2. Tutors Like to Help
As much as tutors like helping people, they must learn when and how
to provide help as well as what kind of help to provide.
3. What is Tutoring?
Congratulations! You’ve been hired to tutor. You let
someone know- a friend, family, a professor. Then
comes a question: “What will you be doing?”
Good question! What will you be doing?
4. Discussion Board Post
Create a list of things that a tutor does while
tutoring. From that list, create a one-sentence
definition of tutoring.
Respond to the posted questions on the BB
discussion board and post your answers under
Teaching v. Tutoring Exercise One.
5. Tutoring Definition
Let’s consider this definition:
Tutoring is responding to questions about lessons
already taught.
What does this definition tell us about what happens in
tutoring?
• When does tutoring happen?
• What does “responding” mean?
Respond to the posted questions on the BB discussion board
and post your answers under Teaching v. Tutoring Exercise
Two.
6. Tutoring Definition
By responding to questions about lessons already taught,
tutors understand that students, whom we call “tutees”,
must attend class in order to receive tutoring.
Responding to questions does not necessarily mean
supplying “only” the answers. Most often, it means the
tutor serves as one resource out of many, including: class
notes, textbooks, syllabi, and instructors; to help the tutee
discover information. In a tutorial, a tutor responds to
questions by (re)directing the student to other resources
so that the tutee learns how to answer his/her own
questions.
7. Tutoring Definition Example
Tutee: “How do you conjugate the verb ser?”
Tutor: “Have you checked the irregular verbs section of your
textbook’s appendix? Usually, you can find that kind of information
there. Why don’t you check there now.”
In this example, the tutor refers the tutee to another resource that he
or she should have available. Doing this makes the tutee aware of
the resource and provides additional information about the
appendices that the tutee might not already have. By having the
tutee look for the information, the tutor also helps the tutee to
practice using another resource in addition to finding the answer to
the tutee’s question. The more that the tutor does, the less likely that
the tutee will learn.
Look for information Practice using resources Support finding answer(s) Know the recipe for
next time
8. Tutoring vs. Teaching
Responsibilities
Tutors and instructors are not adversaries;
tutors supplement the work that instructors
do in the classroom by reinforcing what has
been taught and letting students practice
what they have learned.
9. Discussion Board Post
• Create two lists. In one write the responsibilities
that instructors have and in the other, write the
responsibilities that tutors have.
Respond to the posted questions on the BB discussion
board and post your answers under Teaching v.
Tutoring Exercise Three.
10. Instructor Responsibilities
Instructors
• Introduce and teach material to
students.
• Provide feedback through
assignments, quizzes, tests, and
grades.
• Establish lesson plans, subjects,
and the order in which subjects
are taught, creating learning
objectives for the course.
• Can assist students with
homework, editing, and
proofreading work that the
instructors assign.
11. Tutor Responsibilities
Tutors:
• Respond to questions about lessons already taught.
• Do not assign grades and therefore cannot predict
grades or advise a student whether to stay in the class.
• Use questioning, referral, and redirection to guide
students toward successful ways of learning the
material taught in class.
• Help students learn how to learn rather than doing or
assisting students with their homework, papers, or
other assignments.
12. Tutor Responsibilities
Tutors
• Do not get involved in instructor-student matters.
• Limit themselves to guiding the student, rather than
doing the student’s work.
• Maintain the highest academic standards, including
adhering to the Student Code of Conduct, to avoid
cheating and to protect the reputation of the Student
Success Centers (SSC).
13. The Pressure to Do
Homework
As a tutor you represent the department’s tutoring program, it
is vital that tutors adhere to established policies. The three
situations that follow (doing homework, predicting grades, and
making derogatory comments about faculty) can lead to
termination.
1. Tutors cannot do homework, assignments, or take-home tests
(including correcting returned tests); proofread; or edit.
2. Students wanting tutors to work on their homework is the
most frequent problem that tutors encounter. While it sounds
simplistic, the best way to deal with it is not to address it. If a
Most tutee wants to work on his or her assignment, that is fine.
Frequent Keep referring to sample or similar problems that you use to
explain the concept and then have the tutee work on the actual
problem.
14. The Pressure to Do
Homework
Instead of grading the completed
work for the tutee, show him or her
how to check it himself or herself.
