On-Line Tutor Training Required Training As a new Academic Skills lab tutor, you are required to view the following links and complete the test in the last section. Training Modules I. Establishing the Right Environment |
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II. Tutoring
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III. Related Topics
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Establishing the Right Environment Everyone knows it is important to display good common sense when dealing with others, but you might be surprised by how easy it is to fall into some physical environmental traps when tutoring. If you keep the following topics in mind, you will overcome your first tutoring obstacle. Watch your step. Physical environmental hurdles are easily forgotten. The tutoring tables, study booths, and testing room are appropriate
for tutoring, while keeping the distractions in the lab minimal. If
the tutoring tables are occupied, check to see if there is a nearby
classroom available. If you need to use a computer during a session,
see Mrs. High to check the availability of
Make sure to choose a table large enough to accommodate the activities
you and your tutee(s) will be doing. Do you have room for books, notes,
and any other materials you and your tutee may need? Also, try to sit
side-by-side with your tutee. This will make it easier to share materials,
and it encourages interaction.
Although the Academic Skills Lab strives to provide flexible schedules that meet the demands of an average student, we ask that you plan eating times that do not interfere with your tutoring sessions. Likewise, food or drinks on the tables during tutoring sessions are not allowed.
The Academic Skills Lab does not have a dress code, but does ask that you dress appropriately. Risqué clothing, although attention getting, can make others perceive you as less than credible. On the other hand, you should also avoid coming in over-dressed. Tutees relate to tutors as students - not teachers or professionals. Use this to your advantage by dressing like an average student. By choosing appropriate clothing, you add value to your session without a lot of effort.
We've all been distracted by the girl wearing too much perfume and the guy who just got back from the gym. Be mindful of these things BEFORE coming to your sessions. Smells are distracting. Keep in mind that coffee and smoking can also cause odors. |
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| Greetings
Greetings are the next hurdle on the way to completing a successful tutoring session. Greetings are easy to implement but are sometimes skipped over in a hurry to get tutoring underway. By ignoring this step, the tutee is not given the opportunity to get comfortable with the tutor. Without this comfort level, the tutee will find it more difficult to disclose information needed to resolve issues. Greetings help establish a rapport that will be carried throughout the session. Coming to tutoring for the first time can be very intimidating. Because of this, you will need to allow some time for both the tutor and tutee to get to know each other. To do this, start out the session by telling the tutee a little about yourself-- major, hobbies, etc. After letting them know something about you, ask the tutee about him/her self. What is his/her major? Who is his/her instructor? What are his/her hobbies and likes/dislikes? This information can later be used in the session. Relate new material to material with which the student is already familiar. This will increase his/her rate of comprehension. For example, if the tutee likes horses, the tutor might relate a math problem to the furlongs on a race track. At this point in the tutoring process, it is very important to listen carefully to any questions and concerns your tutee may have. This will aid you in determining the focus of your tutoring session. When a session starts, we don't mean to say that you should carry on an extensive conversation with a returning tutee. A few minutes of general conversation should suffice to allow both the tutor and tutee to feel comfortable with each other and their expected roles. It is also important to review expectations. Tutees should know that: YOU (Tutor)
You are not a miracle worker. If the tutee procrastinated throughout the semester, You will not know ALL the answers to EVERY question ALL You are not an instructor. THEM (Tutees) Tutoring is a two-way street, one in which tutees Tutees should call the ASL if they will not be able to make it
to their session. -Taking notes -Reading assignments -Trying homework problems Once these guidelines have been established, you should give tutees the opportunity to discuss their expectations from tutoring. Do they want a certain grade in a class? Do they want help with study skills? Are they performing poorly on tests? The answers to these questions will give you a good indication of what role to play in their learning. |
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| Setting the Agenda 5 Steps to Being an Effective Tutor
Monitoring the Session Unlike an instructor who has to get through a certain amount of information, you have the liberty to cover sections based on the retention of information and the ability of the student to display comprehension.
