I agree with you that it is unfair, and maybe even unethical, to offer special services to one distinct group. I wouldn't do it. Freshmen or First Year Students are dependent on us to show them what to study, when to study, and how to study. The goal of tutoring is to help these students become independent learners.
Offering high quality tutoring to first and second year students is predicated on the belief (or wish) that as a student moves from freshman to sophomore and sophomore to junior, he/she transfers skills and knowledge learned at the lower level to the upper level. The interesting twist to this premise is that many students do not follow the suggested course plan, creating a class makeup of all classifications (freshman to senior) in introductory classes across the board.
I understand the concern regarding limited staff and offering what you cannot provide. Two suggestions:
1) If you have tutors on staff who can provide the upper-level assistance, you should promote this. It will, as Karyn Schulz indicated, bring you more business and keep the tutors constantly busy, thus creating a vibrant tutoring center.
2) Provide a Tutor Request Form for students to complete when you don’t have a qualified tutor on staff. After you begin to get a number of written requests for the same class, you'll have great data to show the need to hire more tutors. :)
Sara Weertz
Director, Supplemental Instruction
Angelo State University
Member, Texas Tech University System
ASU Station #10915
San Angelo, TX 76909
(325) 942-2710 X-387
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-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Heather Sherman
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tutoring students with disabilities--same limits as all students?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your feedback. I wrestle with providing additional tutoring for just one group of students, and not the rest of the student body. Isn't that somehow unfair? Or, does it constitute "a reasonable accomodation?"
Philosophically speaking, I've been charged to provide students with the highest support for introductory courses and gradually reduce support as students move into higher level courses. At this time, it's feasible to help the 2-3 students who want support in the higher level courses, but we don't have the resources to provide that same level of service to every student that may need/want tutoring in their upper-division courses. The question becomes: does a student's disability designation alone warrant additional tutoring that is not available to other students?
Heather
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Kitcey" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:28:28 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: Tutoring students with disabilities--same limits as all students?
Hi Karyn,
Unless I misunderstood Laura's email, she stated that Disability Services not the student paid for this tutoring.
Barb
-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karyn Schulz
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tutoring students with disabilities--same limits as all students?
HI all
I'm not sure if charging DSS students is legal. If there is tutoring available to the general population, or can be, then it should be open to the general population. Limiting tutoring to only 100-200 level courses may be for fiscal reasons, but if you have tutors who can tutor higher-level courses, then why not? I've coordinated tutoring and work in a DSS office and wouldn't agree with a tutoring center about charging DSS students for services that are typically free for others (or would be if readily available).
Your concerns are understandable but you ask if providing this tutoring is in the best interest of the center and is it sustainable. Yes, it is in the best interest of the center since it provides a needed services for students (and others can use) and it can be made sustainable via continued use of your center. If tutors are idle, this may be a way to increase their services to students, and not just the ones with disabilities. I know we are all facing economic decisions but this seems unfair to these students.
Just my opinion...
Karyn Schulz, Ed.D.
Director, Disability Support Services
University of Baltimore
(410) 837-4775
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-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Symons
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tutoring students with disabilities--same limits as all students?
Hello,
We have resolved this issue by agreement with Disabilities Services. We provide the tutoring and Disabilities Services pays for it.
Laura Symons
Coordinator of the Learning Center
Piedmont Virginia Community College
501 College Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22902-7589
434.961.5310 (o)
434.961.8232 (f)
www.pvcc.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Heather Sherman
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Tutoring students with disabilities--same limits as all students?
Hello all,
We are a small, private institution, and our tutoring center only supports specific courses, mostly introductory(100 and 200 level) courses. In addition to tutoring all current students, we also work closely with our Disability Services department and provide note taking, and reader/scribe services, and tutoring accommodations. Our disability services department does not do any tutoring. Our tutoring "accommodation" is most often additional tutoring or 1:1 tutoring, but it is limited to the courses that we support for all students.
Lately, I've had a handful of students registered with Disability services who have requested tutoring for higher level courses (beyond 200), and I'm trying to decide how to handle this. Currently, I have tutors who are qualified and capable of tutoring the higher level courses, and I want to help these students, yet I'm not sure if this approach is sustainable or "best" for the center.
I'm interested if anyone has a similar situation, and how you handle it at your institution.
Thank you,
Heather
--
Heather (Sherman) Maynard
Franklin University
Student Learning Center
Academic Support Coordinator
[log in to unmask]
614-947-6811
1-866-341-6206
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Heather (Sherman) Maynard
Franklin University
Student Learning Center
Academic Support Coordinator
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614-947-6811
1-866-341-6206
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