power of gesture, highlighting, handwriting and in-person modelling. I'm really hoping that lockdowns will be a thing of the past some day soon. - Mel

'Childmemory' by Michael Dugan

'David's Willow Tree' by Susan Clark

The following poem, Childmemory, by Michael Dugan is filled with beautiful memories and imagery. Its environmental theme is poignant and powerful. At the time of writing, this poem is not available anywhere else on the web and is almost impossible to find in published books. However, I was able to discover that it was published in Poetry Australia 32: Preface to the Seventies (1970, p. 35), which resulted in an email exchange with Michael Dugan's former colleague. I am sharing the poem in full because it is too wonderful to be forgotten forever. I encourage teachers to use this poem in their classrooms to explore the concepts of past, present and preservation. All credit goes to the brilliant Michael Dugan who composed this work. - Mel

Childmemory

Down past Macartney’s farm

beyond a wilderness of waist high thistles,

willow trees caressed the creek.

We would come to the willows

along a secret path of our own making,

to leap into their feathered greenness

and, clutching handfuls of whiplike branches,

would swing, eyes closed, above the stream,

rejoicing in motion,

with the bitter taste of willow leaves in our mouths.

Later we tied a rope to the highest branch,

and riding its arc like a pendulum,

would pause at the point of timelessness; to drop,

breaking the pool’s glass surface

into ever widening sculptured circles.

One summer night I crept silent to the willows

and swung for hours, feeling the cool sweet air on my face,

watching stars reflecting in the pool,

like trolls’ eyes staring from the black water.

Returning fifteen years later,

factories pour waste into the creek,

no one remembers willow trees.


Michael Gray Dugan (1947-2006) was an Australian poet, children's writer and editor. Born in the outskirts of Melbourne, Dugan recalled writing stories and poems as a child of eight or nine. In 1968, he first published 'Crosscurrents' magazine from the Melbourne suburb of Canterbury. He also worked as poetry editor of 'Overland' magazine and served as vice-president of the Victorian Fellowship of Australian Writers. In the 1980s, he was a consultant and an editor for the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs. Along with his works in children's literature, Dugan had an extensive background in Australian history. He wrote numerous historical textbooks published by Macmillan Education Australia. There are over 200 book titles in Dugan's name, including factual books, fictional stories and poetry anthologies. Other publishers he wrote for include Oxford, Jacaranda, Penguin, and Hodder & Stoughton.

Comments

Anonymous April 11, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Thank you so much for sharing this! I used this with my Year 7 class many years ago and have not been able to locate it since. I just love this poem. So sad that his place got replaced by factories.

Simple life...

I lead a simple life by most people's standards, yet I'm busy every single day. I'm never idle and don't have much time for leisure activities at present. Yes, it's a bit of a treadmill sometimes, but I still try to make time for the important things in life. I do what I can for the students I teach and tutor. Compassion was once shown towards me at the public high school I attended in Sydney. These actions made a huge difference and I am forever grateful to those educators. Although my skill set is not always recognised within the school context, every so often some sort of acknowledgement by students or parents is received. This keeps me going for a little while longer. Small encouragements mean so much and they cost nothing to give. - Mel

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. (Proverbs 3:27)