5 Steps to Being an Effective Tutor STEP 1: Know What is Expected of You As A Tutor Know your responsibilities and duties as a tutor in regards to tutees, ASL supervisors, instructors, and other tutors. STEP 2: Setting Up the Tutor Session The better you are prepared; the better you will be able to tutor. Learn how to: Shape the tutoring environment. The better you meet your tutee's needs during a session, the better the session. Get to know your student's: Psychological needs The Final Summary Remind the tutee of the time. |
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| Tutoring Techniques The Actual Process As well as having to overcome some logistical and physical hurdles, you and your tutee will also need some important basic information to have a successful tutoring session. In the tutoring field, this information will include an introduction to tutoring techniques, learning styles, and study strategies. The interchange between tutee and tutor plays a vital role in the dynamics of a session. Because of this, it is very important that the tutor uses appropriate and varied tutoring techniques. The following is a list of techniques that should be used. Sometimes it is necessary to clarify and explain a topic if the tutor finds that a tutee has not been introduced to a key point (or piece of information) that is necessary to understand the concept. When doing this, make sure that you keep your explanations clear, minimal, and to the point. Lecture only when necessary. "What?", you say. "Why is this? My instructor lectures all the time." Well, that's it exactly. You are not an instructor. It is important to keep in mind that you are there to provide opportunity - the opportunity for the tutee to find and use the available resources he/she has at his/her disposal. Sometimes this will mean you but, more often than not, this will mean the tutee's textbook, his/her lecture notes, his/her past tests, previous examples and so on. Make sure to provide the opportunity to use resources other than yourself. It is just as important (if not more important) for the tutor to guide the tutee in doing most of the explaining. This will reinforce learning for the tutee and help the tutor identify problem areas. Two of the key ingredients in guiding this successful interchange are: posing questions and active listening. Examples of questioning techniques follow:
The next key is to ACTUALLY LISTEN to your tutee's responses. This sounds easy, but it is harder than you may think. Listening is an acquired skill. In normal conversation, we don't really listen to others. We hear what they say but don't listen carefully enough to "read between the lines". In order to be an effective tutor, you have to slow down and concentrate on what your tutee is saying. Is he/she grasping the concept? Can he/she explain it easily or does it take some effort? Is his/her body language saying anything? In order to get the answers to these and other questions, you must listen carefully and observe purposefully.
Along with listening, it is very important to spur your tutee into giving a summary of what has been covered. If steps are involved in finding the solution, make sure that all steps are included (in the right order) by your tutee when summarizing. Try to encourage more than a parroting of the steps. Sometimes, having the tutee say the steps in his/her own words will decrease the tendency to parrot responses. If concepts are involved, have the tutee paraphrase the ideas in his/her own words. This simple summary will help you determine if you can move on to another topic or need to stay with the present one. If the summary is difficult for the tutee, stay where you are until he/she can repeat it with ease. Use the questioning technique to guide the tutee to the correct answer if he/she has gotten some of the steps out of order.
A common misconception of new tutors is that your tutee should ALWAYS feel comfortable. Sometimes, "comfortable" is not the best solution. For example--you have posed a question to your tutee. 8-10 seconds pass with no response. You start to feel awkward. Should you say something? Perhaps another question will spur a response. Another question or even a clarification might help, but sometimes, just being patient while waiting for a response will yield results. Because the tutor understands the information, he/she is much quicker in coming up with a response. Because of this, it is often difficult for a tutor to anticipate the amount of time a tutee needs to process the information. Take this into consideration when that uncomfortable silence sets in. Since this technique is often uncomfortable for both the tutor and tutee, it can be a difficult tool to implement. However, if used sparingly and appropriately, your tutee learns to think critically and becomes more independent.
Gauge Your Tutee's Comprehension. Along with this, it is very important to continuously gauge your tutee's level of comprehension. Don't assume knowledge. Let's say a tutor and tutee start a session. The tutee explains that he/she wants help with one question. The question asks the tutee to diagram a hyperbola. The tutor asks, "Where would you start?" Although this is a good question to evaluate whether or not the tutee knows the steps to apply in order to diagram the problem, a more appropriate question would have been, "Can you tell me what a hyperbola is?" Remember, don't assume knowledge. Start with the basics FIRST. Here are some ways to gauge your tutee's comprehension:
For a visual learner, tactile learners, or for certain types of content fields like science, you may find that a drawing or diagram is the best way to convey information. It is much easier to understand a drawing of carbon dioxide than an explanation of carbon dioxide. Visual learners will need to see, usually on paper, what you are describing. For tactile learners, (those who learn by doing), have the tutee build the model or diagram himself/herself. The act of building the model will reinforce learning.
