1. Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Don Baldus
Math Instructor and Math Area Learning Center Coordinator
Rochester Community and Technical College
Tutor Summit
North Hennepin CC
30 November 2007
A free service for all UCR students

2. Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Overview of Presentation
A free service for all UCR students
Rationale
Who qualifies to be ‘coached’
The coaches
Training the coaches
One-on-one sessions and tracking progress
Results – is it working?
Questions?

3. My Typical Developmental Math Class
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
My Typical Developmental Math Class
A free service for all UCR students

4. After Service Learning
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
After Service Learning
A free service for all UCR students

5. Who Qualifies to be ‘coached’?
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Who Qualifies to be ‘coached’?
A free service for all UCR students
Students in Pre-Algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, or Contemporary Concepts are eligible
Most are from my classes but I have had some participate who are not my students (average: 15-20/semester)
They must sign an agreement form and abide by the rules

6. The agreement A free service for all UCR students
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
The agreement
A free service for all UCR students
Request for a Peer Math Coach
Name:_____________________
Course and Section:_______________________________
Instructor:______________________
Previous math course and where taken:________________________________________
Grade in Previous Course:__________________________________________________
Phone and/or __________________________________________________
Indicate the times you would be available to meet with a peer coach:
Schedule Inserted Here
Rules:
Always bring your text and class hand-outs and materials to your coaching session. This includes pencil, paper, recent assignments, and calculator.
If you cannot make a scheduled session, you must notify your coach. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program. (Failure to do so twice will result in removal from the program.)
You must meet a minimum of once per week with your coach in the Learning Center.
Your coach is required to fill out a form each time you meet. You must provide them with the information they need to do this.
In selecting a coach for you, please list any thing we should be aware of or any comments you have concerning an appropriate coach for you on the back side.

7. Who Qualifies to be a coach?
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Who Qualifies to be a coach?
A free service for all UCR students
Students in my Pre-calculus class (I have used College Algebra students before.)
A few students from our other pre-calculus section (another instructor) have participated
They must sign an agreement form and abide by the rules
I have not prohibited anyone from participating but I have removed a couple for various reasons

8. Coaches Agreement A free service for all UCR students
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Coaches Agreement
A free service for all UCR students
Name:__________________________________________________
Course and Section:_________________________________
Instructor:__________________________________________________
Previous math course and where taken:_______________________________________
Grade in Previous Course:__________________________________________________
Phone and/or __________________________________________________
Indicate the times you would be available to meet with your student partner:
SCHEDULE INSERTED HERE
Rules:
You must meet with your instructor three times during the semester. Bring the progress reports to the meeting.
You must attend 3 training sessions.
Be prepared for each session with your student.
If you cannot make a scheduled session, you must notify the student you are coaching. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program. (Failure to do so twice will result in removal from the program.)
You must meet a minimum of once per week with your student in the Learning Center.
You must fill out a form each time you meet.
F:\GrantMentors\Request for Math Coach.doc

9. Coach: What do I get out of this?
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Coach: What do I get out of this?
A free service for all UCR students
A chance to help a struggling student
Sharpen your own math skills
May look good on a resume

11. Coaches can replace one exam score with their highest exam score
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Sorry – but they need more than this. After all, they are volunteering 18 hours of their time
A free service for all UCR students
Coaches can replace one exam score with their highest exam score
This includes the final exam
So if a student has an A (or a ‘satisfactory grade’) going into the Final Exam, they may choose to not take it

13. Training the Coaches – Three One Hour Sessions
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
A free service for all UCR students
Training the Coaches – Three One Hour Sessions
Session I: Introduction, Coaches Manual, How to and how not to tutor
Session II: Academic Support Services, Story problems
Session III: Story problems, Mock sessions, questions
And

14. Training the Coaches A free service for all UCR students
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Training the Coaches
A free service for all UCR students
Peer Coaches Manual for Math Mentorship
Rochester Community and Technical College
Fall Semester, 2007

15. Why do I have this program
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Training the Coaches
First Session:
Why do I have this program
What are my expectations of you (reliability, attitude, confidentiality, hygiene, respecting personal space, ‘hitting’ on someone, …)
Describe a typical coaching session
Pass out coaching manual and talk about tutoring ‘best practices’
Mock session (role playing) if time
A free service for all UCR students