For example, you do not want to
point out, “Here you added when
you should have subtracted.”
Instead, point out the type of
problem: “A lot of times, people do
the steps right but overlook the
plus or minus signs, or multiply
instead of dividing. Why don’t you
check each step to be sure that you
added or subtracted in the right
places.” This not only keeps you
from doing a tutee’s work, but it
also helps him or her learn how to
check work to be sure that it’s
correct.
15. How to Avoid Predicting
Grades
3. Tutors cannot predict grades. If a tutor’s guess at a grade
does not correspond with the actual grade, especially if the
tutor’s guess is higher, the tutee almost always will go to the
instructor with some version of “My tutor said…” At the
least, this causes tension and at times even anger because
grades so clearly lie outside the tutoring realm. Only an
instructor has the right to determine a student’s grade in his
or her class; tutors never do.
16. How to Avoid Predicting
Grades
If a student wants your opinion such as, “Do you think I
can get an A on the test?” or “I’ve failed every test. Do
you think I should withdraw?”, you can try to be
encouraging without giving an answer that you simply
do not have:
• “I don’t know. Have you spoken with the instructor?” (You
also can refer students to their advisors).
• “How do you think you’ll do? Do you feel as though you’ve
prepared everything?” Sometimes, students just want
encouragement. Instead of telling them that they’re ready,
ask them if they think they’re ready.
• “I can’t say because I don’t do the grading, but I hope that
you do well.” You hope that they’ll do well. You don’t know,
so don’t say, “I think you’ll do well”.
17. Discussions about
Instructors
Tutors may not make or agree with derogatory comments
about an instructor.
Usually, this happens for one of two reasons:
1. The student just got a bad grade for a test or assignment
and is angry or frustrated.
2. The student’s learning preferences and the instructor’s
teaching style conflict. You often can tell if this is the
problem by the student’s comments, which often include
talking about the instructor’s being boring; not letting
students talk or do anything; or never using charts, graphs,
pictures, or video. We’ll look at this more in the third unit.
18. Discussions about
Instructors
Sometimes, for whatever reason you
have as a student, you might agree with
a tutee. As an employee of the SSC, you
still may not engage in negative
discussion about faculty, even after
you’ve clocked out (so, “I’ll tell you
later” is not an option).
Instead of agreeing with a tutee,
acknowledge that he or she is frustrated
and then focus on the material: “I’m
sorry that you feel this way. Let’s see if it
helps to work on what you’ve been
studying.”
19. Discussions about
Instructors
You may be asked about which instructor to take for a
course; as “near peers” (students with a bit more standing
and perceived authority because of your tutoring positions),
you will be seen by some tutees as unofficial advisors.
If this happens, leave your opinion out, good, bad, or
indifferent. Tell the tutee, if you know, what the class is like.
Again, not whether you like the teaching style, but factual
information about the class:
• “She expects students to participate in class discussions.”
• “He relies on 1-2 pop quizzes a week.”
• “He lectures and leaves the last 10 minutes of class for
questions.”
20. Tutoring Guidelines
In tutoring, we can expect certain things to happen
whether we’re the tutor or the tutee.
Each tutoring session, regardless of its length, has a
cycle: beginning, a middle, and an end. Most of a
tutoring session will focus on the middle, the part in
which the actual tutoring takes place, but the
beginning and end also are important to a successful
session as well as to the sessions that follow.
21.
22. Discussion Board Post
DB Post Four:
List in order the steps that occur at the beginning of a
student’s first session with a tutor.
DB Post Five:
Explain what to do in the following ending situations:
You and the tutee finish the material that the tutee wanted to
cover.
Your shift ends but the tutee still needs help.
Respond to the posted questions on the BB discussion board and
post your answers under Teaching v. Tutoring Exercises 4 & 5.
23. Beginning a Tutoring
Session
Say hello and introduce yourself. This means being
attentive to what’s going on around you so that a
tutee does not feel as though he or she is intruding,
which is why you cannot use ear-bud devices or cell
phones at work.
Offer to shake hands. Adults in many societies do
this when they first meet. This sets a professional
tone, which can be especially important when
working in someone’s home, which we do when we
work in the residence halls, even though we’re in
public areas and never tutor in a student’s room.
24. Beginning a Tutoring
Session
Please note: Not all cultures engage in handshaking.