Your tutees will need you to notice their successes as well as their mistakes. That's where reinforcements come in. When using reinforcements, make sure to reinforce improvement without over-exaggerating the student's gain. The more specific you are about the gain, the better. Following are some examples of reinforcement:
Reinforcements help the tutee have a sense of accomplishment, provide a reward, and give tutees an incentive to do more. After all, you noticed!
It is false to assume that a good tutor always has many returning tutees waiting in line when the tutor comes on duty. If a tutee can only do his work with your help, what happens when you are no longer there to explain, in the classroom or taking exams? Aid the tutee in finding other resources and developing appropriate study strategies. With these tools, they can succeed academically without you. A tutor should be working his/her way out of a job. By allowing the tutee to have control of the process, you encourage independent learning and help the tutee gain confidence in his/her own ability and an awareness of his/her learning styles. So how do you do this? Let the tutee have the pencil. Let the tutee look up the information in the book. Let the tutee draw the diagram. Give control back to the tutee. Let the tutee have control of the mouse/keyboard. Part of the learning process is frustrating. Part of the learning process
is getting things incorrect. Part of the learning process is slow. If
you are "showing" everything to your tutee, any successes
you experience are yours only - not your tutee's. Guide the direction
of your tutee's thinking. Don't do the thinking for them. The more independent
they become, the better tutor you are. |
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| Learning Styles Tell Me About Learning Styles The way a person prefers to learn is called his/her learning style. There is no right or wrong/good or bad learning style. It has nothing to do with intelligence or skills. It has everything to do with the way a person's brain works to learn and store information efficiently. Since everyone learns differently, understanding learning styles can help you become a better tutor. By examining learning styles, you will become aware of how each person's brain learns best. This awareness gives you and your tutees the chance to study effectively. There are many different types of learning styles. Sensory Learning Styles group people into three categories: Auditory (learn by hearing), Tactile (learn by doing), and Visual (learn by seeing or writing). To determine your learning style (or your tutee's learning style), click here, or take the Learning Style Inventory. The more you examine learning styles, the more you and your tutees
will benefit from strategies geared toward their most proficient style.
You can also use this information for modeling skills that your tutee
can use independently. The following are tutoring tips based on learning
styles. Tutoring Tips based on Learning Style
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Study Skills Your tutees may give several reasons for why they don't take notes. Perhaps their instructor talks too fast or lectures directly from the book. Don't accept these excuses. The advantages of taking notes always outweigh the disadvantages. ADVANTAGES
Tutees should be encouraged to bring their notes to every tutoring session. These notes provide a written record that can be reviewed by both the tutor and tutee. The student can also use these notes to make up example test questions or flash cards for test review. Also, the tutor can then determine if the tutee is taking effective notes. Are the notes legible, organized, and coherent? If not, suggest some of the following:
Listening Skills The one skill you'll use most in college is the skill to listen. Yet how many of us have ever taken a "course" in listening? There are strategies to consider that can improve your ability to "hear" a lecture and interact with communicated instructional material. Which activity involves the most amount of listening? Students spend 20 percent of all school related hours just listening. If television watching and one-half of conversations are included, students spend approximately 50 percent of their waking hours just listening. For those hours spent in the classroom, the amount of listening time can be almost 100 percent. Look at your own activities, especially those related to college. Are most of your activities focused around listening, especially in the classroom? (Source: U of Washington website) Listen and Learn - Modern research has revealed that although we spend a large percentage of our time listening, only a small amount of what we have heard actually registers in our brain. The development of active listening skills has become an increasingly recognized part of study and communication skills Attentive and Critical Listening In the Classroom - Listening and Note-taking Listening Skills - Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors (here's a great quote from this site - "We were given two ears but only one mouth. This is because God knew that listening was twice as hard as talking.")
