theory and practice of peer tutoring tutor session cycle tutor dos and don’ts
TRANSCRIPT
Jennifer ZimmermanAssistant Director
Academic Resource CenterMercer University
http://faculty.mercer.edu
Welcome
TaskBreakout
SolutionProcess
ConceptReview
Next Step
Identify
Prompt
Assure
Confirm
Comfortablein
Tutor Roles
StrongInterpersonal
Skills
SubjectMatter
Expertise
PersonalCommitment
Authority
Model
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Welcome• IDENTIFY
Name and area of expertise
•PROMPTTutee’s name and expectations
•ASSURESession guidelines
•CONFIRMInterest in helping
Task Breakout• IDENTIFY
Task
•PROMPTBreakout into steps
•ASSUREEach step small enough to solve
•CONFIRMSteps head in the right direction
Solution Process• IDENTIFY
Method
•PROMPTApplication to problem
•ASSURECorrect process and results
•CONFIRMSummary of process
Concept Review• IDENTIFY
Underlying concept
•PROMPTHow concept relates to method
•ASSUREBroader connections to be made
•CONFIRMAbility to repeat process
Next Step• IDENTIFY
Next step
•PROMPTResources required
•ASSUREAvailability of further tutoring
•CONFIRMTentative plan for next step
•IDENTIFYComfortable in tutor roles
•PROMPTStrong interpersonal skills
•ASSURESubject matter expertise
•CONFIRMPersonal commitment
Welcome
TaskBreakout
SolutionProcess
ConceptReview
Next Step
Identify
Prompt
Assure
Confirm
Comfortablein
Tutor Roles
StrongInterpersonal
Skills
SubjectMatter
Expertise
PersonalCommitment
Authority
Model
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Training Modules Policies and procedures Tutoring ethics Multicultural issues Special populations Learning styles Time management Test-taking Coping with anxiety Critical thinking/Bloom’s
taxonomy/questioning techniques
Goal setting (helping tutees gain perspective)
Motivation and active learning Research techniques,
secondary sources and evaluating websites
Professional courtesy Active listening and
paraphrasing Speaking and presentation
skills Assembling a discipline-
specific referral guide with fellow tutors
Discipline-specific standards, problem solving, note-taking, concept mapping and other content-oriented study strategies
Comfortable in Tutor Roles
Tutor session authority
Model student
Guide to
Guardian of the “bigger picture”
Coach
Policies and proceduresTutoring ethicsMulticultural issuesSpecial populations
Comfortable in Tutor Roles
Tutor session authority
Model student
Guide to
Guardian of the “bigger picture”
Coach
Learning stylesTime managementTest-takingCoping with anxiety
Comfortable in Tutor Roles
Tutor session authority
Model student
Guide
Guardian of the “bigger picture”
Coach
Discipline-specific standards, problem solving, note-taking, concept mapping and other content-oriented study strategies
Comfortable in Tutor Roles
Tutor session authority
Model student
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Critical thinking/Bloom’s taxonomy/questioning techniques
Goal setting (helping tutees gain perspective)
Comfortable in Tutor Roles
Tutor session authority
Model student
Guide
Guardian of the “bigger picture”
Coach
Motivation and active learningResearch techniques, secondary
sources and evaluating websites
Welcome
TaskBreakout
SolutionProcess
ConceptReview
Next Step
Identify
Prompt
Assure
Confirm
Comfortablein
Tutor Roles
StrongInterpersonal
Skills
SubjectMatter
Expertise
PersonalCommitment
Authority
Model
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Strong Interpersonal Skills
Welcoming Professional courtesy
Projecting measured self-confidence Good communication
Active listening and paraphrasingSpeaking and presentation skills
Encouraging Empowering
Welcome
TaskBreakout
SolutionProcess
ConceptReview
Next Step
Identify
Prompt
Assure
Confirm
Comfortablein
Tutor Roles
StrongInterpersonal
Skills
SubjectMatter
Expertise
PersonalCommitment
Authority
Model
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Subject Matter Expertise
Well-defined competencies Trained to recognize academic
standards Trusts own judgment and seeks
assistance when needed Strives to illuminate relevant concepts Familiar with discipline-specific
support network
Subject Matter Expertise
Well-defined competencies Trained to recognize academic
standards Trusts own judgment and seeks
assistance when needed Strives to illuminate relevant concepts Familiar with discipline-specific
support network
Discipline-specific standards, problem solving, note-taking, concept mapping and other content-oriented study strategies
Subject Matter Expertise
Well-defined competencies Trained to recognize academic
standards Trusts own judgment and seeks
assistance when needed Strives to illuminate relevant concepts Familiar with discipline-specific
support networkAssembling a discipline-specific referral
guide with fellow tutors
Welcome
TaskBreakout
SolutionProcess
ConceptReview
Next Step
Identify
Prompt
Assure
Confirm
Comfortablein
Tutor Roles
StrongInterpersonal
Skills
SubjectMatter
Expertise
PersonalCommitment
Authority
Model
Guide
Mentor
Coach
Personal Commitment
Friendly and equally respectful toward all tutees
Concerned for tutee’s individual success
Thorough, patient and open-minded Mindful of tutee’s long as well as
short term goals Enthusiastic and persistent
Training Modules Policies and procedures Tutoring ethics Multicultural issues Special populations Learning styles Time management Test-taking Coping with anxiety Critical thinking/Bloom’s
taxonomy/questioning techniques
