Sarah Varey Tutoring

01/10/2025

Several lovely senior students have reached their credits requirements and are no longer attending tutoring.
This is good news for anyone seeking tutoring - for the first time in ages, I have free spaces.
If your child, or anyone you know, needs help with 'school' please message me.

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12/06/2024

I see when people follow me and I get a twinge that I'm not 'more Facebook'. Sorry, I used to be, but now I'm too busy and there is SOOO much information out there.
I am still here though, and if you're feeling swamped by all the information and need a hand, feel free to send me a message. We can message or chat if you prefer.
I've been where you are, and it's a LOT. You've got all of the regular 'kid stuff', with an overlay of difficulties, spiced with how school deals with it (or not). It's not easy!
I'm half way there, so let's make this a TED talk while we're here. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so don't feel pressure to act on things quickly. That said, ignoring things doesn't make them go away, so don't be afraid to have hard conversations.
Forgive me if it's too cheesy, but I want to finish with, "You've got this!"

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29/12/2023

Notice and love children that you see are struggling.

16/11/2023

We’re nearing the end of the year, and it’s that time when parents are advised NOT to request next year’s teacher.
Don’t let this put you off if you have a child with a Learning Difficulty. They need you to be their advocate.
If there is a teacher who is (or is not) a good fit for them, then it’s important to speak up. Don’t be afraid to be ‘that’ parent.
Talk with their teacher/syndicate head/SENCO/LSC or DP.
The conversation is always about what will be best for their learning.
Be prepared; if your child is in the Junior school, this is a conversation you may need to have for most of their schooling.
I was a late starter and didn’t get good at it until they were in college. That special balance between asking and telling and being confident that, as a parent, I was part of the Learning Team.

26/08/2023

I like this infographic about ADHD.

26/08/2023

It's a BEAUTIFUL day, and I should be outside, but I have just completed my 50 hours of certification - ADHD for Educators Certification Course: Evidence-based Skills, Tools & Handouts to Motivate Kids for Lasting Success.
Pesi Australia provides professional training programmes primarily for social workers, counsellors and psychologists, but this one includes teachers.
It was VERY good and has kicked my knowledge up a level!
It is common knowledge that dyslexia, ASD, dyscalculia and ADHD can potentially overlap, but I have a new awareness of how this might present and, more importantly, how to change my practice and support students and their families.

16/07/2023

There's a phrase (Executive Function) that comes up a lot, and some parts of it take a bit to get your head around. It includes impulse control, emotional control, planning and prioritising, flexible thinking, working memory, self-monitoring, task initiation and organisation.
Here's a free resource that is easy to read, with things you can implement. The graphics of wee Josh give insight into how kids with these difficulties struggle at school. No wonder they are exhausted.

15/07/2023

I've been busy...learning!

At the moment, I am studying for ADHD teacher certification.

I've also been increasing my knowledge of teen mental health. I've noticed an increase in anxiety/stress among the young people that I interact with - digital connection, information...it's a lot!
I'm a hound for a good podcast, and I can recommend three interviews (different hosts) with Lisa Damour. She is a psychotherapist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology who specialises in education and child development. The interviews are sort of the same but different - my favourite was House Calls with Vivek Murthy. The links are below.
I'm halfway through reading her book, "The emotional lives of Teenagers - raising connected, capable and compassionate adolescents". If you're interested in reading it, the library has a copy, or you can borrow mine when I've finished.

https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/house-calls/lisa-damour/
https://www.richroll.com/podcast/lisa-damour-748/
https://www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-67

Are you worried about your teen’s mental health? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Damour and the Surgeon General discuss many of the questions on parents’ minds and the concrete ways adults can help adolescents.

22/05/2023

Truth.

14/04/2023

All reading counts

Thank you, We Are Teachers, for this graphic.