Textbook marking is another study technique. You may find that some of your tutees are hesitant to mark up their new textbooks. However, textbook marking greatly increases recall. Here are some suggestions:
A word of caution here - your tutee should not be using this technique on everything he/she reads. Highlighting everything in pink only makes everything pink - it does not make it more understandable or make it stand out. If textbook marking is to be used successfully, it should be used with discretion, and then only after an entire section is read. Only main topic areas, vocabulary words, and items of emphasis should be noted. Along with note-taking, successful students learn ways to increase their ability to remember. If your tutees complain of not being able to remember what they have studied, here is a suggestion: Mnemonics (Memory-Aiding Devices) What type of study environment does your tutee use? Is he/she studying in the living room with the television on and two children at his/her feet fighting for control of the remote? If this scenario sounds familiar to him/her, or you find that he/she is trying to study (maybe even thinking he/she is studying) while also interacting with friends (in the campus center, during a child's soccer game, etc.), make the case for establishing a unique study place free from visual and auditory distractions. Preferably, this place should have all the necessary supplies at hand (dictionary, highlighter etc). How often and how long is your tutee studying? Some students try to cram everything into a 3-hour study marathon. This does not work. The mind tends to remember the first and the last items covered while forgetting the middle. Had the student studied 30 minutes over a period of 6 days, he/she would have remembered more with less repetition. If you study for longer periods, take 10- minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes. You will soon learn your frustration level. When you are studying and feel frustrated, take a brief break. When you start back studying, your mind will have cleared away those emotions. (See also Time Management below). Associate new material with things you already know. You can also associate
facts to images. This helps to make the information meaningful and aids
in the organization and structure of the material. The more organized
the One of the most successful ways to memorize information is to use mnemonics. Mnemonics are devices (usually rhymes or formulas) used to aid memory. For example, to remember the names of the Great Lakes, students use the first letter of each lake to spell HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). If you visualize summer homes on a lake, you make this association even stronger. Modeling the use of mnemonic devices greatly increases the likelihood of your tutee using this technique. Live a Healthy Life It is also very important to exercise, eat a well balanced diet, and drink plenty of water. Along with this, you should avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeine. Also, GET PLENTY OF SLEEP (did you know lack of sleep and/or lack of quality sleep is as detrimental as being drunk or on drugs?). Surely you've heard the saying, "Work smarter, not harder". Time management allows you to do this. Students with poor time management will have problems turning in assignments on time, always seem to be running late, and are generally disorganized. Students who tend to be perfectionists also suffer from poor time management skills. They tend to be a bit more organized, but find it hard to focus on the big picture. For some perfectionists, if they can't do it "perfectly", then it's no use doing it at all. The following are some suggestions for helping your tutee overcome time management obstacles:
Here is a link if your student is having time management problems:
College Lifestyle Assessment Test taking isn't fun for anyone, but for those with test anxiety or problems with the above mentioned study skills, taking tests may be an even greater obstacle to overcome. Here are some general test taking guidelines:
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| Online Learning What is online learning? Distance learning is an evolving new form of learning based on interaction with faculty, students, and resources such as books, journals, experts and other electronic sources. What makes it new is the fact that these interactions can occur an any time or in any place. SCC offers online courses through its Learning Technologies department. Tutoring is available for students enrolled in online courses at SCC. The Internet became a reality in December of 1969 and its growth has
been phenomenal. You can trace the history of the Internet by looking
at the Internet timeline. There are also sites devoted to teaching students how to do research on the web. Internet terms are something you should become familiar with . As a student who will be using the Internet for research, it is essential that you learn to start Thinking Critically about world wide web sites. |
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| Group Tutoring Ugh! There's more than one! As a new tutor, facing the prospect of group tutoring may be somewhat daunting. Often, however, tutors find that group tutoring offers a lot of advantages over one-on-one tutoring. Students' own work, memory and understanding is validated and reinforced when they are able to help others. Here are some suggestions to help group sessions go smoothly:
The more you experience tutoring, the easier it will become to facilitate
group tutoring effectively. Remember, we do not expect you to know EVERY
answer to every possible question. We understand that tutoring may be
new to you and thus, we expect an adjustment period. The first few group
sessions may be a little rocky. If you need any help in finding better
ways to facilitate groups, or find that you are more comfortable one-on-one
or with just a couple of people at a time, please let the ASL Coordinator
know. We are here to help you. |
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| Tutoring Scenarios and
Potential Problems Regardless of preparation, there may still be occasional problems. On this page, we have listed some common problems and given you suggestions for handling them. Tutee Comments: My assignment is due tomorrow. Will you help me? I've already done my homework. I just need you to check it for me. I have class (or work) during the times you're tutoring. Can't you meet with me some other time? I've written this paper that I have to give in Spanish to my class. Will you help me? This instructor is really crazy. She won't even listen to reason. I think she's out to get me. I can't take it anymore. I'm dropping out. "My assignment is due tomorrow. Will l you help me?" TUTOR RESPONSE: "Let's take a look at the type of problem you have. We'll work on something similar, so that you'll be able to do the assignment." Remember: It is not your job to do students' homework assignments. If you do, the students will not learn how to do the work on their own. Waiting until the last minute to do assignments may also be a sign of poor time management skills. Model time management behavior in your sessions.
