Working for the Bear Claw

1. Working for the Bear Claw The Basics of One-on-One Tutoring Created and presented by Michael Frizell, Director of the Writing Center Sarah Viehmann, Writing Center Consultant

2. What a Tutor/Consultant Does Pedagogical Principles • Help dispel the myth that learning this subject is an impossible task • Help students ask good questions • Engage the student • Help students recognize the value of different approaches to teaching and learning • Help students recognize and solve the underlying difficulty • Help students do their own work

3. Customer Service The Basic Needs of Customers • Friendliness • Understanding and empathy • Fairness • Control • Options and alternatives • Information

4. What You Can Do • Form good work habits • Be on time • Maintain professionalism • Create a positive atmosphere • Make the first impression count • Take the initiative • Communicate • Remember that your actions affect everyone • Commit to making a difference • Build cooperation among tutors

5. Tutor/Consultant Responsibilities • Guide and motivate students in academic matters only • Ask questions • Listen carefully • Paraphrase • Help students understand • Help students feel understood • It’s okay if you don’t know! • Recognize that each student has his/her own natural pace for learning • Recognize that this is not easy for the student • Develop and hone your own skills

6. The Session: First Impressions Sessions begin the moment the client walks into the room! We presume students are • Apprehensive • Confused about what to expect Tutors/consultants show respect for the student by • Being on time • Having a perceived plan • Listening actively • Not doing the work for the student

7. First Impressions, Continued • The first five minutes: establishing rapport • Greet the client • Ask his/her name • Tell him/her your name • Additionally, you may • Ask what class the project/homework is for • Ask for the assignment sheet (if applicable) • Discuss the purpose of the assignment (if applicable)

8. Objectives for a Tutoring/Consultation Session • Set goals for the session together • Foster critical thinking • Enhance learning • Help students learn to ask questions • Promote active learning • Help students learn how to learn

9. Starting Work • Identify the task • Set goals together • Prioritize goals • Work on the task • Keep the client focused on the work!

10. During the Session • It Isn’t All About Us! • Focus on the student • Validate whatever response the student makes • Allow silence after questions • Give the student your full attention • Become involved with and curious about the student’s work • ACTIVELY LISTEN!

11. Responding to the Student • Affirm, Do Not Evaluate • DO: Use specifics to compliment, reinforce, question and explain. • DO NOT: Criticize, be judgmental, look for perfection. • Don’t worry about sending the student off with imperfect work! • Emphasize progress by restating discoveries.

12. Closing the Session • Remember to: • Summarize in a sentence or two what YOU think was accomplished… • The student must feel like he/she has progressed! • Ask the student if he/she has any questions • Ask the student his/her plan for further work • Leave the student with a lesson gleaned from the session… • Assign something for him/her to do • Remind him/her of the good practices learned in the session!