Mathis

What I’m Testing

Updated August 2026

At the centre of my teaching is a practical question: what needs to happen inside a lesson so that a student can continue learning purposefully when the teacher is no longer present?

I am currently exploring small changes to how responsibility is organised and transferred during one-to-one lessons. The aim is not to remove guidance, but to help learners understand and eventually use that guidance for themselves.

The end-of-lesson handover

Rather than ending with a list of instructions, I ask the learner to explain:

  • what they intend to work on;
  • why it matters;
  • which strategy they will use;
  • how they will know whether it is working.

I can clarify or support the plan, but the learner should leave able to describe it in their own words. I am interested in whether this makes the connection between the lesson and independent practice clearer.

Reflection before correction

At the beginning of the next lesson, I try not to diagnose the problem immediately. I first ask the learner what they noticed:

  • What worked?
  • Where did you get stuck?
  • What did you change?
  • What would you try differently next time?

This creates space for learners to evaluate their own practice before receiving my interpretation. I am testing whether this helps them become more aware of how they learn, rather than waiting for the teacher to provide every answer.

Choice within structure

Complete freedom can be as unhelpful as complete control. I therefore experiment with offering a small number of appropriate practice strategies and asking the learner to select one.

As confidence develops, the learner may adapt a strategy or propose their own. I am observing when choice creates meaningful ownership and when additional guidance is still needed.

Gradually changing the support

One approach I am refining moves through three stages:

teacher-organised → jointly organised → increasingly learner-organised

I may initially demonstrate a practice method, then use it together with the learner, and later ask them to apply or adapt it independently. The important question is not how quickly I can withdraw, but whether the learner is becoming able to understand, select and use the strategy without relying on my immediate direction.

Small and sustainable routines

I am also exploring simple routines such as weekly planning, short reflections, practice calendars, one-sentence journals and learner-recorded videos.

The purpose is not to monitor compliance or reward an unbroken practice streak. I want to understand whether these tools help learners notice progress, return after interruptions and maintain a connection with their longer-term goals.

What I am paying attention to

Across these experiments, I keep returning to several questions:

  • Does the learner understand the purpose of the activity?
  • Can they use the strategy without immediate supervision?
  • Can they adapt it when circumstances change?
  • Does the structure support ownership or merely extend teacher control?
  • Is it appropriate for the learner’s age, confidence and readiness?

These are reflections from my teaching practice, not findings from the PhD study. Formal research data will only be collected and analysed through the approved research process. This page documents the practical questions and teaching ideas that continue to shape the project.