In Just Five Weeks James went from a 20% to a 80% in Year 10 Maths!
Navigating change can be difficult for anyone, regardless of age or life experience. For teenagers who are still working out who they are as people, change of any kind can be particularly difficult. Year 10 student James witnessed this first hand at the beginning of this year when he moved to a new school. It was a big life change for James, and unfortunately in the process of adjusting, his rhythm and routine were adversely affected; his focus was a bit all over the shop, and naturally, his grades started to suffer as a result.
Seeing his grades hit an all-time low, James’ parents reached out to A Team Tuition for help. They met with one of our Academic Specialists, who worked with them on unpacking and understanding James’s particular needs and challenges when it came to his learning. Our consultant also gauged who James was as an individual, his interests and his personality, and then matched him with an Academic Personal Trainer accordingly.
James’ Transformation Using Academic Personal Training
Cue Hannah, one of A Team Tuition’s Brisbane-based APTs, who began working with James online mid-way through Term 1, 2021. Initially, James admits he was apprehensive and nervous about working with an APT:
“I was nervous because I had just moved to a new school so a lot was changing in my life,” explains James. “I saw working with Hannah just another change to add to the list, and so I wasn’t happy about it at first.”
Rather than becoming “just another change”, however, James’s sessions with Hannah actually became a pillar from which to build his new routine. The time they spent each week allowed him to form a new groove, and has helped him become adjusted to his new life.
Additionally, Hannah’s ability to connect with James and understand his unique learning style has helped him radically transform his Maths grades in the space of just 5 weeks!
“From the outset, I sensed that James’s previous struggles with Maths seemed to stem from the fact that he wasn’t taking into account his visual learning style,” says Hannah. “Together, we came up with the idea of putting together a Maths visual diary for James to put in drawings, diagrams and examples. The idea was that these visual aids would explain the concepts he was learning in class in a way that was easier for him to understand. James really committed to using his visual diary, and I saw an improvement in his confidence almost instantly.”
As is often the case, James’s newfound belief in his ability led to a total transformation in his approach to his learning. Armed with a ‘can-do’ attitude, Hannah notes how James really applied himself over the back half of the term, displaying incredible effort and commitment to improving. As a result, James has witnessed a dramatic improvement in his Maths grades, bringing his initial mark of 20% up to a staggering 80%.
James is a true example of how a little bit of guidance and support can go a long way. He is now well positioned to achieve an A grade!