16. Best Practices in Tutoring
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Best Practices in Tutoring
The person holding the pencil does the learning
Tutor’s code of ethics (from Boise State University)
Accept – don’t judge: never impose your value system on your student
Your student deserves your full attention
Perhaps the best thing you can do is to build your student’s self-confidence
A free service for all UCR students

17. Best Practices in Tutoring
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Best Practices in Tutoring
Be prepared: know what is being taught and how it is being taught
Refer to the text – show your student how to use the text
Ask one of the math specialist if you are ‘stuck’ – don’t ‘guess’ (I stress that this will happen!)
Resist the student’s efforts to just ‘get the answer’
They are participating because they have questions – don’t ask “Do you have any questions?”
A free service for all UCR students

18. Coaches are encouraged to share this information with their students
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Training the Coaches
Second Session:
Guest speaker from our Academic Support Center talks about their programs
Coaches are encouraged to share this information with their students
Review Story problems – Elementary Algebra students are at this point in their classes
Mock session (role playing) if time
A free service for all UCR students

19. Mock Coaching Sessions
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Mock Coaching Sessions
The ‘student’ is given a particular role
Examples
Failed last exam
Haven’t been attending class
Don’t understand the lesson
Haven’t been taking notes
Coach must root out this issue
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20. Feedback from Mock Session
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Feedback from Mock Session
Comments from the coached student
Comments from the audience
My comments
positions
did you see . . .
did they have . . .
did the coach establish rapport with their student
A free service for all UCR students

21. More of the same (story problems, mock sessions)
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Training the Coaches
Third Session:
More of the same (story problems, mock sessions)
Questions and Pep Talk
Is this what you were expecting? (a chance to opt out if they want)
A free service for all UCR students

22. I pair up coaches with their students: Considerations:
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Let’s get started
I pair up coaches with their students:
Considerations:
Schedules must match
I set up the first meeting – always in the Learning Center
Gender
Cautions
I let them exchange phone numbers, etc.
A free service for all UCR students

23. Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Whoa!
If at any time you are feeling uncomfortable or if your partner is behaving inappropriately, let me know and I will pull you out and pair you with someone else.
If you do not feel that your partner is fully participating – let me know and I will take appropriate action.
A free service for all UCR students

24. Weekly Progress Report
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Weekly Progress Report
IWeekly form to be filled out by Coach: Date: ________________
Coach:___________________Student:_________________________
Student attended all classes since last meeting: Yes No
Student’s class notes from this past week are organized: Yes No
Is the student up-to-date with their work: If not, what are they missing? Yes No_____________________________________
A free service for all UCR students

25. Weekly Progress Report
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Weekly Progress Report
Student is prepared for session: Yes No
Summary of the session:_________________________________
Were exams taken this past week?
Chapter(s) covered and grade: Yes No
Date of next exam:_____________________________________
Did you fill out a study plan for next week: Yes No
Make any comments below:
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26. I review the reports each week
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Weekly Sessions
I review the reports each week
I can quickly determine if I need to intervene
Students are also reminded that they can talk to me anytime about issues
A free service for all UCR students

27. Midterm Feedback Session
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Midterm Feedback Session
Meet individually with students (group if possible)
Also, I have a form for them to fill out
How many times have you met
List two negatives
List two positives
What can I do to make it a better experience?
A free service for all UCR students

28. I do not yet have quantitative data
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Is it working?
I do not yet have quantitative data
I have had students ask for the same coach next semester
I have had students volunteer to participate as coaches the following semester
A free service for all UCR students

29. Other evidence that this is a good thing!
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Other evidence that this is a good thing!
I have seen individuals students’ grades rise when they start working with a coach
Last semester an instructor said that there is no way a certain student would have passed without the coaching
A free service for all UCR students

30. Show us how to deal with ‘attitude’ I feel I am learning as well
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Coaches Comments
Show us how to deal with ‘attitude’
I feel I am learning as well
I have truly enjoyed tutoring Jane
It has been a great experience
I should volunteer more
You should meet with us during the first session
A free service for all UCR students

31. Questions? Don.baldus@roch.edu
Student Mentoring through Service Learning
Questions?
A free service for all UCR students