Thinking about getting started with Art of Smart but not sure if we’re the right fit for you?
Ian and his son James (Year 12) have been working with Art of Smart for just over a year for HSC English.
We recently chatted to Ian who shared his experiences in working with Art of Smart and the impact it’s had for James!
Prior to getting started with Art of Smart, what help was James needing?
We already had a Maths tutor in place from a personal friend who was very good. Based on this experience and the effectiveness of a tutor, we thought that James was struggling a little with comprehension and we felt he wasn’t getting the 1 on 1 focus at school and additional help could make a difference for him.
Why did you ultimately choose Art of Smart?
We were referred to Art of Smart’s Tutoring in Hornsby by a friend and everything was so easy to get started with! So there was a big ease of use factor. Communication was very good, we could login to a portal and see progress of lessons and the tutors lesson notes.
So the whole process to get started was smooth and simple!
What was the moment in working with Art of Smart that you knew you’d made the right decision?
Initially we went with 1-on-1 tutoring at home. Our tutor had great subject knowledge, and from a teaching perspective was very good. We did find however that she wasn’t inspiring James for English and there were some scheduling challenges.
As a result, Fiona from Art of Smart got in touch with us and suggested especially given that James was in Year 12 that we consider the support at the Art of Smart Hornsby campus and we never looked back!
In fact, in hindsight we wish we’d started at Hornsby earlier as Hornsby worked out well really well for James!
What have we done to help James?
At the Hornsby campus James had 1-on-1 tutoring sessions for English with his tutor Cameron, and then also joined a tutorial on Saturdays with other students to go through and work on his essays and creative writing with feedback.
James found this process and structure to be very good and he got a lot out of working with Cameron and the Saturday morning tutorials.
While in some ways it’s good to have someone come to your home (which is initially what we were doing) we found having a regular session at the campus each time every week was fantastic. The campus was a better learning environment with less distractions of family at home, and the small group environment for the tutorial was good.
It enabled James to see he wasn’t on his own and to get a gauge where other students were at and how they were also experiencing similar challenges, and it also meant that he was exposed to a broader range of questions that were asked by other students. English at the AOS Hornsby Campus was a good balance, between the 1 on 1 tutoring, and a small group environment.
Overall it was very valuable doing having additional support and I’m glad we worked with Art of Smart!
What’s the best thing your tutor has done to support James?
I think the best thing is that James tutor Cameron has a real passion for English and this rubbed off on James. Cameron had enthusiasm for the subject, and helped James prepare for and navigate the final HSC exams!
Are you looking for a tutor who could change your teenager’s life?
We pride ourselves on our inspirational coaches and mentors – just like Cameron at the AOS Hornsby Campus!
We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a large variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!
To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!
