ILAS 201 Tutoring

1. ILAS 201 Tutoring A short guide to your experience

2. What ILAS 201 tutoring is: • The goal of tutoring in schools is to help students: • Develop good study habits • Work through academic issues with support • Feel more like partners in their education

3. What ILAS 201 tutoring is not: • The goal of tutoring in schools is not: • To make sure students get every question correct • To deliver primary instruction • To serve as a study hall monitor

4. What is expected of tutors? • A positive attitude and a professional appearance • Your role is to help those you tutor acquire the skills required to become successful students. • You are expected to be positive, supportive, and appropriate at all times • Your input will be sought as we grow this program and make it more effective each semester.

5. 3 Keys to Effective Tutoring Reframing directions Asking appropriate questions Referring to materials

6. Reframing directions • Often, students struggle with assignments because they are not clear what is being asked of them. • Ensuring students are clear regarding the expectations of the assignment is the first step in helping them become successful. • Sometimes students fail to read the directions, other times they do not understand them.

7. Reframing directions • Look for verbs: what actions will the student need to take in order to complete the assignment? • Look for references: what items does the student already have that will be helpful in completing the assignment? • Look for expectations: What specific things do the directions ask be included?

8. Reframing directions • Not all instructions will have all of the components outlined above, but they should have some of them. • Highlight and/or rewrite instructions in a way that will help you make sense of them.

9. Asking questions • Often, students need to clarify an assignment (or the knowledge they need to access to complete the assignment) by asking questions • There are different levels of questions that students can ask in order to become independent thinkers. • Guiding students through this questioning process is one of the best ways to help them become successful.

10. Levels of questions • Level 1 Questions: • Level 1 questions are recall-type questions that ask for information that can usually be found in a text or notes. • Students who ask these types of questions should be referred back to their book, you may need to show them how to find this kind of information.

11. Levels of questions • Level 2 Questions: • Level 2 questions require the thinker to process information that they have been given. The thinker will need to look at a source, but the answer will not be found in the source (think inferences). • These are the types of questions you want to ask your tutee and you want them to ask you.

12. Levels of questions • Level 3 Questions: • Level 3 questions require the thinker to apply information they have learned. A text may be the jumping off point, but the application should have universal implications. • These types of questions are often the goal of major assignments (test questions, essays). Students thinking on this level are working “at the top of their game.”

13. Levels of questions • Your job is to try to get students to move beyond level 1 questions about the topics they are struggling with and start asking level 2 questions. • When students asks you a question, try to help them turn it into a level 2 question as opposed to something they could find in the text (if appropriate).

14. Levels of questions • This is the core of tutoring success. Helping students move to a place where level 2 thinking comes naturally will help them much more than helping them get an answer correct ever will.

15. Using resources • Often, students need to be shown what they have that they can already use (and how to use it!) • This component is somewhat built in to the other two (directions and questions)

16. Using resources • Ask students what they have that might help them answer questions (book, notes, handout, old quiz, etc.) • Ask students to explain to you how this resource might be helpful

17. Using resources • Often emerging thinkers need to be coached before they can use their resources effectively. Read a passage with them and think aloud to show them how your brain is working. Talk them through how you would find the answer to a certain question using your notes or book.

18. Using resources • You may find that students should have notes to help them complete their work, but they aren’t taking them. • Share with your tutees a note taking system that works for you (2-column, Cornell notes, outline, etc). • Ask them to bring these notes to their next tutoring session so you can check them and help them hone them.

19. Helpful Information Everything you ever needed to know but didn’t know to ask!

20. Professionalism • Dress for success! No: jeans, t-shirts, low cut blouses, pajamas, tight-fitting clothes Yes: collared shirts, ties, polos, dress slacks, dress shoes, dresses, power suits • Treat everyone like they are your boss...one you like! • Check your electronics • Keep on smiling!

21. And a few more tips... • Each school will have specific protocols for things like parking, ID cards, checking in, etc. Pay attention to what these protocols are and make sure you follow them. • Introduce yourself to the principal, any other administrators, department chairs, and other teachers • Learn the lay of the land: in some schools you may be moving around. Take the time to learn how to get where you need to go.

22. Conclusion • Your role as a tutor is extremely important. You can help your tutees develop the skills that have helped you become successful. • Your goal is not to ensure they have all the right answers, but rather help them develop the skills to find the right answers. • Remember that tutoring benefits you, as well, as great on-the-job experience and powerful networking.

23. Feedback • Tutoring sessions will most likely be observed multiple times throughout the semester • Feedback from these observations will be used to make adjustments to the program in the future • You can also use this feedback to identify areas of strengths and weakness in your own skill set • You will also take a survey about your experience that NIU and schools will use to help them improve the experience