Tutor Training Alpha Scholars: The Tutor Role

Purpose of Course To help tutors do tutoring well To help tutors do tutoring well To help tutors learn important concepts and principles of tutoring To help tutors learn important concepts and principles of tutoring To help tutors monitor their own tutoring To help tutors monitor their own tutoring To help tutors know how to continually improve tutoring To help tutors know how to continually improve tutoring To allow tutors to hear from other tutors who have been through this process and have worked with Alpha and received Levels one and two training. To allow tutors to hear from other tutors who have been through this process and have worked with Alpha and received Levels one and two training. NOTE: It is for this reason that we encourage tutors working on level 1 to participate in the Master Tutor Training NOTE: It is for this reason that we encourage tutors working on level 1 to participate in the Master Tutor Training

Use of Textbook Ross MacDonald, The Master Tutor: A Guidebook for More Effective Tutoring Ross MacDonald, The Master Tutor: A Guidebook for More Effective Tutoring Available on loan from Alpha Scholars Program Available on loan from Alpha Scholars Program Readings should be done prior to each training session Readings should be done prior to each training session Exercises involving tutoring situations Exercises involving tutoring situations

Components of Effective Tutoring Your commitment + your knowledge about subject + your interpersonal skills + tutor training = effective tutoring decisions

HOW ABOUT A QUIZ? What do you think about the tutor’s role? What do you think about the tutor’s role? QUIZ! QUIZ!

DISCUSSION What is the tutor’s role? What is the tutor’s role? Let’s review the quiz. Let’s review the quiz.

Assess your Knowledge  It’s my role to help my students with whatever they need help with. Ans. : False  If a tutee I work with doesn’t get the information, then I am responsible. Ans. : False  I know that I will encounter some students who have no motivation. Ans. : False

Assess Your Knowledge, cont.  If I feel that I have been assigned to work with a student whose needs are beyond my ability to help, then I should tell my supervisor right away. Ans. : True  At the beginning of every tutoring session, the tutee and I should plan the session and set an agenda for it, even if that takes two or three minutes. Ans. : True

Assess Your Knowledge, cont.  I would expect that in tutoring sessions, tutees should do more explaining than their tutors. Ans. : True  It’s critically important that I praise my tutees liberally. Ans. : True  Providing clear and accurate explanations to the tutee is at the heart of my best tutoring. Ans. : True

Assess Your Knowledge, cont.  Asking good questions is at the heart of my best tutoring. Ans.: False  Compared to me, at least some of the students I work with are likely to have very different attitudes toward school and the subjects I tutor. Ans. : True  It’s important for me to trust my perceptions. Ans. : False

Assess Your Knowledge, cont.  My students must learn standard English and I should teach them. Ans. : False

Application: Case Study Sandra, a writing tutor, lives in an on-campus dorm. Most of her friends live on the same floor and all know she tutors for Alpha. One friend, in particular, Jane feels insecure about her writing. At 11:00 p.m. on evening, Jane taps on Sandra’s door, draft of an assigned essay in her hand. Jane says, “Sandra! This essay is due at 9 am tomorrow and I need you to edit it for me. Can you just slip it under my door when you’re done? I need sleep.”

Case Study, continued This is the third time Jane has made such a request of Sandra. The first two times, Sandra helped Jane by going over the essay with her. On each occasion they worked together until the early hours of the morning. Sandra is tired and feeling imposed upon, but wants to continue her friendship with Jane.

Questions What is the problem? What is the problem? What should Sandra do about this? What should Sandra do about this?

Next Week! What is a tutor? What is a tutor?