What It Means to Teach at Matt’s Education
What makes teaching here special for us and our students?
For the students who come to Matt’s Education, it is more than just a classroom where the teacher drones on for hours on end in a slog of a class. Rather, students come here as though it were a second home where they can learn and play, feel confident and safe. And to cultivate that environment requires teachers who care. So today we’ll be looking at two of our own, Teacher Alex and Teacher Royston, to find out:
What Does It Mean To Teach at Matt’s Education?
Going Beyond Standard Teaching
To Teacher Alex, this was his response:
When I first began my teaching journey at Matt’s Education, I thought my objectives were simple: Teach students important concepts, guide them through areas they struggled with, and show them the “right way of doing things” – all while trying to keep lessons as engaging as possible.
While these objectives were not too far off, I soon realised that there had to be more than that if I wanted my students to truly see the value in their lessons and benefit from them. Under the guidance of my mentors, I came to understand that teaching was more than simply delivering content and showing how things should be done.
If we simply asked students why they attend tuition and allowed them to be completely honest, many might simply say that they are there because their parents want them to be. What they may not immediately understand is the value behind each lesson and how it contributes to their growth. As teachers, part of our role is to help them see that purpose for themselves.
One of the key things I’ve learnt was the importance of meticulous planning and preparation. Besides teaching lesson content and guiding students through practice questions, setting aside time for fun and interactive activities matters too. These activities are not meant to distract from learning. Instead, they help to break the monotony of students’ weekly routines, keep them “locked in”, and gradually build their confidence.
Teaching is also about journeying with our students and acknowledging every small “win” along the way. These wins do not always come in the form of better WA grades. They could be anything, such as a student finally solving something he or she has been struggling with, or a quiet student beginning to interact more with other classmates and actively participating in class. These moments may seem small, but they are meaningful signs of growth.
Students are not the only ones who learn and grow at Matt’s Education. Being a teacher here has also taught me a great deal too, equipping me with valuable skills both in and out of the classroom. I have come to realise that teaching is not only about helping students become better at a subject. It is also about understanding them, encouraging them, celebrating their progress and growing alongside them.
But Teaching is Not One Size Fits All!
For Teacher Royston, this was his:
One of my fears going into education as a career was the belief that I had to change who I was to be an effective teacher. As someone who likes to joke around to connect with students, I feared needing to change into someone I’m not when teaching: serious, uptight and overly strict. While that may work for others, it does not work for me! Changing myself to fit that mould would feel unfulfilling personally and bore students out of their minds.
But working at Matt’s Education, I learnt not only that I can stay true to myself as a teacher, but I also developed the skills to harness that energy into productive classes. The students I teach have fun but not at the expense of their learning! Students know when they walk into my classroom that we’ll have some laughs, but also know that I take their learning very seriously.
Beyond that, teaching at Matt’s Education has let me explore teaching that goes beyond the walls of the tuition centre. From trails where students can go outside to learn, to being able to run enrichment programmes for schools to teach skills beyond academics, like speech and creative writing.
To facilitate my teaching, I am encouraged to be hands-on not just in the classroom, but outside it too. I lend a hand in curriculum planning, designing programmes for schools and more. This keeps me engaged in the work I’m doing, having an active hand in mentoring the students at Matt’s Education as opposed to passively delivering lesson plans.
When students and staff come to Matt’s Education, we are all capable of being our authentic selves rather than needing to hide behind titles of “teacher” and “student”, making every interaction more personal and meaningful!
So What Does This All Mean?
Teaching here at Matt’s Education is more than churning out academic achievements. We foster an environment where students come out feeling proud of themselves, where they learn how to learn in ways that are enriching and enjoyable. For our teachers, they pride themselves not simply by classroom engagement or marks going up, but that the students they teach walk into class with a smile on their face, ready to learn and grow as students and people.
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