Susie,
The handout was included in the e-mail message. Did you receive it?
>>> Susan H. Merrill <[log in to unmask]> 08/25/97 10:51am >>>
Karen,
I would also be interested in obtaining a faxed copy of your handout.
Thanks,
Susie Merrill, Academic Services Coordinator
Student Support Services
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82071
Fax # (307)766-4010
Work# (307)766-6189
>----------
>From: KAREN WOODWARD[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, August 25, 1997 9:42 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Tutoring Policy/Tutor Training
>
>Dear LRNASST colleagues:
>
>In light of the OVERWHELMING RESPONSE for me to fax copies of the
>tutor handout we use on our Tutoring Policy. For all of you who kindly
>sent me your fax numbers...hopefully the following will work for you.
It's
>nothing fancy, but it outlines some of the major points we go over
during
>our initial training sessions with our tutors. This is only the introduction
>to
>the academic portion of the training. We also do a lot of work with
>personal boundaries (i.e., how NOT to counsel students), instructional
>strategies for LD and ESL students, learning styles (we need to know
>who we are before we can understand what they bring...),
>supplemental instruction, record keeping, office policies and politics,
>campus climate, etc. The bullets and tab markings are omitted for
>purposes of e-mail transfer. Please let me know if you have any
>suggestions!
>
>Karen Woodward, Director
>Student Support Services (SSS)/TRIO Program
>Century College (formerly Lakewood CC/NMTC)
>3300 Century Ave. North
>White Bear Lake, MN 55110
>Phone: (612) 779-3247
>Fax: (612) 779-3949
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
>Tutor Training (Handbook Excerpt)
>
>Introduction
>
>Student Support Services is a federally funded program to help
students
>increase their retention in and graduation from college. Because the
>students accepted into SS must meet certain criteria, you will be
working
>with students who have a wide variety of needs. It is our hope that,
>through this training session, you will become familiar with the needs of
>these students and our expectations of you as a tutor. You are joining
a
>team, and the rest of the SSS staff sees you as an integral part of the
>support network that helps our students succeed. You will probably
>meet with some students on a weekly basis and may in fact, be the
>primary contact students have with SSS. It is crucial, therefore, that
>these tutoring sessions be rewarding and beneficial for our students
and
>for you as a tutor.
>
>Please recognize that neither this manual nor our training session can
>address every situation that will arise. Feel free to ask questions of
any
>staff member when you have concerns. Our students# success is a
>collaborative effort to which we all contribute.
>
>First Tutoring Session
>
>Most students who seek tutoring have either done poorly in school or
are
>so uncertain of their abilities they are afraid they will do poorly. As a
>tutor, you need not differentiate between these types of students,
>because their perceptions of themselves as learners are the same. But
>you do need to recognize these students have a level of fear and a lack
>of confidence that can interfere with their learning. It is crucial,
>therefore, that your first contact with students is comfortable and
makes
>them feel at ease. It is also crucial that you explain the tutor#s role
>(your
>role) to them, because they may have unrealistic ideas about what
tutors
>do. The following are some steps to follow for the first tutoring session
>you have with a student.
>
> The first thing to do is introduce yourself. You might want to give
>them a little background information about yourself, or make some small
>talk to put them at ease.
>
> Make sure you say the student#s name, and ask if you#ve
>pronounced it correctly. Some names, particularly Southeast Asian, are
>difficult to pronounce, but it is a courtesy to learn the correct
>pronunciation. Don#t be embarrassed if you forget by the next tutoring
>session (through writing the name phonetically on the cart is a good
>idea); just ask again.
>
> Ask them questions. Lots of questions.
> What are you here to work on today?
> What difficulties have you had in the past?
> Do you have a specific assignment?
> Can you get out your assignment sheet?
> Can we look at the syllabus?
> When is the test/paper due?
> Do you have a previous paper/test from this course for us to look
>at?
>
>Obviously, you don#t have to ask all these questions, but your goal is to
>determine what the student thinks her/his needs are, what the
instructor
>(through grading) sees as the student#s needs, and where to begin
with
>the student.
>
> Explain your role as a tutor and what will happen during the
>tutoring session. For a paper, for instance, outline the steps you#ll
take.
>Here#s an example:
>
>#Okay, Chia, now we#re ready to look at your paper. What I like to do
is
>read through the paper with you. Then we will talk about it together.