Goal setting (helping tutees gain perspective)
Motivation and active learning Research techniques,
secondary sources and evaluating websites
Professional courtesy Active listening and
paraphrasing Speaking and presentation
skills Assembling a discipline-
specific referral guide with fellow tutors
Discipline-specific standards, problem solving, note-taking, concept mapping and other content-oriented study strategies
How Understanding Your Roles As
Authority, Model, Guide, Mentor and Coach
Will Help You Manage the Session Cycle
Welcome
Take charge of setting a positive tone
Clear your headput all other work aside immediately focus on making your tutee feel important
Greet your tutee eagerly speak franklysmileadopt a friendly manner
Ask your tutee to briefly describe his or her primary goal for the session
Welcome
Acknowledge and ease your tutee’s fears
Offer sincere praise for what your tutee has accomplished
Empathize with his difficulties Confirm that asking for help is the “Mercer
Way”suggest a variety of ways to ask for help share the situations and ways you have asked
for help
Welcome
Maintain a patient and respectful posture and tone of voice let your tutee do most of the talking focus your mind on listening instead of judging
Build your tutee’s confidencediscover your tutee’s strengths encourage your tutee to see herself as having
the “right stuff” to succeed academically insist that your tutee take the credit for her
own learning transformations
Welcome
Engage your tutee by being a good listenermake eye contact wait for the tutee to finish a thought before
jumping in
Monitor your tutee's responses to the sessionwatch for symptoms of confusion, boredom or
distractionchange your approach based on your tutee’s
responses
Welcome
Don't condescend Don’t be afraid to make mistakes Don't expose confidences Don’t blame professors or others
Do demonstrate your reliability and interest
Task Breakout
Review tutee’s work (writing, homework problems, etc.)
In order to help your tutee focus and relax, suggest that he or shewrite out a list of questions create a short outline for the task at hand
Keep your written review notes brief Begin your discussion by praising
something about the work you reviewed
Task Breakout
Model clear thinkingbe prepared for the lab session take time with each tutee to gather your
thoughts
Model strategic thinking and learning share a wide range of strategies explain that developing effective strategies
leads to independencebuild on the skills and strategies that the tutee
is already using
Task Breakout
Explore analytic methodsprogress from the concrete to the semi-concrete to the abstract
sequence processes by isolating and ordering steps and/or stages
separate out writing tasks1.ideas/argument/thesis 2.structure/logic 3.individual paragraphs4.syntax and grammar
Task Breakout
Prioritize the goals for the session based on the appropriate analytic method
When your tutee’s goals “put the cart before the horse”be diplomatic about addressing your goals firstexplain how your priority goals inform your
tutee’s goals
If your agendas won’t jibe, set aside time to address your tutee’s goals
Task Breakout
Don't dismiss your tutee’s goals Don’t go off on tangents Don’t plow ahead without outlining
where you plan to go in the session
Do find out where your tutee is starting from
Solution Process
Go back to basics Focus on critical vocabulary Consider learning styles
yours versus your tutee’salways share information via multiple channels
Indulge your creativity Test your own flexibility
allow yourself to make mistakesbe honest about your mistakes
Solution Process
Guide tutee’s critique of his study skills Review tutee’s class or reading notes
selectivity organization
Inquire about tutee’s attendance at Supplemental Instruction sessions and/or study groups
Check whether tutee meets with his professor during office hours
Solution Process
Experiment with tutoring methods recommended by othersattend discipline specific tutor trainingconsult with other tutors (maintaining
confidentiality all around)consult outside references (texts and the web)
Encourage tutee to take advantage of outside resources when discipline specific progress is slowed by other deficiencies
Solution Process
Don't do the work for the tutee Don’t give out the answers Don't hold the pencil Don’t talk too much or too soon Don’t “show off” using shortcuts or
advanced techniques
Do confirm that your tutee can summarize the solution in his own words
Concept Review
Ask tutee to work new problems that require applying the same concepts and methods
Suggest a variety of ways the student might practice and apply what she is learning
Apply questioning techniques Ask tutee to explore conceptual
connections, e.g. by drawing a concept map or an illustration
Concept Review
Don't underestimate the importance of this stage
Don’t allow yourself to dominate the discussion at this point
Don't confuse concept review with teaching
Do listen patiently and offer even more encouragement
Next Step
Identify the progress made during your session
Ask your tutee to summarize what she accomplished
Ask your tutee if she has any questions respond to the questions (if there is time) suggest ways to find answers to open
questions
Next Step
Ask your tutee what her plan is for completing the task begun during the session
Highlight one learning strategy reviewed during the session and suggest how your tutee might apply it elsewhere