If someone doesn’t take your hand when you offer it,
move past the moment without calling attention to it.
If you belong to a culture that doesn’t engage in
shaking hands and someone offers you his or her
hand, explain that, briefly (for example, “I’m sorry,
but I do not shake hands”), so that person knows
you’re not being rude to him or her but it’s your
personal preference.
25. Beginning a Tutoring
Session
Next, ask what the person wants to discuss. For example:
• “What may I help you with today?”
• “What are you studying?”
Ask to see books, notes, and the syllabus as needed to begin the
session.
If pertinent, ask about how much time the tutee usually has to
study for the course, if he or she goes to class, and if he or she
has been keeping up. Usually, you ask this only after some kind
of admission that the tutee does not know what is going on in
the class or has not gone to class.
This step takes very little time, usually less than a minute, but it
acknowledges that you’re working with a person, not just a
subject, and it lets you and the tutee decide what you need to
focus on together during the session.
26. Middle of Tutoring
Sessions
This stage consists of the bulk of your
tutoring. It’s where you and the tutee
focus on the material, practicing it, using
other resources so that the tutee can learn
how to address material alone, and
discussing it.
If homework is involved, only the tutee
does it. The tutor can model similar
examples, going step-by-step through the
examples, but only the tutee may do the
homework, quiz, test, or any other work
that he or she may bring in.
We’ll be examining techniques that tutors
use in the middle part of tutoring
throughout training.
27. Ending a Tutoring Session
You and the tutee have covered what you need to
and it’s time to wrap up the session. Since tutoring is
an ongoing process, including the following steps to
conclude a session reinforces what the tutee has done
and encourages him or her to return.
28. Ending a Tutoring Session
Have the tutee explain or
demonstrate again what you’ve
worked on during the session.
This step allows you one last check
to be sure that you and the tutee
covered everything correctly.
Using the subject we instead of you
allows the tutee to be less self-
conscious if he or she is uncertain
about something.
Having the tutee, instead of you,
review and explain what you two
did during the session reinforces
how much learning occurred and
how useful tutoring is.
29. Ending a Tutoring Session
Invite tutees back and also say good-bye. Seriously.
We’ve actually had a few tutors just get up and
leave. It’s imperative that you always acknowledge
and respect the individuals you work with. It is not
only common curiosity but also good customer
service.
30. Ending Q & A
What happens if your shift is over or the site is closing
and the session is not over?
Let the tutee know in advance if your shift will end before
the session is over. Tell him or her how much time you have
and who else is available who can take over for you then:
“I’m here for another half hour. If we’re not finished, Suzie
can work with you then.”
Let the other tutor know as well. Do not assume that you
can leave and the other tutor and the tutee will just figure
out what is next. DO not put the tutee in the uncomfortable
position of saying something like, “I think you’re supposed
to help me now.”.
31. Ending a Tutoring Session
If the site is closing, again, tell the tutee how
much time is left.
If too little time remains to get through
everything, do as much as you can to set up
the tutee’s studying for the rest of the
evening, including where to look in the book
or online.
Let the tutee know the first available time
that he or she can get help for the subject:
“We’re open again tomorrow at 10” or “The
Math Tutoring Center is open on Sunday
afternoons.”
32. Discussion Board Post
Create two lists, one of the expectations and goals of
tutoring, and the other of the limitations of tutoring.
Respond to the posted questions on the BB discussion
board and post your answers under Teaching v.
Tutoring Exercise Six.
33. Tutoring Expectations and
Goals
Tutoring sessions:
Have a structure that allows objectives to be
approached systematically, from beginning through
the middle to an end.
Allow tutees to ask questions and receive multiple
approaches to learning information.
Provide students with study skills suited to a
particular subject.
Complement classroom instruction and skills.
Give students the extra support they need outside the
classroom to succeed in college.
34. Tutoring Limitations
Tutors cannot replace the instructor
by teaching, predicting grades, or
correcting assignments.
Students must do their own work
(homework, papers, tests, etc.), which
tutors can model with examples.
Students have limited access to tutors;
tutors are not available on an on-call
basis.
35. End of Unit One
Congrats! You have just completed
Teaching V. Tutoring for CRLA Level 1
Tutor Training.
Please proceed to The Socratic Method.