We
>will probably focus on a few things today, such as your thesis and
>organization. I will help you with grammar, but I can#t fix every error.#
>
>When you say the last sentence, the students will panic. ESL students,
>in particular, believe that grammar is the only stumbling block between
>them and better grades. Without going into a huge philosophical and
>pedagogical discussion on writing, suffice it to say that fixing grammar
is
>editing. Tutors don#t edit. And editors don#t teach. We will talk about
>this
>at length later on.
>
> If you are working on writing, either read it aloud or have the
>student read it. (Many ESL students don#t like to read out loud; respect
>their discomfort and do it yourself.) If working on a science-related
>subject, focus on one or two main topics from the last in-class lecture
>the student attended.
>
> Approach the work methodically. If you are working on a math
>topic, determine if the student understands the math concepts
necessary
>to work the problems by asking questions. DO NOT BEGIN BY SIMPLY
>DOING PROBLEMS.
>
>As you begin to practice and model problem-solving techniques for a
>student, speak out loud as you work through the problems. Remember,
>your goal is to model for the students many different approaches to a
>problem, in order that the student will learn the ways to learn.
>
> Work until the session is up, but don#t go over. Remember, you
>need some time to prepare for your next session.
>
> Conclude the session by summarizing (briefly) what you have
>covered.
>
> Present the student with clear goals for the next session. For
>example:
>
>#Chia, you#ve got a good strong thesis now. Make sure you spell
check
>this and check your subject/verb agreement before you hand it in. On
>your next paper you want to be sure that each paragraph helps the
>reader understand why your thesis is valid. You#ve made a really
good
>start on this paper.#
>
> Set them up for the next appointment. If possible, walk them to
>the secretary#s desk and help them set it up. If time prohibits, stress
the
>importance of signing up today for an appointment later.
>
>TUTORING POLICY
>Reading:
> Will help with vocabulary and clarify usage#s in context.
> Will ask leading questions to prompt students to think critically
>about material.
> Will not simply paraphrase reading material, thus relieving them of
>the responsibility of completing the reading and understanding the
>writer#s main idea.
>
>Writing:
> Help students discover and express their ideas clearly and in a
>well organized manner.
>
>Help with discovery:
> How:
> Read assignment with them.
> Ask questions about requirements
> Look at other necessary sources (books, stories, articles).
> Begin brainstorming questions
> what might you write about?
> suggest ideas based on their ideas
>
>Help with strategy:
>How:
> Review assignment.
> Ask to insure students understand it
> if not, try to model it using information outside of class
> (how to set up a c/c essay, for example)
> if so, ask them about their plans for organizing
>
>Help with organization:
> Read through essay.
> Ask about how ideas are ordered.
> Suggest reorganization for clarity.
>
>Help with revision:
> Again, bigger questions:
> thesis clear?
> organization logical?
> demonstrates unity?
>
>Help with editing:
> Help students learn to identify and correct grammar and sentence
>structure errors.
> Many errors will be pointed out by asking leading questions like,
>#I#m a little confused about tense here. What seems to be the
problem?#
> Those errors the tutor must point out will be treated as
>mini-lessons. #Remember, if you begin a sentence with #if or
#although#,
>it will need to be attached to an independent clause. Or #There =
>location, Their = possessive pronoun, They#re = They are.#
> Tutors will not proofread papers and make corrections. Instead,
>we will help students learn from their errors.
> We will not supply information or ideas to students. We will model
>brainstorming and idea generating techniques frequently used by
>writers.
> We will offer not correct spelling, but will occasionally identify
>misspelled words or suggest students use spell check.
> We will direct students to other resources and encourage open
>communications with their instructors.
> We will make direct contact with instructors if we have specific
>concerns about a student#s progress (This is not an attempt to violate a
>student#s privacy; usually such contacts will be made with the
student#s
>permission. On rare occasions, a student#s needs may be so great
that
>contact with instructor regarding the specific help we give is
necessary
>to guard against the possibility a student may pass a course without
>mastering the subject matter. In other words, #squeeze by# by virtue
of
>our assistance.)
> Finally, our task is to help students with the daunting project of
>mastering written English, and we will do so with encouragement,
>genuine concern for students# progress, and a commitment to the
>guidelines above.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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