"I've already done my homework. I just need you to check it for me." TUTOR RESPONSE: "Well, you know, we don't proofread assignments. But, I'll tell you what I can do. If you'll show me the areas you're worried about, we'll discuss those problems in general and take a look at your book. Then, you can check your homework." Remember: It is not your job to make sure that everything a tutee turns in is perfect. Helping students with specific homework problems is not what you were hired to do. Review similar homework problems and help the student develop the critical thinking skills necessary to do his/her homework assignment independently. Tutees must learn how to check their own work and how to have confidence in the answers they give. If they can do this, they will:
"I've written this paper that I have to give in Spanish to my class. Will you help me?" (Translation: "I did get it written in English, but I can't write it in Spanish. Will you do the translation for me?") TUTOR RESPONSE: "You've gotten off to a good start. You have the paper written. Do as much of the translation as you can. I can't help you with that. But, once you've done as much as you can, right or wrong, then I'll see what type of problems you're having. We'll work on those areas. Then, you can go back and finish your paper." Remember: It's not your job to do students' assignments. You cannot be with the student forever. They need to learn how to do work on their own.
"I have class (or work) during the times you're tutoring. Can't you meet with me some other time?" TUTOR RESPONSE: "I'm sorry. We're only budgeted for a certain amount of time and money." Remember: Nothing is ever perfect. Our hours are based on availability of tutors and money. We cannot be all things to all people. This is not your fault.
"Come on. I'm your friend. Help me out here. I need you. I can't come during your scheduled times. Can't you make an exception for me?" TUTOR RESPONSE(s): "I know how tough it is. With my classes and work, I rarely have any spare time either." "Have you considered forming a study group with others in your class?" "Have you checked to see what your instructor's office hours are?" Remember: It's really hard to say no - especially to someone who considers you a friend. Although it is difficult, saying no will help the tutee take responsibility for his/her own learning. You should not be the sole resource for your tutee.
"This instructor is really crazy. She won't even listen to reason. I think she's out to get me." TUTOR RESPONSE: "Sounds like you're having a bad time. I'm sorry you're finding it difficult to succeed in this class. Perhaps you could show me some of the problems you are having difficulty understanding. I may be able to help clarify them for you. We may also need to review how you are studying for this class. You may have to invest more study time so that lectures are more meaningful and less stressful." Remember: Regardless of how an instructor is performing, it will not help the student by complaining with them. The student will still have to find a way to understand the material and pass the course. Avoid talking about instructors. Students sometimes use this as an excuse for doing poorly. The more you help them find ways to learn effectively, the less dependent they will be on learning ALL the material through lectures and class time. (Also, remember that anything you say about the instructor will get back to that instructor, which will reflect negatively on the ASL.)
"I can't take it anymore. I'm dropping out." TUTOR RESPONSE: "I'm sorry to hear that. Before
you make any decisions, why don't you talk to one of the counselors
in the Counseling Office? They may be able to help you find another
alternative." Remember, the student may be having family problems,
emotional problems, or something other than academic problems that are
contributing to his/her feelings of hopelessness. If so, this situation
is beyond your job scope. Please make a referral to someone with more
training. |
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| Rules/Protocols
General Guidelines
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| Diversity/Confidentiality Diversity Talk about Different... When tutoring, you will find yourself with many tutees that are different from you. Perhaps they have a learning disability, are of a different race or religion, or perhaps just a different gender. What if they are not as intelligent as you, or maybe not as wealthy as you? What effect does this have on your tutoring sessions? We'd like to say that differences would have no effect on your session
and hopefully, this will be the case. If it isn't, however, differences
can be overcome by using some of the following:
Confidentiality
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When you complete this test, print it out, provide your name, tutoring subject and e-mail address at the top and turn it in to Ms. High. |
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